Rhs chelsea flower show bbc presenters biography

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BBC's television coverage of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024 returns from Sunday 19th May, putting a spotlight on the world-famous horticultural event.

The BBC retains its position as the exclusive broadcaster of what is known as the most prestigious gardening event in the world. But if you won't be at RHS Chelsea in person this year (limited tickets are still available), tune in at home to enjoy the event virtually.

Coverage of the annual RHS Chelsea Flower Show will be a week-long programme across BBC One and BBC Two, highlighting all the action from the showground in SW3 and the best of this year's garden designs and floral displays, with a focus on money-saving tips, the joys of gardening and championing sustainability.

Leading a raft of programmes across the week will be Monty Don, Sophie Raworth, Joe Swift, Angellica Bell and Nicki Chapman. There will be special daily programming straight from the showground, as well as live commentary and advice from a team of experts.

This year's themes are: the greenest Chelsea ever, proving that great design and sustainability can go hand in hand, using water wisely, the joy of gardens, and how to attract a younger, more diverse audience to gardening.

Who is presenting?

Gardeners' World stars Monty Don and Joe Swift, newsreader Sophie Raworth, RHS Chelsea regular Nicki Chapman and TV presenter Angellica Bell will lead Chelsea coverage throughout the week across BBC One and BBC Two.

'I'm honoured to have been asked back to this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show,' says Monty. 'I look forward to chatting to members of the public about their green spaces and giving tips to transform their outdoor areas.'

There will be input and advice from Chelsea Flower Show's much-admired gardening experts too. The confirmed line-up includes: Adam Frost, Rachel de Thame, Arit Anderson, Carol Klein, Ma

He went on to study garden design at the Chelsea Physic gardens and set up a garden design and construction business in North London in 1990. In 1997 he set up ‘The Plant Room’ an innovative design and retail outlet in Islington, North London, which has now closed, and is currently where Modular Garden is based of which he was a co-founder.

He is currently filming “The Flowerpot Gang” for BBC1 and this year also saw him win Gold at Chelsea Flower Show – his first show garden.

Joe has been a regular designer and presenter on BBC Gardeners World since 1998. He presented Small Town Gardens on BBC2 as well as presenting the all RHS shows at Chelsea, Hampton Court, Gardeners World Live, Malvern and Tatton Park between 2000 and 2008. He presented the Blenheim flower show 2003 and 2004, and two series of ‘Garden Makers’ for Carlton and Meridian in 2004. He also presented ‘British Isles, a natural history’, London and South East for BBC1 in 2004, and 10 episodes of Open Gardens for BBC2 in 2007 and Gardener of the year 2006, 2007 and 2008. Joe has designed many gardens on TV, including a garden for Comic Relief, the Bourneville garden, a Water garden and a Family garden for Gardeners World. He designed all the gardens for Alan Titchmarshes ‘How to be a Gardener 2’ series, and has designed and filmed 50 Garden Invaders for BBC1 in 2003 & 2004. Joe designed the G World 40 year anniversary garden in 2007.

Joe lives in London and is married with 2 children. He is patron of the Harington scheme, North London, an ambassador for King Henrys walk Community garden, an ambassador for the National Gardens Scheme and a Patron of the Horniman museum. In 2010 he was appointed President of the NGS Yellow Book.

UK's leading annual garden show (Royal Horticultural Society)

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, formally known as the Great Spring Show, is a garden show held for five days in May by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in Chelsea, London. Held at Chelsea since 1912, the show is attended by members of the British royal family.

Highlights to the Chelsea Flower Show include the avant-garde show gardens designed by leading names with Floral Marquee at the centrepiece. The Show also features smaller gardens such as the Artisan and Urban Gardens.

History

Great Spring Show

The first Royal Horticultural Society Great Spring Show was held in 1862, at the RHS garden in Kensington. Before this date the RHS had held flower shows from 1833 in their garden in Chiswick, which themselves had been preceded by fetes. The Kensington Garden was chosen as a site because the flower shows in Chiswick were experiencing falling visitor numbers due to problems such as poor transport links. The Great Spring Show was held at Kensington for twenty-six years but in 1888 the RHS decided to move the show to the heart of London. The site chosen was the Temple Gardens, situated between the Embankment and Fleet Street, which had a recorded history dating back to 1307 and which were said to date from the time of the Knights Templar. The roses for which these Temple Gardens were famous were alluded to in Shakespeare's Henry VI Part 1. Using three marquees requisitioned from the old Kensington shows, the 1888 show was a success with exhibits from both amateurs and commercial firms. By 1897 five marquees were being used with many of the best known plant and seed merchants being attracted to the event including Suttons and Sons.

Royal International Horticultural Exhibition

In 1912, the Temple Show was cancelled to make way for