THE CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW

IT’S the biggest event in the gardening calendar and attracts green- fingered types from around the world.

But this year – on account of the Chinese Death Plague – the Chelsea Flower Show has moved online.

It’s a million miles from the original show, where Victoria gents stood around admiring each other’s hollyhocks.

Here are some bloomin’ fascinating facts about it...

Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show has been held each year since 1862 – apart from 1917 and 1918 due to WWI and 1940- 46 because of WWII.

IT was originally called The Great Spring Show and was moved to its current home, the Royal Hospital Chelsea, in 1913.

THE first RHS Chelsea Flower Show was staged in a large tent with a total of 244 exhibitors. Today the event spans 23 acres with 500 exhibitors.

IN 1927 there was a campaign to get the RHS to ban foreign exhibits to reduce competition with British firms. The

RHS refused saying: “Horticulture knows nothing of nationality.”

IN 1932 the rain at the Show was so severe a summer house display fell to pieces. One very wet exhibitor named it ‘ The Chelsea Shower Flow’.

OF the firms that exhibited at the first Chelsea Show in 1913, three still exhibit: McBean’s Orchids, Blackmore & Langdon and Kelways Plants.

IN 1953 the show marked the Queen’s coronation. Most of the Royal Family attended – apart from the Queen.

IN 1979 the show became so crowded that the turnstiles had to be closed.

2000 a new pavilion replaced the largest canvas marquee. The old marquee was cut up and used to make 7,000 bags, aprons and jackets.

GNOMES are a no- no. They were officially banned from the flower show until 2013 when a display of 150 gnomes was gathered to greet the Queen, but the ban is back in force.