Kate Middleton's garden draws record crowds at Chelsea Flower Show 2019

The 2019 Chelsea Flower Show, held from May 20-24 in London, attracted nearly 170,000 visitors, a record attendance partly driven by the garden designed by Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge. Her woodland-themed garden featured a water feature and a treehouse, becoming the most visited exhibit with long queues. Queen Elizabeth II, a known gardening enthusiast, was the traditional first visitor. The show, organized by the Royal Horticultural Society (founded 1804) at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, included a D-Day 75 Garden commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Normandy landings, visited by D-Day veterans. A notable themed garden was a reconstruction of a rural Zimbabwe garden, aiming to raise awareness and funds for local girls working on farms. The Great Pavilion, spanning nearly 12,000 square meters (equivalent to 500 double-decker buses), showcased delicate and premium plants. Over 8,000 people were involved in assembling the gardens, which competed for prestigious awards. The show also featured numerous suppliers and galleries specializing in large-scale wooden, metal, or stone sculptures. The first Chelsea Flower Show took place in 1913.