WHAT? RHS Botanical Art & Photography Show
WHERE? Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York’s HQ, London SW3 4RY
WHEN? Now until 27th July. Free to view.
WHY GO? To connect with nature. This is ‘Gardener’s World’ for art fans who drool over images of gorgeous flowers and marvel at the talent of artists who paint flora with finesse and passion. It has become an RHS staple in the summer calendar and attracts artists and photographers from all over the world whose work is showcased, judged and awarded with their prestigious coveted medals.
For this fifth year, the exhibition is free for all to enjoy, as RHS Art Curator Charlotte Brooks says their mission is to explore, “the deep connection between plants and people, highlighting their significance in our everyday lives”. This is represented through the diversity of exhibits, from traditional botanical drawings of flowers and ferns and plants used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes, to blowsy images of lavish blooms in an Old Dutch Master style.
Gritty monochromatic photographs of gardens throughout the seasons hang alongside whimsical drawings of delicate blooms and the whole effect is like entering a greenhouse.
All the prize winners are named online, but half the fun is being your own judge, an impossible task as each and every exhibit warrants praise.

IN THE KNOW: Running concurrently with the RHS exhibition, FLOWERS, which opened to great acclaim in February and was supposed to close in May has reopened by popular demand. Celebrating the creative power of British flora and contemporary art, it’s a truly diverse show-stopper of an exhibition, not to be missed. On now until 31st August.