A great British institution returns next week, with the 2024 RHS Chelsea Flower Show giving the chance for some of the world's best gardeners the chance to produce their most beautiful, most gobsmacking designs. The coverage all starts with the Countdown to Chelsea preview show on Sunday, May 19.
You can watch Countdown to Chelsea for free in the UK on BBC One and the iPlayer streaming service. But don't worry if you're on holiday while it's on, because you can watch 2024 RHS Chelsea Flower Show from anywhere with a VPN.
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The Royal Horticultural Society's most prestigious event, this year's Chelsea Flower Show officially runs from Tuesday until Saturday, with prizes — celebrating everything from Best Show Garden to Best Balcony and Container Garden — being handed out on Friday, May 24.
But if you want a sneak peak of what to expect from the exhibitors, then the BBC's impressive breadth of coverage kicks off with its Countdown to Chelsea show. The hour-long preview (airing at 6.15 pm UK on Sunday) takes a first glimpse at the wonders that will dazzle the 150,000+ visitors to the show, with Sophie Raworth and Joe Swift getting their fingernails dirty with a behind the scenes look ay the gardens.
Ready to enjoy some bloomin' good television? Here's how to watch Countdown to Chelsea and the RHS Chelsea Flower Show from anywhere in the world. We've got all the information you'll need below.
How to watch Countdown to Chelsea in the UK for free
The BBC's coverage of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show kicks off with Countdown to Chelsea on BBC One at 6.15 pm UK on Sunday, May 19.
After that, it will have programmes twice or three times a day from Monday, 20 through to Friday, 24 across BBC One and Two. You can see a full schedule further down this article.
All episodes are also available to watch online on BBC iPlayer. The BBC iPlayer is free to watch for licence fee payers.
If you're traveling outside the UK, you might want to use a VPN to access your usual BBC iPlayer account. Instructions below.
How to watch RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024 in the US
International streams of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show can be found on BritBox — the streaming service that specializes in British TV.
Programming is scheduled to start from Sunday, May 19 with the Countdown to Chelsea preview show.
BritBox is available in the US for $8.99 a month or $89.99 for a whole year and you can try the service out thanks to its 7-day free trial.
How to watch RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024 in Australia
You can watch RHS Chelsea Flower Show coverage in Australia on BritBox, with Countdown to Chelsea starting things off from Monday, May 20.
In Australia, BritBox costs AU$9.99 a month or AU$99.99 for a whole year. Anybody new to the service can also try it out first its 7-day free trial.
How to watch RHS Chelsea Flower Show from anywhere with a VPN
You can watch Countdown to Chelsea and RHS Flower Show coverage on any of the streaming services above by using a VPN — no matter where you are in the world!
Normally a streaming service will know where you are trying to tune in from and block you if you're not in the right country but a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is an app that hides your location. That means you can access your usual sports and entertainment services even while you're traveling abroad.
Our favorite VPN is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar, where you'll find a deeper reader on the best VPN services available right now.
How to use a VPN to watch any stream
- Download the app at NordVPN
- Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
- Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!
RHS Flower Show 2024 episode guide
There will be daily programming to cover the 2024 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, starting from Sunday, May 19 in the UK.
- Countdown to Chelsea: Sunday, May 19 at 6.15 pm, BBC One
- Episode 1: Monday, May 20 at 3.45 pm, BBC One
- Episode 2: Monday, May 20 at 8 pm, BBC Two
- Episode 3: Tuesday, May 21 at 3.45 pm, BBC One
- Episode 4: Tuesday, May 21 at 8 pm, BBC Two
- Episode 5: Wednesday, May 22 at 3.45 pm, BBC One
- Episode 6: Wednesday, May 22 at 7 pm, BBC One
- Episode 7: Wednesday, May 22 at 8 pm, BBC Two
- Episode 8: Thursday, May 23 at 3.45 pm, BBC One
- Episode 9: Thursday, May 23 at 8 pm, BBC Two
- Episode 10: Friday, May 24 at 3.45 pm, BBC One
- Episode 11: Friday, May 24 at 7 pm, BBC One
- Episode 12: Friday, May 24 at 8 pm, BBC Two
(All dates and times are UK BST)
All you need to know about 2024 RHS Chelsea Flower Show
What awards can be won at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show?
Gardens
- Best Show Garden
- Best Construction Award (Show Garden)
- Best Sanctuary Garden
- Best Construction Award (Sanctuary Garden)
- Best Balcony & Container Garden
- Best All About Plants Garden
BBC / RHS People’s Choice Award
- People’s Choice Show Garden
- People’s Choice Balcony / Container Garden
- People’s Choice Sanctuary / All About Plants Garden
Great Pavilion
- Best Exhibit in the Great Pavilion
- The President’s Award
- New Design Award
- RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year
- Best Discovery Exhibit
House Plant Studios
- Best House Plant Studio
Floristry
- Best Floristry Exhibit
- Ambassadors’ Choice
Tradestands
- Best Tradestand
- RHS Chelsea Sustainable Garden Product of the Year
How do I get tickets for the Chelsea Flower Show 2024?
If you're going to be near West London and eager to see the splendor of the 2024 Chelsea Flower Show, tickets are still available from Tuesday to Saturday and can be purchased here.
Prices for the public start from £55.85 (around $70 USD), with RHS members eligible for a discount.
