In London, we based ourselves at The Bailey’s Hotel in South Kensington, opposite Gloucester Road Tube Station and down the road from Kensington Gardens.
We like this location because of its closeness to Chelsea, making it a short hop, skip and jump to the show the next morning.
The Chelsea Show, of course, is world class and is something everyone should experience at least once in their life.
We have attended multiple times and we have noticed a subtle change over the years.
The show is now very much catered to media, mostly BBC TV, and makes every effort to accommodate the needs of the TV crews and their accompanying celebrities.
The crowds are still a problem at Chelsea, now made a little worse by the way the TV crews occupy space and even foreign teams of journalists are allowed to wander freely through the display gardens, obscuring the view for regular ticket holders.
The RHS really needs to solve the problem of crowding. Perhaps by limiting numbers each day or by extending the length of the show.
I heard many people saying while they enjoyed what they got to see, they would not come again, but instead would feel satisfied just to watch it on TV.
BBC TV certainly carries extensive coverage and it does seem that you can see and learn everything just by watching the TV.
But the horticultural displays are still outstanding and world class and the event itself still has much charm and it feels exciting to be there and to be part of this special once-a-year happening.
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