Standing proud amid the razzle-dazzle of spectacular show gardens, the Great Pavilion represents the beating heart of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, where the top nurseries in the UK and from further afield come to exhibit their pristine plants to millions of awestruck visitors and TV viewers at home. Chelsea has also just been named the world's fifth most popular 'must see' experience by travel company Kuoni, so it's no wonder that every plant nursery worth its salt aspires to be there.
However, regular visitors to the show may have noticed that some of their favourite nurseries have disappeared from the Pavilion in recent years. Helen Boem, RHS shows floral development manager, confirms that numbers this year are lower than a decade ago. “In 2014, we had 97 separate nurseries, but that has gradually fallen to 76 exhibits this year, and there are several reasons for that,” she says.
“Some nursery owners have
