De Boer’s style and flourish set to wow visitors at RHS Chelsea

A flurry of activity is under way at London’s historic Royal Hospital as De Boer personnel work their magic to create stunning structures set to make this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show an event to remember. 

Spectacular show
Having cultivated an enviable reputation at the world-famous floral extravaganza over the past 11 years, De Boer has expanded its structural repertoire with a spectacular array of designs for the 2010 showstopper, which takes place between May 25 and 29. 

The Great Pavilion
The Brackley-based company has started building the show’s ‘jewel in the crown’ centrepiece, the Great Pavilion with its 12,000-square-metre floor space equivalent to the size of two football pitches. 

Unique structures
This unique design, created by linking two large modular Delta System structures via a specially adapted A-frame structure, has proved a huge hit with organisers and exhibitors alike. 

Stunning displays of plants
The Great Pavilion will spring to life with a burst of colour from 100 stunning displays of plants including a hundred maple trees, and exhibitor Raymond Evison will unveil the new Clematis Diamantina, a beautiful free-flowering blue-purple, compact double clematis. 

Pavilion highlights
Among the pavilion highlights is the Continuous Learning section which has been revamped by one of the world’s best designers, Andrew Fisher-Tomlin, to promote the ‘Power of Plants’ through 11 displays depicting locations around the world. 

Innovative solutions
De Boer’s impressive Gala hexagonal tent pavilion with a high pagoda roof will serve as the bandstand for the annual horticultural show’s live music and entertainment. 

Multi-functional structures
But De Boer’s structural showcase doesn’t end there. The company is also responsible for building structures for on-site catering and offices for RHS staff. 

Bespoke service
At Plateau Pantry, one 3m-by-3m Pyramid structure will be used for ‘back-of-house’ catering with a further five 4m-by-4m Pyramids at Creek Gate serving as offices for show staff. For the catering area at Western Avenue Food Court, De Boer will build three 8m-by-8m Chalet structures joined together in an “L” shape to create a stylish hospitality pavilion. 

Offices and hospitality areas
RHS on-site headquarters including offices and hospitality areas at North Front Offices will be accommodated in a 600-square-metre A-frame structure. 

11th successive year
Kate Morrison, De Boer’s Key Accounts Manager, said: “Each year, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show delights, amazes and entertains visitors with its innovative garden designs and exhibits. And every year, we at De Boer revel in creating structures with the wow factor to entertain event-goers while at the same time meeting the needs of organisers and exhibitors. We are delighted to be involved with this event for the 11th successive year.” 

600 exhibitors
This year’s event plays host to 600 exhibitors from all over the world including Show Gardens, Urban Gardens, Courtyard Gardens, floral exhibitors, floristry displays, educational displays and garden product exhibitors. 

Gardening world's best designers
Some of the gardening world’s best designers including Tom Stuart-Smith, Andy Sturgeon, Robert Myers and Thomas Hoblyn will showcase their talents at this year’s show. 

Professor Stephen Hawking
Professor Stephen Hawking, renowned physicist and author of the iconic book A Brief History of Time, is due to make a guest appearance at this year’s event after being the inspiration for one of the show garden designs. 

Show garden
The Stephen Hawking Garden for Motor Neurone Disease reflects the passage of time with a path leading past prehistoric plants such as mosses and ginko biloba, roses and plants discovered by Darwin through to the present day. It is also expected to offer a glimpse into the future with olive and fig trees if the global warming prophecy comes to fruition. In the middle of the garden will be a black hole, a subject Prof Hawking spent years researching. 

RHS Chelsea Flower Show
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show routinely attracts more than 150,000 visitors annually from all over the world making it one of the must-see events of the year.