The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has unveiled its plans to host its first large-scale indoor event, the RHS Urban Show, in Central Manchester. Scheduled to run from 18 April – 21 April 2024, the show will be held at Depot Mayfield and serve as an inspirational hub for urban dwellers, focusing on the cultivation of indoor and small-space gardens.
The RHS Urban Show will differ substantially from the Society’s traditional Flower Shows. Notably, it will feature an industrial, indoor setting in a city centre, making it an immersive experience tailored for people living in areas with limited or no outdoor growing spaces. The emphasis will be on urban gardening, but the show will also delve into horticulture’s impact on interior design, art, wellness, and sustainability.
Visitors can look forward to a plethora of innovative gardening features, such as vertical gardening and urban farming. The event will also offer immersive plant installations, a series of talks, practical workshops, and a curated selection of plant nurseries selling houseplants and other small-space-friendly plants.
Helena Pettit, the Director of Gardens & Shows at RHS, commented on the recent boom in gardening among young people living in cities and expressed excitement about bringing the RHS Urban Show to Manchester city centre.
The initiative is part of RHS’s Strategy to 2030, which aims to make gardening accessible to “anyone, anywhere.” With over 80% of the UK population living in urban areas, often with limited access to green spaces, the new show aims to reach a wider audience and contribute to greening the UK’s second-largest city.
Further details about the show’s content will be released in due course. Tickets for all 2024 RHS Shows, including the RHS Urban Show, will go on sale for RHS members on 21 September and to the general public on 28 September.
For those interested in participating or learning more, visit www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/exhibit-at-a-show.
