Chelsea Flower Show: Royals out in force

One hundred years of glorious gardens will be celebrated when the world’s most famous flower show throws its doors open tomorrow.

A party of royal guests headed by the Queen will be given a sneak preview of the Chelsea Flower Show today, ahead of its public opening.

Celebrities are also invited to see the results of months of hard work from gardening experts, showcasing their designs in the week-long extravaganza.

To mark the centenary, many gardens draw inspiration from shows of yesteryear – with others looking firmly to the future, including one that reacts to messages sent on Twitter.

The landmark year has also led to a favourite of many a garden, the ornamental gnome, being given special dispensation – ordinarily, the Chelsea Flower Show has a strict ban on gnomes “and other brightly-coloured mythical creatures”.

Royals attending tomorrow will include the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke of York and Princess Beatrice.

Prince Harry will also be there to show his grandmother, patron of the Royal Horticultural Society, around a garden very close to his own heart.

Jinny Blom’s design has been created for the charity, Sentebale, which helps vulnerable children in Lesotho.