The Chelsea Flower Show is an eye-catching – but sadly ticketed – event every year in the Royal Hospital Grounds on the Embankment.
However, you can experience floral genius for free by walking down the nearby Kings Road and Sloane Square area and seeing Chelsea in Bloom.
This year’s theme is Out of This World and the event runs 18th-24th May and is is produced by Cadogan, in association with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
It is the 21st year of seeing the Chelsea streets adorned in colour with over 145 of Chelsea’s shops, restaurants and hotels putting on a show in celebration.
Hopping off the tube at Sloane Square you are immediately met with bustling chaos – but the mood is hugely positive with people having travelled from all over the world for the occasion. And dressed up for it too!
Speaking to businesses on the Kings Road, this is an exciting week for them.
An employee at Rixo, which sells vintage clothes, told me it was one of their busiest weeks of the year and a Pret worker told me they had hired additional workers to meet the heightened demand.
The effects of the Chelsea Flower Show and Chelsea in Bloom are far-reaching with children from local schools wearing flower garlands and showing appreciation for the creativity.
A lady who attends the extraordinary displays every year confidently said: “Lloyds always has the horse” – apt given their iconic symbol.
Whilst the six central displays were remarkable, and pictured in this piece, the effort put in by smaller businesses, such as the Italian restaurant Azzurra pictured below, was just as impressive.
Attendees were clearly loving the creations made by businesses and artists alike but, for some, the long day had taken its toll.
A pensioner said: “When I get tired, I can no longer walk in a straight line”.
Not ideal for the bustling streets with such astonishing and distracting views.
Feature Image Credit: Sarah Mayne
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