Chelsea Flower Show 2018: get big ideas for small city gardens at London's annual horticultural extravaganza

Chelsea Flower Show, the highlight of the year for gardeners in the capital and beyond, is imminent.

This year’s event, which runs from Tuesday, May 22 to Saturday, May 26 for the first time features a live jazz and soul music evening, provided by world-famous club Ronnie Scott’s.

Visitors can enjoy The Chelsea Late cocktail, created by Warner Edwards mixologists, while an artisan food market will provide plenty of nibbles to wash it down with and a pop-up plant fair will let you take home those items that have inspired your green fingers.

WHAT TO SEE:
Also new this year are Space To Grow gardens, specifically aimed at those with smaller urban gardens and organisers hope to prove that even the tiniest sliver of outside space can be turned into a green haven in the heart of the city.

The therapeutic properties of gardens — and gardening — are catered for with a series of gardens focusing on health and wellbeing, revealing the power of plants, how gardens can counteract the deteriorating environmental effects and generally improve people’s lives.

The Great Pavilion this year celebrates Master Growers, nurserymen and women from around the country, while the 10 show gardens include a recreation of a Mediterranean landscape and a blueprint for apartment living gardening.

There’s something for everyone, however small or large their garden or balcony, and even if you have no outside space, you can draw inspiration and enjoy the creations — and the cocktails.

TICKET INFORMATION
Public tickets are only available from the Thursday. Admission after 5.30pm costs £45 on Thursday and Friday, while all-day tickets are £105 for all three days. Chelsea Late tickets are £95.

GETTING THERE
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea from May 22-May 26. For more details and tickets, visit the RHS website.