In the Heat at RHS Hampton 2025

Press day at RHS Hampton 2025 turned out to be one of the hottest days so far this year, making walking around tiring and taking photos challenging.

Perhaps it was the heat that kept people away. Certainly, press day seemed quieter than usual.

While the strong sun washed out colour in some things, other, more vibrant planting stood up well to the sunshine. This planting on Kitti Kovacs’ ‘Illusion 2050’ in the Gardens of Curiosity contest positively glowed. It showed how changing climate will alter our city gardens – particularly timely given the weather at RHS Hampton 2025.

Perhaps it was the heat but I found myself drawn to water features and there were lots ranging from contemporary to simple to more traditional. (Left to right above: ‘A Garden of Two Tales’ by Daniel March; ‘The Golden Garden’ by Alana Sims & Kiera Jamison; Teucer Wilson: ‘Green the Gap Garden’ by Laura Strand and Sam Stark-Kemp).

One of the designs I found most interesting was an RHS-sponsored balcony garden (the first time this feature has appeared at Hampton). Incredibly, the designer was approached just three weeks ago presumably to help fill space as there were fewer big show gardens than usual.

‘One Element’ by Nadine Charlton of Home Spring Gardens showed how water that would otherwise go down drains can be put to a second use in gardens. Again, a very apt concept as the threat of a hosepipe ban looms large for many gardeners.

It was the romantic planting that drew me to ‘The Three Graces of Galicia’ by Nilufer Danis. Soft pink roses and hydrangeas were set against the white of ammi and beautiful mauve Veronicastrum virg. ‘Fascination’.

There are many RHS features at the show including the ‘RSPB and RHS Swift Garden’ by Lilly Gomm and Coralie Thomas, which shows ways we can help stop the decline in the number of swifts, and ‘RHS Vertigo’ by Adolfo Harrison, which illustrates how climbers can be used to green urban spaces.

‘RHS Healer’s Hollow’ by Jude Yeo and Emily Grayshaw of Inspired Earth Design looks at the health benefits plants bring us. The design team have appeared at RHS Hampton before, creating a large feature in 2023, and a smaller garden in the also very hot year of 2022.

This year’s garden has not one but two water features, a naturalistic tumbling waterfall and a modern bird bath.

A show garden with a difference is sponsored by Surrey County Council and demonstrates how on-street parking bays can be turned into gardens, ranging from a rain garden that collects excess water and helps prevent flooding to a place for residents to sit and chat. There are four sections to the ‘garden’, including one that is used as parking.

It’s roadside planting that’s the theme of ‘Life on the Verge’ by Lauran London, Mary-Anne O’Brien and Robin Dunlop in the City Pocket Planting section. It shows how an often sterile space at the side of a road can be turned into a wildlife haven with planting. It would certainly brighten up any road.

Recycling features in several of the gardens in the City Pocket Planting part of RHS Hampton 2025. I liked the seat made from reclaimed wood and metal on ‘Before the Concrete Sets’ by Surrounding Counties. It’s a design that uses a lot of reclaimed materials that would otherwise have gone to landfill.

Another recycled materials seat is on ‘The Student City Garden’ by Charlie Bailey, which shows how even the smallest yard at a student house could be turned into a garden on a budget.

The Flowers at RHS Hampton 2025

Despite the heat, the displays in the Floral Marquee were looking fabulous. I was pleased to discover a new exhibitor trying their hand at an RHS show for the first time.

The Tetbury Flower Co., founded by Rachel Golding Barrett, is a cut flower farm based not far from me at Sopworth near Tetbury. Specialising in tulips and dahlias, it provides cut flowers to florists and event companies and also runs workshops.

All the flowers on the display were grown at the farm and included a rather lovely new dahlia that Rachel has bred.

“We’re seasonal growers and trying to get the dahlias in flower for the end of June has been quite a challenge because it’s outside our normal way of growing flowers,” she told me. “It’s been an enormous learning curve and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed every minute.”

Rachel has been mentored by Richard and Vicky Fox who have won multiple RHS gold medals with their nursery Plantagogo.

Tucked among the more commonly grown herbs on The Kitchen Garden Plant Centre’s stand was Bulbine frutescens ‘Avera Sunset Orange’, something I’d not seen before. Evidently, it can be used like Aloe vera on burns.

I spotted a trio of more unusual echinacea on the display by Hare Spring Cottage Plants. It’s such a shame they don’t really like my sandy soil.

Something that may fare better is this penstemon, seen on Moore & Moore Plants’ display. It’s tricky to get through the winter in a border unless your soil is extremely well drained and is more commonly grown in a pot.

I may also be checking out santolina having seen the display by Botanica Nursery of their National Collection. It’s something that thrives in hot, dry conditions – well suited to my day at Hampton!

Top picture: planting on the aptly named ‘Hot Pocket’ by Tom Pilgrim in City Pocket Planting.

You can read more of my show visits here.

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