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The RHS is hosting its first indoor ‘urban’ garden show in Manchester city centre

It's expected to be "very different" to all other RHS events.

Emily Sergeant - 25th August 2023

One of Manchester’s most historic industrial spaces is set to play host to the RHS’s first-ever indoor gardening show next year.

Depot Mayfield has lived countless lives throughout the decades, but for four days next year, it’s set to be transformed into “an urban grower’s paradise”, as the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced plans to hold a brand-new ‘Urban Show’ for the first time ever.

Manchester‘s former railway station will be filled with small-space gardening inspiration to “encourage and inspire” city residents to grow plants for both indoor and outside areas.

Expected to be ‘very different’ to the RHS’s current roster of Flower Shows that are hosted annually all across the UK, the RHS Urban Show in Manchester will take inspiration from its industrial indoor city centre location by showcasing a range of ‘immersive experiences’ designed for those who live in cities with limited or no outdoor growing space.

While urban growing will be at the heart of the show, according to the RHS, the influence that horticulture has on interior design, art, wellness, and sustainability is also set to be explored over the four-day event.

Innovative design inspiration for small city spaces will be accompanied by immersive plant installations, a host of talks, advice and practical workshops, and a carefully-curated selection of plant nurseries that will be selling a huge variety of houseplants and small-space friendly plants. 

The RHS says it chose Manchester as the home of its first-ever Urban Show because of the city’s industrial landscape, but also as there’s been so much work done to make the city greener in recent years.

Mancs will know that we notably welcomed both the new openings of Mayfield Park – the city centre’s first park in 100 years – and the New York-style urban ‘sky park’ on Castlefield Viaduct last year.

“In recent years, there’s been a real gardening boom,” explained the RHS’s Director of Gardens & Shows, Helena Pettit.

“We believe more young people living in cities are now growing plants, and so we are so excited to be bringing a new RHS Show dedicated to urban gardening to the centre of Manchester next year.

“The RHS Urban Show aims to bring gardening to a new audience and demonstrate that if you have plants you are a gardener. There is so much great work already happening across Manchester to make it greener, and we are excited to help support this growing movement.

“We want to get even more people living in the UK’s second largest city inspired to grow plants and connect to the natural world.

“With over 80% of the UK population living in towns and cities, the new show will enable more urban dwellers to garden, especially where access to green spaces can be limited.”

The first RHS Urban Show in Manchester will take place from 18 – 21 April 2024.

Read more:

• Manchester’s first new city centre park in 100 years has finally opened
• These four Manchester parks have just been named some of the best in the UK
• Manchester’s new ‘sky park’ on Castlefield Viaduct is now open

Tickets for all 2024 RHS Shows go on sale to RHS members first on Monday 21 September, before being available to the general public on Monday 28 September, and you can grab yours here.

Featured Image – RHS