London’s Fabulous Floral Festival

Chelsea and Belgravia are back in bloom and it’s blooming marvellous.

Instagrammers at the ready, the month of May marks the start one of the most exciting and colourful events on the London social calendar, the Chelsea Flower Show. It’s a creative and seasonal event where the world’s best florists, horticulturalist, and designers, get together and showcase their imaginative and inspirational ideas for future gardens, planting and new rare breeds of flowers. However, with a rather hefty price tag of £70-£80 for the tickets (which sell out pretty quickly too), the London neighbourhoods of Chelsea and Belgravia have decided to try and make the annual floral festival more inclusive.

In an attempt to entice a new Instagram generation of flower fanatics, this year the neighbourhoods of Chelsea and Belgravia have decided to host a display of free floral installations, dotted around the area like a flower treasure trail. Last year over 100 shops, cafes, hotels, squares, and streets took part and this year, being the King’s coronation, they’ve promised a royal eco extravaganza.

I followed the trail last year on a beautiful walking route through the stucco fronted, majestic streets of Chelsea. It led me through mewses, courtyards and the gorgeous private squares of this very aesthetic area. Popular boutique shopping areas like Motcomb Street and Elizabeth Street (of Peggy Porchen fame) were adorned in the most sumptuous floral displays to feast your eyes on.

And this year it’s back! Between the 22nd to the 27th May, to coincide with the Chelsea Flower Show, various gardens, shops from established brands like Ralph Lauren and Louis Vuitton, to artisan boutiques like Neil Strain Florist and Astrid & Miyu, will all compete for the best floral façade. The whole of this area will be a bloom with vibrant floral displays.

My favourites from Belgravia in Bloom last year included the Queen’s head coin during Jubilee celebrations on Elizabeth Street, through to the ever-changing seasonal floral archways outside Peggy Porschen and Neil Strain Florist. There was even a magical floating teapot in Eccleston Yard.

This year’s theme for Chelsea in Bloom is ‘flowers on film’. London and specifically Chelsea is synonymous with films from the first evermoving picture being made on the King's Road, to Ian Fleming, writer of James Bond, once lived in Chelsea. Bram Stoker the author of Dracula was also a resident of the area.

Pavilion Road is being transformed into an interactive, floral ‘Oscars red carpet’ and expect lots of references and nods to famous London films like Withnail and I, Skyfall and A Clockwork Orange. It promises to be quite the show!

‍

How to get there?

The nearest stations to Belgravia in Bloom are Victoria tube and train station, and Knightsbridge tube station.

For Chelsea in Bloom closest is Sloane Square tube station.

Read more here:

Mother's Day Trip to Cheltenham Spa

Love Yourself