RHS Badminton.qxp_Layout 1 17/06/2026 12:19 Page 1
Photograph courtesy of Britt Willoughby Dyer
THE RHS AT BADMINTON
Planted in history Fresh from Chelsea, the RHS is making its debut at Badminton House this July and it promises to be every bit as spectacular. Hannah Poon explores the history of the grounds and all the Flower Show has to offer
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ust two months after the delights of the Chelsea Flower Show, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) will be arriving in South Gloucestershire for the first time. An exciting new event to the RHS calendar, the Badminton House Flower Show will bring all the inspiration and breathtaking displays you’d expect. Celebrating the restorative impact gardening has on both people and the planet, the showcase allows guests to indulge in the countryside atmosphere as they explore the magnificent grounds and gardens surrounding the 17th-century house. Home to the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort, the gardens are renowned for their striking tulip displays in spring. But the story of how these grounds came to be is as layered and rich as the borders themselves. The first Duchess of Beaufort, Mary Somerset, was a pioneering botanist who enriched the gardens with rare plants from around the world. She collected and identified thousands of plants, establishing what was considered one of the most beautiful gardens in England of her time. Her passion set the tone for everything that followed. Since 1682, each Duke and Duchess has made enhancements to the gardens by working with some of the most established landscape designers of the time. The gardens as they appear today owe much to 84 THEBATHMAGAZINE | JULY 2026 | ISSUE 281
Visitors can expect the show’s trademark mix of decadent displays, expert talks and exceptional planting, all set within a landscape that has been perfecting the art of gardening for over three hundred years. the vision of the 11th Duke and Duchess, who undertook a major renewal of the grounds in the 1980s. Today, the gardens are a seamless blend of formal structure and abundant, sensory planting. An elegant Orangery overlooks a swimming pond with a central fountain. The East Front of Badminton House boasts two conservatories showing the geranium Millfield Gem, known for its bold blooms and vigorous growth. Inside the estate’s greenhouse, you’ll find vibrant displays of pelargoniums, carefully propagated to maintain their vivid colours and unique varieties.