Building The Chelsea Flower Show

Putting together the famous garden displays isn’t as straightforward as you think.

From the 19th to the 23rd of May, over 150,000 people will descend on the RHS Chelsea Flower Show to marvel at the stunning gardens put together by a huge range of exhibitors. The annual event has been running for well over a century and has become a true staple of British culture.

While you might have assumptions about how the show is put together, there is so much more happening behind the scenes that we never see. Because it’s not just about the exhibitors themselves and their architectural designs. It’s also about the expert tradespeople who help bring those visions to life. 

The Groundwork

The Chelsea Flower Show takes about 3 weeks to put together. That may seem like a lot of work, but every year a huge team unites to prepare the land for the event. That means heavy landscaping as contractors dig up soil and make minor adjustments to suit the needs of the exhibitors. Huge machinery is brought in to handle the repositioning of trees and other massive items. 

Then comes the next phase of construction, where walls, paths and other hard infrastructure elements are put together. This includes the construction of water features and the assembly of pre-made, bespoke elements that are intended for display during show week. It takes around 8000 people to erect the Chelsea Flower Show and a significant portion of that workforce is dedicated to these early challenges. 

Maintaining The Gardens 

Once the groundwork is concluded, exhibitors move in and start their own work. However, a constant supply of support is needed, as they come up against the many obstacles threatening their designs. Electricians, plumbers, specialists and other tradies are on hand to supply their veteran advice. 

So whether a garden is experiencing drainage problems or cannot quite power its light sources properly, an on-site team is available to attempt to resolve many of those issues. Without this collection of expert workers, the Chelsea Flower Show would never come together. 

So, when the ground tours begin and visitors from across the world are enjoying the event’s offerings, just remember that it’s the tradies who made it possible.