If you're looking for a family day out with lots of plants, flowers and attractions thrown in, then the UK's flower shows are for you. Here's a round-up of the flower shows which are taking place this year, with thanks to the gardening experts at The Greenhouse People for their contribution to the blog…
February-March 2020 - Kew Orchid Festival
If you can’t wait for Spring to visit a gardening event, in February The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew hold an annual orchid festival with dazzling displays. In 2020, the theme is Indonesia to celebrate Kew’s vital science work in the country.
In the immersive glasshouse, visitors will encounter an erupting volcano created from orchids and other tropical flowers, as well as after-hours events featuring Indonesian music, dance and cuisine, and a series of talks from Kew’s orchid experts.
May 2020 - RHS Malvern Spring Festival
RHS Malvern Spring Festival celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2020 and takes place from May 7-10 at Three Counties Showground, Malvern.
The four-day event plays host to RHS Gold Medal winning show gardens, top-quality specialist plant and floral exhibitors in the beautiful Floral Marquee and special guest appearances from some of the UK’s top gardening and food heroes.
As part of its anniversary celebrations and new for 2020, the Malvern Hills will be alive with the sound of music, with two spectacular evenings of performances. On Friday 8 May, the 54-piece English Symphony Orchestra lead by Lesley Garrett will perform a special VE Day commemorative concert. On Saturday (9), Jo Whiley will be hosting the Gardeners' Party as she plays music throughout the decades, chosen by the show's special guests.
Making a welcome return to the festival after last appearing in 2018, gardening national treasure Alan Titchmarsh will be joined by Gardeners’ World stars Carol Klein and Joe Swift, alongside RHS Malvern, show ambassador Chris Beardshaw, plantswoman and author Sarah Raven and celebrity florist, writer and broadcaster, Jonathan Moseley.
BBC Radio 2’s resident gardening guru, Terry Walton, will also make a comeback, as well as former Blue Peter gardener, Lee Conelley - better known as the Skinny Jean Gardener.
Advance tickets for day entry to the festival itself are now on sale, with prices starting at just £20 for RHS and Three Counties members, or £22 for the general public (plus 75p transaction fee). Children under 16 go free. Group tickets are also available. The event runs from 8th February - 8th March.
For further information visit www.rhsmalvern.co.uk or call 0844 811 0050.
May 2020 - Chelsea Flower Show
The world’s most prestigious horticultural event, with the Queen and other members of the Royal Family in attendance, it’s no wonder the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is attended by 168,000 visitors each year.
If you’ll be one of them in May 2020 (19th - 23rd), expect displays by some of the world’s leading garden designers as well as emerging talent. Many categories have received a makeover this year, including a dedicated space for floristry, a new Urban Gardens category and the trend for indoor plants reflected in the House Plant Studios.
May 2020 - Gardening Scotland
Scotland’s biggest garden show is the highlight of the horticultural calendar for gardeners nationwide. The event is put together by a group of horticulturists who thought Scotland deserved its own gardening celebration and is held in the grounds of the Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh.
In 2019, standout trends included plants suited to Scotland’s damp climate like unusual blue poppies originating from the Himalayas. This year expect a focus on urban gardening and lots of family-friendly activities. You can also find a designer to help transform your own garden. The event takes place from 29th-31st May.
June 2020 - RHS Chatsworth Flower Show
The Royal Horticultural Society’s newest gardening event, the Chatsworth Flower Show, will return for the fourth time with all the summer colour, prize blooms and innovative design of previous years.
2020 will see the return of the Mindfulness Gardens, a category launched to celebrate the benefits of gardens and outdoor spaces for our physical and mental wellbeing.
Providing the impressive backdrop to the Derbyshire show is Chatsworth House, home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and set in 35,000 acres of sprawling countryside. Used as the setting for Pemberley, Darcy’s house in various adaptions of Pride and Prejudice, it’s worth a visit as Chatsworth Flower Show ticket holders receive 50% off admission during the show.
June 2020 - Blenheim Palace Flower Show 
Tickets for the eighth annual Blenheim Palace Flower Show are now available to book online.
The floral festival will bloom from Friday 26 – Sunday 28 June with exciting new displays, gardening talks and more than 300 exhibitors located around a Grand Floral Pavilion.
The event takes place at Oxfordshire World Heritage Site, Blenheim Palace, which is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.
Each year multi-award-winning Floral Designer Mig Kimpton produces a horticultural masterpiece.
“I am excited to create something even more spectacular than before. Whilst previous years have been a single floral display, this year I will be creating a Floral Street,” said Mig.
“The Floral street will be situated next to the Grand Floral Pavilion and will aim to be about 36 meters long with new plant stands, workshops, talks stage, entertainment and lots of other treats for our visitors,” He said.
Popular favourites will return including the Grand Floral Pavilion, which houses more than 30 floral displays and a large selection of flowers and plants from the UK’s finest plantsmen.
Visitors will also be able to see the winning entries of the Plant a Border Competition, as well as an outdoor Plant Village and Live Entertainment. There will be delicious food and drink on offer throughout the weekend.
More than 24,000 people attended the Flower Show in 2019, which was opened by TV presenter George Clarke who also took part in Garden Talks and Q&As during the event.
Tickets are available to book online blenheimflowershow.co.uk