Escape the dreary winter with Kew's annual festival of orchids. 

Have a great family day out and immerse yourself in displays showcasing more than 250,000 flowers.

Plan your winter escape with a visit to Kew’s 23rd annual Orchids Festival, where you can bask in the tropical paradise of the Princess of Wales Conservatory.

A look forward to 2017

Make a day of it and immerse yourself in displays showcasing more than 250,000 flowers.

Inspired by the vibrant colours, culture and magnificent plant life of India, this year’s festival in the Princess of Wales Conservatory features giant floral displays created using exotic orchids, decorative rickshaws, Indian soundscapes, films and much more. 

Entry to the festival is included with day admission. Friends of Kew enter free.

http://www.kew.org/

The RHS Lindley Hall will host the very first RHS London Urban Garden Show.

On entering the show visitors will be immersed in a tropical paradise with an array of species suitable for indoor use such as ivies, palms and ferns. A second inspirational installation will feature popular dry plants such as cacti and succulents, which are easy to keep and need little maintenance.

You will get the chance to ask the experts about caring for your plants whatever your level of knowledge, and get cultivation tips on keeping them healthy all year round. In addition, you'll be able to check out plant accessories to create an impressive display from some of London’s hottest new horticultural brands.

The Show will feature seminars on topics ranging from social media for gardeners to growing various kinds of houseplants and how plants can be used in the urban settings, along with curated tours of our Lindley Library exhibit on the City Gardener, which covers the delights and challenges of urban gardening through the ages.

There will also be a tempting range of food on offer if you feel the need for something tasty - SpiceBox, Seedlip, Rupert's Street, The Inkspot Brewery, Vegan Sweet Tooth, The Gin Garden, and Young Vegans will all be on hand with thier range of fabulous fare.

Date: 12 – 13 November 2016 (Late event 11 November)
Time: 10am – 5pm (Late event 6pm – 10pm)

The Late Event

£5 entry including free drink

The Friday evening is an exclusive preview of this exciting new show, showcasing:

• delicious artisan food pop-ups
• fabulous botanical drinks
• a DJ Soundclash from 6pm - 10pm – Cityscapes vs Edible Bus Stop.

All of this while being immersed in an atmospheric plant world. A perfect way to enjoy an after-work drink and find some funky fauna and flora for your urban dwelling.
 
There are also drop-in workshops on floral crowns and jewellery.

The Chelsea Flower Show has been held in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London every year since 1913, apart from gaps during the two World Wars. Once Britain's largest flower show (it has now been overtaken by RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show), it is still the most prestigious.

Key facts

• The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is organised by the Royal Horticultural Society which was founded in 1804.
• In 1927 there was a campaign to get the RHS to ban foreign exhibits from RHS Chelsea to reduce competition with British firms. The RHS refused saying, ‘horticulture knows nothing of nationality.’
• In 1932 the rain at the Show was so severe that a summer house display fell to pieces. One very wet year an exhibitor named it ‘The Chelsea Shower Flow’.
• The Great Pavilion is roughly 11,775 square metres or 2.90 acres, enough room to park 500 London buses.
• Of the firms that exhibited at the first Show in 1913, three can still be seen at the Show today: McBean’s Orchids, Blackmore & Langdon and Kelways Plants.
• A cap of 157,000 was placed on the number of visitors to the showground in 1988.