About the Show - This established show, now in its 24th year, is held over the May Bank Holiday weekend in the beautiful surroundings of the Royal Victoria Park. The inaugural Bath Flower Show was commissioned to celebrate the centenary of the Botanical Gardens (in 1987), a stone's throw away from the showground, and well worth a visit for its beauty and peace.

Now in its 24th year, it has become one of Bath’s most popular annual events.  Full of colour and fun, and in the setting of the beautiful and historic Royal Victoria Park, with lots to do, to see and to buy, it makes for a great day out for all the family.  It’s mostly under cover too, so you can enjoy it whatever the weather, and parking is free.  This year there will be even more to enjoy with more entertainments, bands and all sorts of activities on a new village green area, which will include terrier racing! 

For gardeners, the Show is extra special, coming at a perfect time to stock up the garden from a huge selection of plants to choose from top-class nurseries from all over the country, along with garden sundries, tools and furniture, and a lecture theatre to learn more from gardening experts, including Mary Payne, Radio Bristol’s gardening expert, and Jane Moore, Head Gardener at Bath Priory Hotel, voted the country’s top gardening writer. 

Even if you’re not into gardening, you can’t fail to be bowled over by the sheer beauty of it all, especially in the main marquee where the nurseries stage magnificent floral displays, and our Parks staff will be showing their skills with a huge exhibit of their own.  Then there is the incredible artistry in the floral art marquee, crafts and gifts to buy, a food hall with a good selection of foodstuffs, including that from the Avon Country Market, and this year in the ever popular cookery demonstration theatre, we are delighted to have with us a number of eminent chefs.

In the competitions marquee there are classes for photography, for children - whose exhibits never fail to charm - and for members of the Women’s Institute and Townswomen’s Guild.  There is also an excellent refreshments marquee.  Children will enjoy watching the young animals in Animal Corner and have a wonderful time in the Bath Play Area Project, and there is also a crèche for the under fives.  On the Sunday evening at 6:00pm there will be the popular annual ecumenical church service taking place in the lecture theatre. 

All in all then, a show for all the family and understandably popular.  Thanks must go to all who have contributed in any way to its success, but in particular to all the exhibitors, without whose support of such high quality exhibits the show would not have obtained the excellent reputation that it has. 

I hope you all enjoy this year’s Show.

Mr S D Hitt MBE F Inst Hort
Show President
The former Head of Bath Parks Department, who started the Flower Show twenty-four years ago and was awarded the MBE in 2004 for services to horticulture in Bath.

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Local Women’s Institutes and Townswomen’s Guilds can be found in the competitions marquee along with the WI delicious home baked cakes and preserves all available for sale.