Taunton Flower Show
Experience the oldest flower show in the country, set in the heart of Taunton. Our fantastic competition marquee shows off the talents of our community and the floral marquee and designer gardens demonstrate national horticultural excellence. You will also find music, arena entertainment, local and national traders and fun for all the family. Save by purchasing your tickets in advance and enjoy a brilliant day out!
Taunton Flower Show is held in Vivary Park in Taunton and has been a fixture in Taunton since 1831. At the heart of the show are the large competitive classes and floral classes marquees. The competitive classes are open to all and consist of approximately 250 different classes for amateur gardeners, crafters, floral artists and children. The floral marquee features traders who mount displays of their flowers and plants. Around the marquees, and throughout the showground, are a wide range of horticultural, gardening, craft and local food traders. The centre of the park is an arena where events such as marching bands, dog displays, dramatic motor bike events etc take place. The show also features other smaller marquees – we have a bee and honey show and a wine show. There is also has a children’s zone where our younger visitors can be entertained.
For several years we have held a competition to encourage professional garden designers to build show-gardens where you can be inspired.
Shows were first held in 1831 and, in 1851 a show was held in the grounds of Wilton House, owned by a Mr Kinglake of Taunton which led, in the course of time, to the establishment of Vivary Park at the top of the towns High Street. The park was fully restored in 2001 and continues to provide a magnificent backdrop to the show, which has been rather grandly dubbed “The Chelsea of the West” for many years.
In some early years the show was run more than once a year. It has run almost continuously since 1831. The only interruptions have been the two World Wars and, most recently, the impact of Covid. In 1997 Vivary Park was severely flooded the night before the show. The show had to be cancelled, but judging of the already staged exhibits in the Floral Marquee went ahead!
Throughout its long history the show has always had horticulture at its heart and, in recognition of the need to attract a new generation of green-fingered enthusiasts, we are committed to developing the various gardening features as well as the floral and craft displays.