Catch up with all the news from the first day of the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. |  |
The summer heatwave has sent temperatures soaring at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Gala Preview Day opened to 30-degree plus temperatures, adding to the challenge for designers getting their gardens to the final state of perfection for judging. The panel of RHS judges spent Monday inspecting each of the 46 show gardens in turn, awarding eight prestigious gold medals.
In the gardens Gardens this year have something to offer for everyone. There are bold design statements, like the giant steel sphere and blood-red path in Love, Life and Regeneration; or there's ageless tradition, such as the weather-worn maritime scene of The Cockler's Garden. As well as the main show gardens, there are also dozens of small gardens and the water gardens - a category unique to Hampton Court. This year there are also two new categories. Conceptual Gardens, the category for new designers, is proving a real talking point - it includes one garden that can only be viewed through windows in the sides of a cube. The second new category, Inspirational Spaces, aims to showcase what can be done in a very limited space using containers and window boxes. A sneak preview Gala preview day is for invited guests and the media, opening to the public for an exclusive evening preview later in the day. It’s one of the most glamorous days on the calendar at Hampton Court. This is the day when celebrities are invited to unveil show gardens for the first time, and invited guests - and the media - get a sneak preview of what the show has to offer. In the Floral Marquees, well over 100 nurseries and growers are exhibiting and selling their wares, while in the Festival of Roses Marquee - always a Hampton Court favourite - a record 20 new roses are being unveiled this year. The show opens officially on Tuesday 4 July and runs until Sunday 9 July.
| 
