Dame Judi Dench to Open RHS Wisley Flower Show

Published on: 24 Aug, 2018
Updated on: 27 Aug, 2018

Dame Judi Dench with the David Austin rose named after her, credit RHS and Luke MacGrego

Dame Judi Dench is to open this year’s annual flower show at The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Garden Wisley, in Surrey.

According to an RHS press release the six-day flower festival (September 4-9, 2018) “…offers visitors the chance to enjoy a profusion of plants and flowers, seek the best gardening advice and explore the garden in its late summer glory.

“Dame Judi’s love of trees, flowers and gardening is well known, and she has visited the RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows on many occasions. She also has a rose named after her – an English Shrub Rose in shades of apricot-orange, by David Austin Roses.”

The show, supported by Witan Investment Trust, is set within the nationally famous RHS garden, and will host more than 50 specialist nurseries showcasing their top quality plants. New exhibitors for 2018 will display horticultural delights including air plants, unusual shrubs and an urban rock garden display.

Dame Judi said: “I am so thrilled to be invited to Wisley this year, it is somewhere I have always wanted to go and never managed to actually get there until now, hooray!!”

Matthew Pottage, Curator, RHS Garden Wisley, said: “We are so delighted and excited that Dame Judi will be opening the show. She will be seeing the garden at its peak of late summer bloom – our Equinox and Mixed Borders in particular will be vibrant with colour and the hot weather means our new Exotic Garden is lush with jungle-like foliage.”

A first for this year’s show is The British Flower Bus. Attending as part of its nationwide tour, the bus is the focal point of a campaign led by renowned floral designer Jonathan Moseley to champion the resurgence of British-grown cut flowers.

Show visitors will be invited to board the bus to watch Jonathan’s floral design demonstrations. Another attraction will be the National Dahlia Society Annual Show (4-7 September), which will provide visitors with the chance to view the very best in dahlia cultivation and colour.

Visitors can see Dame Judi opening the show by reserving a place at www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/RHS-Garden-Wisley-Flower-Show

Admission to the RHS Garden Wisley Flower Show is free to RHS Members, normal garden admission applies to non-members. For further information, including how to book show tickets and travel advice, visit www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley.