The RHS Flower Show Tatton Park will return later this month, transforming the historic estate into a paradise for gardeners, horticulturalists and people who enjoy a great summer’s day out.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the show will include unique gardens where you can get heaps of inspiration, flowers galore, talks and tips from experts, activities for children, great boutique shopping, an array of street food and loads more.
Already one of the most beautiful locations in the North West, Tatton Park will be bursting with colour and life for the RHS Flower Show.
Perfect for already-keen gardeners, people who are just getting started on their horticultural journey, or those who just want one of the most stunning summer days out in the region, there’ll be loads happening between 17 and 21 July.
Visitors can partake in activities like flower arranging workshops, as well as enjoying live entertainment, great food, and loads more.
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Special gardens this year will include My Name’5 Doddie, designed by Pip Probert, which will honour the late Doddie Weir and raise viral awareness for MND.
The garden will incorporate the colours of the player’s own private tartan, sculptures representing players in a line out, rugby goal posts and a water feature based on the tartan flower brooch used by the charity.
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New for this year will be the RHS Career Changer of the Year, a category at the flower show that will celebrate those who’ve found a new path in horticulture.
The RHS Flower Show Tatton Park is back for 2024
Last year’s Best Show Garden winners Carolyn Hardern and Jon Jarvis will be back this summer with The 1804 Garden, continuing their campaign to support construction workers, this time focusing on how a garden can be designed to mitigate against the risks of melanoma caused by excessive sun exposure.
There’ll be a little taste of the Andes via the Peak District at RHS Tatton Park too, as Tom Saunders showcases The Orchid Garden in the Terrace Gardens, inspired by his travels to South America.
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Sophie Godber’s Big Picture Garden highlights conscious consumerism, using objects sourced from a 19th century farmstead to demonstrate how building a new garden doesn’t need to cost the earth.
Meanwhile Hilary Newhall’s The Secret Garden: For Us, By Us raises awareness of autistic adults and the challenges they encounter.
The beautiful Long Borders will return, offering smaller spaces for designers and gardeners of any experience to show off their talents.
One such garden will be Barbie Says, ‘Women Can Be Anything They Want.’ (On the Shoulders of Giants), which will build on themes of women being given the right to vote and is filled with flowers that share girls’ names.
A couple celebrate their anniversary relaxing by the Woodland Stage band stand at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2019.Visitors shopping on trade stands at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2022.Visitors pose for photos with the floral RHS letters at RHS Tatton Park Flower Show 2021.Visitors look at the Young Designer ‘On Tropic’ Garden with fans in the hot weather at RHS Tatton Park Flower Show. Young Designer Garden, 361.
Other themes touched upon include the Cheshire rail network, LGBTQ+ rights, the Manchester skyline and an edible family garden.
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Sarah Poll, RHS Head of Shows Development, said: “What a fantastic line-up for the 25th anniversary of the wonderful RHS Flower Show Tatton Park.
“From gardens addressing illnesses such as MND to sustainability, arts and crafts, orchids and even Barbie – we’re delighted to showcase the best of cutting-edge design and thought provoking gardens.
“We’ve also got a superb range of food and drinks, live entertainment and shopping opportunities so everyone, young or old, families or individuals can come and enjoy a great day out.”
The next time that RHS Flower Show Tatton Park will be on the site will be in 2027, as part of a roster of changes to the show’s schedule announced by the RHS earlier this year – so you really don’t want to miss this one.
The RHS Flower Show Tatton Park is taking place between 17 and 21 July 2024. You can book your tickets here.
Manchester City are hosting special Christmas-themed tours of the Etihad Stadium
Danny Jones
Manchester City FC’s critically acclaimed stadium tour is about to get super festive, as the Etihad Stadium are now hosting special Christmas-themed walks around the ground.
You’ve watched the tales of the ‘Centurions’, ‘Treble winners, the ‘Fourmidables’, and plenty of other ‘Cityzen’ stories play out in front of you, but have you visited the hallowed halls while their decked doughs of holly for yourself?
Well, now’s your chance.
Hosting a series of exclusive festive tours around the Etihad this month, Man City fans, club-obsessed kids, and football fanatic tourists in general can take a walk around the impressive sporting arena for the perfect early Christmas present.
In addition to being able to walk around the famous home of the Blues, sit in the home team dressing room and see the trophy cabinet, fans of all ages can now field questions with virtual Pep and Haaland in their very own press conference, before walking down the tunnel, into the dugout and sitting pitchside.
Once you’ve finished warming up the gaffer’s very own seat (they’re actually already heated), supporters can look forward to a brand-new dancing light display, plus more heartwarming entertainment in the form of Christmas carol audio recorded by Manchester’s very own Hallé Youth Choir.
As if that wasn’t enough, ‘Beyond the Blue Moon’ VR experiences and special ‘Etihad After Dark’ tours will be available, too, giving people from all over and of all ages an extra opportunity to turn up and make the most of this truly global club.
You can even grab a warming mulled wine or hot Vimto during the evening slots to keep your hands nice and toasty as you go around – be rude not to.
Rumour has it Santa may have left a gift lying around each day, too. Safe to say that puts our Advent calendar this year to shame…
Credit: Man City (supplied)
Here’s hoping he doesn’t get a telling off for wearing red…
Evening tours at the Eithad will be held from 5:30 and 6pm on 7, 12, 14, 18, 22 and December, and the main slot will be running all the way up until Christmas Eve (24 Dec).
You can even grab a warming mulled wine or hot Vimto to keep your hands nice and toasty as you go around – be rude not to.
Tickets start from only £26 per person and family passes are priced at just £60.
Better still, you can even spring for the VIP package if you fancy: a two-hour experience that is one of the most interactive and immersive you’ll find anywhere.
The Etihad Stadium is currently in the middle of a huge redevelopment, both in terms of size and things to do around the wider Campus, with the expanded North Stand not only seeing matchday fan capacity increased to over 60k, but a new club shop, sky bar, hotel, and a rooftop walk being added.
With that in mind, it’s no wonder that the already award-winning City stadium tours are simultaneously seeing an upgrade over the holiday period.
Being given the Tripadvisor seal of approval once again last year, as the club were once again recognised in the Travellers’ Choice ‘Best of the Best’ – putting them not just in the top three stadium tours in the UK but in the top 1% of the most highly rated in the world – things are only getting bigger.
You can find out full availability, timings and where to get tickets right HERE.
Manchester’s iconic Rylands building is being reborn – and the developers want to hear from you
Daisy Jackson
Manchester’s iconic Rylands building, formerly home to the Debenhams department store, is being reborn.
And now the developers working on its new chapter want Mancunians to weigh in on which businesses we want to see in the landmark building.
The transformation of Rylands Manchester will honour the heritage character of the building, which dates back to 1932, but will introduce contemporary design and a list of residents that’s bang up to date for our modern city centre.
The plans include building a four-storey extension with panoramic city views and a bright, central atrium. When it completes, this Grade II-listed art deco building will bring together workspace, retail, and leisure, right at the beating heart of town between the Northern Quarter, Piccadilly, Manchester Arndale, and the central business district.
Standing proudly at the top of Market Street, this next era for Rylands will establish it as an exciting new destination in the heart of town when its phased completion begins from late 2026.
Already confirmed to be moving in is Market Place Food Hall with its first northern location, which has signed on for a 15 year lease to occupy the ground floor of Rylands.
Market Place Food Hall is already confirmed to be moving into RylandsRylands is entering a new era
But now Rylands are putting it back to locals to ask what shops, restaurants, or cafes we’d love to see moving in.
It could be a high street hero you’ve loved for years, an independent business you’ve fallen for, or a foodie spot you return to time and time again.
Your ideas could help to shape the future of this landmark building and make it a destination us Mancs can be proud of.
And if you submit your suggestions in the comments of THIS Instagram post, you could be in with a chance of winning a £100 Love2Shop voucher (make sure you’re following @Rylands_manchester for a chance to win).
Daisy Jackson -
8th July 2024 
