The Royal Horticultural Society has lifted the ban on gnomes at RHS Chelsea Flower Show as part of the Chelsea Centenary Appeal and to raise funds for RHS Campaign of School Gardening. For one year only celebrities have been invited to paint and decorate gnomes, which will be on display at the flower show, before being auctioned off online to help the charity engage young people in horticulture.
Some of the celebrities involved are Elton John, Dame Helen Mirren, Lily Allen, Joanna Lumley, Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen, Dame Maggie Smith, Julian Fellowes, Mary Berry and Rob Brydon. Gnomes were banned from RHS Shows as they fall into the category of being ‘brightly coloured mythical creatures’, which is how the ban is implemented in RHS manuals.
The gnomes will be auctioned off via Ebay from Sunday 19th May to Sunday 26th May with the money going to RHS Campaign for School Gardening. This nationwide campaign was originally launched in 2007 to encourage schools to develop a school garden because of the significant benefits that gardening brings to children. There are now around 16,800 schools signed up to the RHS Campaign for School Gardening, well over half of all UK schools.
Visitors to the show will slso be able to donate towards the wider RHS Chelsea Centenary Appeal and receive a special RHS Centenary badge. The appeal aims to raise £1 million to help the charity to reach out to the next generation of horticulturists and to highlight the breadth of opportunities that horticulture offers.
Source: Interflora – Celebrities Paint Gnomes at RHS Chelsea Flower Show
