A sea of poppies is coming to the Chelsea Flower Show
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is always a stunning affair but this year a truly moving ‘sea of red’ will be taking pride of place in the grounds of its venue, the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Three-hundred thousand crochet poppies are going on display at the show, which this year takes place from 24-28 May, with the 21,500 square feet of handmade flowers will sit alongside 25,000 real stemmed poppies to remember those who lost their lives in conflicts.
The installation, similar to the poppy installation at the Tower of London, was originally made as part of the 5,000 Poppies Project in Australia to mark Remembrance Day back in 2013.
By Anzac Day 2015, 250,000 of them had been created, and they went on show at Melbourne’s Federation Square and on Princes Bridge. Now with a boost of 50,000 more, they’re coming to London’s manicured lawns as part of a project by landscape designer Phillip Johnson, who won Best Show Garden in 2013.
The 5,000 Poppies project behind the idea began as a small tribute by Australian founders Lynne Berry and Margaret Knight to honour their fathers who fought in the Second World War, before blossoming into a national outpouring of respect and remembrance.
The Chelsea tribute will honour all of the Commonwealth servicemen and women who have fought across all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations over the last 100 years.
Johnson’s ambitious design will be the first time that the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has connected into the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in such a dramatic way.
