Hampton Court Palace Flower Show July 2006 | The Gardens and the Awards

The ultimate inspiration for a water gardener and gardener alike

The largest annual flower show in the world, this year featured a new category for new graduates of garden design and landscaping courses called Conceptual Gardens. As if there wasnt enough innovation and superlatives to throw about anyway, this category if has been devised to push the boundaries and increase the wow factor.

Another featured category was the Inspiring Spaces primarily for garden centres and other professional organisations to exercise their talents. The usual categories are the main show gardens, the water gardens and the small gardens. They are all judged by experts in their separate fields in separate categories and according to strict criteria laid down in advance. The standards are as high as any other RHS show, and they do not allow for any shortcomings, many that we normal punters would be totally unaware of.

There are over 700 exhibitors and 50 gardens, seven marquees including 2 Floral, one Rose, Studio for Flowers and the NCCPG Plant Heritage Marquee. There is the Daily Mail Pavilion and this will showcase 4 gardens inspired by the English countryside. There are hanging basket competitions, window boxes and hundreds of shopping opportunities for plants, furniture, odds and ends and.the list is tremendous.

It is likely to have attracted over 180,000 visitors over 6 days, but despite the crowds it is always a pleasure to be there.

Now water gardens are a big thing at Hampton Court. Nearly every garden has some sort of water feature. The time of year and the whole atmosphere seems to demand it, so if there is any inspiration required for your new water garden then here is where you want to be. Inspiration doesnt just come with the gardens either. The suppliers of some of the best water plants in the country are there too, many of them competing in the Water Garden section.

But here is a complete run down of the gardens and the awards that they received.

The Royal Horticultural Society can award:

  • GOLD MEDAL

  • SILVER-GILT MEDAL

  • SILVER MEDAL

  • BRONZE MEDAL

For an exhibit that is judged to be below Bronze standard no award will be made.

All medals (with the exception of the GOLD MEDAL, which is not further qualified) are available in the following ranges according to the type of exhibit:

  • Exhibits of Gardens, Flowers and Ornamental Plants are awarded in the FLORA medal range.

  • Exhibits of Fruit are awarded in the HOGG medal range.

  • Exhibits of Vegetables are awarded in the KNIGHTIAN medal range.

  • Exhibits of Special Scientific or Educational Interest are awarded in the LINDLEY medal range.