Fans of the annual Chelsea Flower Show are being warned to stay vigilant for ticket touts this year, as the event's popularity reaches pre-Covid levels following Sir David Beckham's involvement. The majority of the 150,000 tickets available have sold out before the show for the first time since the pandemic, as the countdown begins to its opening on Tuesday, May 19, running until May 23.
Surge in Popularity
The surge in popularity is believed to stem from a broader national appreciation for gardening, as well as the celebrity twist. Football star Sir David Beckham has partnered with Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Ambassador and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh and garden designer Frances Tophill to create what they have named a 'Curious Garden' on behalf of the RHS and the King's Foundation. King Charles, who has overseen the garden's design and is expected to attend the RHS event, invited Sir David, along with Alan Titchmarsh and Ms Tophill, to Gloucestershire this week to put the finishing touches to their work.
Warning on Fraudulent Tickets
With the heightened interest, Clare Matterson, director general of the RHS, has warned fans to be cautious of fraudulent tickets. She said: 'While a sell-out show is great news for everyone involved and good news for gardening, we encourage people not to buy tickets from touts or third parties.' Real tickets are priced at £122 for the public and £55 for RHS members. Ms Matterson told The Times: 'Often sold for inflated prices, there is no guarantee these are authentic and people risk being turned away at the gate.'
The Curious Garden
Sir David's 'Curious Garden' aims to spark curiosity and inspire a new generation of gardeners, encouraging people into careers working with plants. It will be centered on an oak-framed building, representing a 'museum of garden curiosities', and feature shade-loving plants, herbaceous flowers, and shrubs. The newly named Sir David Beckham rose, in collaboration with the David Austin nursery, will also be included in the garden.
Increased Demand and Membership Boom
Ms Matterson added that the RHS has seen 'people increasingly turn to gardening' this year, pushing sale numbers up. The event used to host 168,000 garden lovers, but the ticket cap was reduced to 150,000 after the pandemic to ease congestion at the Royal Hospital Chelsea site. This year is the first time the show has been a sell-out before opening its doors since the reduction in numbers. The RHS has experienced its biggest membership boom since the pandemic, when gardening saw a surge in popularity. Some 30,000 people have signed up since February 1, with 9,700 new members in April alone. Gardening lovers this year will also face extra challenges, with a planned Tube strike during the week the event is being held.
Royal Involvement
Following the royal meeting earlier this week, Sir David, 50, a King's Foundation Ambassador, said: 'Both The King's Foundation and the RHS do such great work in protecting and promoting green spaces across the UK. I want to help encourage a new generation to appreciate the benefits of nature and get involved in gardening. It's been fun to be a part of creating the Curious Garden and I'm excited for people to see it at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.' Mr Titchmarsh, also a King's Foundation and RHS Ambassador, added: 'As a long-time supporter of both the RHS and The King's Foundation, I am delighted to lend my horticultural expertise to the Curious Garden. Curiosity is really the beginning of any gardening journey – and certainly that's how I began my career – so I hope this work inspires a new generation of gardeners to explore their talents through the incredible training and work experience schemes available via the RHS and The King's Foundation.'
