Orchestral-themed gardens and innovative designs will be in full bloom at this year's RHS Flower Show Tatton Park WORDS BY EMMA MAYOH

It is an event that takes months of planning. But final preparations are now being made for the north of England’s biggest celebration of gardens. Thousands are expected to flood through the gates of the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park in Knutsford from July 18th – 22nd to see the riotous colours of roses, fantastic freesias and dazzling dahlias.

The show, renowned for its pioneering and innovative designs and ideas, will feature the striking Visionary Gardens section, the ever popular Show Gardens section, the National Flowerbed Competition which will celebrate the London 2012 Olympics, the Floral Design Studio, Ladies Day on July 19th and the Orchestra Gardens, a new feature at the event. These will be innovative creations designed to reflect different parts of an orchestra including brass, woodwind, strings and percussion.

Sandbach-based designer, Alexandra Froggatt, will create Air on a Green String, a garden which takes its inspiration from string instruments. It will feature a palette of velvety red, pink, and ivory combined with fine foliage and delicate flowers to represent the evocative sounds produced by the violin.

There will also be the return of the final of the RHS National Young Designer of the Year. Weaverham’s Andrew Percival will be one of the three budding talents hoping to take the top prize. His Subversive Pigments: articulating the DAYnight design, which will also be the first show garden he has built, is a 24 hour public urban garden with multi-functional space to meet the needs of urban dwellers.

Talented designers from across Cheshire will be joining Alexandra and Andrew to fly the flag for the county including gardens from long-established Crewe company, Mornflake and HMP Styal women’s prison. The team from Cheshire Gardens Trust will also exhibit their own garden for the first time at the show. The group are working with award-winning designer Jacquetta Menzies to promote and raise awareness of the historical importance of the former Caldwell’s Nurseries in Knutsford.

Bollington designer Jacquetta has created a contemporary coastal garden inspired by the legend of King Canute, who featured on Caldwell’s logo. The garden will contain a striking steel sculpture of the historical character created by local artist and Tatton Park’s former artist-in-residence Christine Wilcox-Baker. Potter Gordon Cooke will also create a water bowl and volunteers from the Trust have also grown annuals from seed and will help with the planting of the garden.

Jacquetta said: ‘It is such a privilege to have been asked to design a show garden by Cheshire Gardens Trust and to work with such creative people as Christine and Gordon.

I have been involved with the Tatton Park show for years. The atmosphere is always electric.’

Tickets for RHS Flower Show Tatton Park, which takes place from July 18th – 22nd, cost from �19.50 to �28. To buy contact 0844 871 7661 or visit www.rhs.org.uk for more information.

ee Cheshire Life at RHS Flower Show Tatton ParkWe could never miss out on the fun. Please join us at the Cheshire Life stand D277, near the Floral Design marquee where you can enjoy a subscription offer of 12 issues for �12 and enter a competition to win a hamper of goodies.

See Cheshire Life at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park

We could never miss out on the fun.

Please join us at the Cheshire Life stand D277, near the Floral Design marquee where you can enjoy a subscription offer of 12 issues for �12 and enter a competition to win a hamper of goodies.