RHS Update and Garden Wisley is open...

It’s blossom time at Wisley
Spring signals the arrival of many horticultural delights at RHS Garden Wisley. With 240 acres of beautiful gardens to wander, there is lots to experience.
On arrival, you will be greeted by an impressive colonnade of cherry trees. This avenue of over 140 Prunus x yedoensis (Yoshino cherry) trees is in bloom for the very first time.

You will also find many other species of cherry blossom putting on their annual display. Look for delightful pink blooms, such as Prunus ‘Accolade’ on the edge of Oakwood, Prunus pendula f. ascendens 'Rosea' in the Cottage Garden and Prunus ‘Shirotae’ dotted through Seven Acres.

Delicate blossom graces the Garden briefly each year. We look forward to seeing you.

Coronavirus statement
We continue to adhere to and are following current Government advice about Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Updated 17 March, 2020

Following the Government update on 16 March 2020 and ongoing situation with COVID-19, all RHS Shows, Garden Events and school visits will be cancelled with immediate effect until 30 June 2020. RHS Gardens remain open, with a number of increased precautionary measures in place.

This is a worldwide unprecedented and challenging time for so many people and of course the health and safety of our members, visitors, exhibitors, staff and volunteers remains our number one priority.

With the Government no longer supporting mass gathering events due to the impact on emergency services and heightened actions to encourage social distancing, the following RHS Shows will regrettably no longer take place in 2020:

RHS London Spring Launch & Orchid Show, 7-8 April
RHS Botanical Art and Photography Show, 17-18 April
RHS Flower Show Cardiff, 17-19 April
RHS Malvern Spring Festival, 7–10 May
RHS Chelsea Flower Show, 19–23 May
RHS Chatsworth Flower Show, 11–14 June
RHS Garden Harlow Carr Flower Show, 26-28 June, (although we will investigate if Harlow Carr can be moved into July)

We will contact everyone who has purchased a ticket and everyone will have the option of a full refund back within 21 days. Please therefore do not contact us immediately, except in an emergency, so that we can continue to handle this situation as swiftly as possible.

We will be contacting everyone involved in the Shows about the cancellation of these events.

One of the many reasons why we cannot postpone any of these large events to later in the year is that most of the thousands of plants grown for these shows are chosen because they are at their best in spring.

We know this will be very sad and disappointing news for all involved with our shows, as well as for our members and visitors who have purchased tickets and enjoy our shows every year.

Our four RHS Gardens – RHS Garden Wisley, RHS Garden Hyde Hall, RHS Garden Harlow Carr and RHS Garden Rosemoor – remain open. However all Garden events and school visits are cancelled with immediate effect until 30 June. If Government guidance changes, we will of course react immediately.

RHS Libraries at Vincent Square, RHS Garden Wisley and RHS Garden Harlow Carr will all close from 18 March.

We are closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation and following advice and guidelines set by Government.

We hope as they are later in the year, that the following RHS Shows may continue, but we will continue to follow Government advice and will update you immediately if this changes. The option of a full refund would once again apply should this happen.

RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival: Preview Evening, 6 July. Show, 7–12 July
RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 22 – 26 July
RHS Garden Hyde Hall Flower Show, 5 – 9 August
RHS Garden Rosemoor Flower Show, 14 – 16 August
RHS Garden Wisley Flower Show, 8 – 13 September

Sue Biggs, RHS Director General, says; “In these unprecedented challenging times we have carefully followed Government advice and made difficult, responsible decisions with the health and safety of people at the foremost of our minds.

“Our RHS Shows are vitally important platforms for the horticultural industry, and we are especially aware of the impact of cancelling these events on everyone involved. We will be doing all we can to help growers and nurseries to sell the plants they will have grown for the cancelled shows.

“As with everyone, we have no crystal ball, but for the time being we are planning our Summer Flower Shows and our Gardens remain open, as they are large outside spaces where people can escape in open space and benefit from some tranquillity and beauty, surrounded by nature – all things that are much needed during these unsettling times.

“Things of course may change, but whatever decisions we make, safety will be utmost in our mind and we will, like the rest of the world, be monitoring the situation closely.”

Useful links:
World Health Organisation
UK public health authorities

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