Chelsea countdown

Marney Hall's 4Head Garden of Dreams, Chelsea 2006

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2007

Royal Hospital Grounds, Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London SW3 4SR

Tuesday 22 to Saturday 26 May
8am to 8pm (closes 5.30pm on Saturday)
The first two days of the shop are open to RHS members only
Nearest tube: Sloane Square
Buses to Royal Hospital Road: 11, 137, 211, 239

Tickets for the general public (non-RHS members) cost £40 for a full day's entry, £22.50 for visiting from 3.30 to 8pm, and £17.50 for visiting between the hours of 5.30-8pm.

Book your tickets from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
Information: +44 020 7649 1885
Ticket hotline: +44 0870 906 3781

To book a two-night weekday package, or a two-night weekend package, try Glory Days.
The company organises trips for business and social users based around sporting events worldwide - this year including the Ashes, Cheltenham Gold Cup and Rugby League Challenge Cup Final.

Alternatively, try 1st For London Theatre Tickets.
A ticket to the show with bed and breakfast costs in the region of £76.

Alan Titchmarsh manages to escape the rain: Chelsea 2006

Now in its 94th year, the Chelsea Flower Show is looming (and let's hope will be blooming) once again. New sponsor for the next three years is the UK's leading manufacturer of hard-landscaping products, Marshalls.

The most eagerly anticipated award has to be for Best Show Garden. The smaller gardens are split into four categories: Chic, Courtyard, Roof and City. Additionally, there are Floral Design, Floristry and Junior Display trophies for marquee exhibitors, plus the President's award for a Great Pavilion exhibitor judged to be the favourite by RHS president Peter Buckley. Medals have a four-tier grading of Gold, Silver Gilt, Silver and Bronze. Anyone not making a Bronze is, unfortunately, not deemed worthy of an award.

The themes and inspirations for Chelsea gardens are always interesting and sometimes surprising.
This year, Leeds City Council is harking back to the early Roman style, inspired by archaeological evidence of Roman settlements in Leeds itself.

Savill's designers, Philip Nixon and Marcus Barnett, meanwhile, are opting for a countryside-inspired design based on south-central England and its waterways. Their style is associated with geometry and clean lines, so the waterways' theme seems like a strong starting point.

Sue Hamilton of Barnsdale Gardens may possibly still be reeling from her Gold win at Chelsea last year, such was her delight on receiving the award. The other piece of good news is that this year she is off the reserve list for the floral marquee and has been accepted as an exhibitor. Last year, Sue was in the unenviable position of being on the reserve list, then having to stand in for an exhibitor who had pulled out - with just 12 days to create an award-winning 10 x 10 foot display. This hastily-put-together exhibit earned her a Silver-Gilt, which she said felt like Gold due to the short notice. The polytunnels at Barnsdale are currently full to the brim with plants being groomed for the big day - and this year, she's going for Gold.

This year international garden designer Lesley Bremness will bring a taste of China's culture and heritage with the first Chinese garden to feature at Chelsea. 'Through The Moongate' aims to bring the wonders of Chinese horticultural heritage to the Western world and is supported by its sponsors, The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) and Bank of China.

Stay posted for further details of the gardens, designers and show personalities as they become available.