Celebrating a major milestone, the Royal Horticultural Society marked 220 years of enriching people’s lives through horticulture, with the charity’s first ever, large scale indoor show. The RHS Urban Show, held at the Mayfield Depot, Manchester showcases the new cool of gardening, from balcony show gardens to vertical planting for awkward urban spaces, houseplants and a horticultural exhibit celebrating the heyday of the Manchester scene’s Hacienda days. We popped down to the RHS Urban Show to soak up the atmosphere are pick up a plant, or two, ok four.
The Punk Rockery
As you entered the cavernous Victorian arches, with RHS flickering in neon, it was clear that this was a flower show with a difference. Amanda Grimes, a designer from the Midlands, displayed her showcase titled Pop Culture Planting: Punk Rockery, the New Wave, and 24-Hour Party Planting. This two-part installation spanned three years, displaying the design at planting, one year later, and two years later. Her goal is to encourage new gardeners by demonstrating the natural progression of a garden, even in challenging conditions.
Why Urban Gardening?
Urban gardening is vital as the percentage of people living in urban areas in the UK sits at 84.4% (2022) with an almost a 3% increase over the past decade. The upward trend, though slow, has been consistently positive.
The rate of urbanisation indicates the shift away from rural living as people come together in densely populated cities and green space is in high demand playing a viral role in the wellbeing of urban communities.
“Urban Gardening is diverse and dynamic and the inaugural RHS Urban Show is an exciting opportunity to explore the important role gardening plays in greening up cities.”
Lex Falleyn, show manager for the RHS Urban Show
Flourish, Manchester
Green-thumbed locals in Manchester City Centre have a special place in their hearts for Flourish. Those who are familiar with the brand will recall its humble beginnings at St Annes Square, before it flourished and expanded to its current locations at Deansgate Square and Didsbury. The enticing aroma of Flourish’s stand is unmistakable, with the scent of Eucalyptus filling the air. As you approach, your senses are greeted by a stunning display of vibrant sunflowers and cascading plants hanging from above, creating a truly enchanting sight.
RHS City Spaces: Cloudscape
One of the main displays was RHS City Spaces: Cloudscape by Manchester Cloud Gardener Jason Williams, who’s on a mission to get local authorities, and developers to reconsider their engagement with communities and create greener towns and cities for all.
Created in partnership with students from Manchester Metropolitan University’s Rise program and Notcutts Garden Centre, the exhibit features four balconies facing different directions, a north-facing shaded rented patio, an urban farm, and a communal garden, all within a budget of £500.
The exhibits showcased how it is achievable to design an aesthetically pleasing garden using a variety of plants that can also support biodiversity, even in a limited area with difficult lighting conditions.
“The concept as a whole is an ambitious blueprint of how we can bring a city together. These are not show gardens, they are learning exhibits designed to teach residents, local authorities, retail and developers how we can all improve to make our towns and cities greener.”
Manchester Cloud Gardener Jason Williams
Green and Grounded
Matt and Rowan from Green and Grounded, the top-notch duo showcased their incredible collection of houseplants and Hacienda Pots. These Hacienda pots, designed by Pow Pots, pay homage to the legendary Manchester nightclub with their vibrant black and yellow stripes and smiley faces galore.
Green and Grounded offers a wide selection of plants and flowers that are sourced ethically, ensuring that customers can feel good about their purchases. Whether you prefer to shop online or visit their physical stores in Altrincham or Sale town centre, you can trust that you are getting high-quality products that have been sourced responsibly.
Amongst the stellar displays of houseplant retailers were GrowTropicals, a four-time RHS Chelsea Flower Show medal-winning company, who showcased a wide range of plants, including rare and exotic species, organised into three distinct structures. These structures highlight the best shade-loving plants for north-facing rooms, moisture-loving varieties suitable for humid areas, and sun-worshipping plants that thrive on sunny windowsills.
The RHS Urban Show felt new, exciting, accessible and fresh. The more traditional RHS Flower Shows such as Tatton are aspirational, tailored to those with space in abundance with retailers displaying garden furniture, large planters and hot tubs. The RHS Urban Show to the traditional RHS Shows, is like the Royal Academy of Arts was to the Young British Artists bursting out of London in the 1990s, albeit a lot less pretentious.
The RHS team collaborated with a diverse group of gardeners, including known designers, community organisations, and creative individuals who manage gardening alongside their daily lives. By doing so, they created a cool blend of experimental and creative show gardens, talks offering down-to-earth practical advice and an encouraging event with something for everyone interested in gardening, no matter how small the scale.
