Viking, the award-winning river and ocean cruise line, unveils 'The Viking Friluftsliv Garden' which is set to be one of the highlights of the 2020 RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.  A long-time partner of the Royal Horticultural Society, the UK's leading gardening charity, Viking announces it will be the headline sponsor of the show for the fifth consecutive year.  One of the best-loved gardening events in the UK, the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival will take place from 6-12 July 2020.  The show regularly attracts over 130,000 visitors across six days and is spread over 34 acres.

After winning a gold medal for its 'Lagom Garden' last year, Viking will be collaborating once again with garden designer Will Williams.  'The Viking Friluftsliv Garden' will feature an outdoor kitchen, fire pit and plunge pool. The design also incorporates a range of plants of different sizes and textures which are clipped into mounds like half-submerged boulders, reminiscent of clouds – a first for the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. 

True to the cruise line's Nordic roots, 'The Viking Friluftsliv Garden' is inspired by the Scandinavian lifestyle and its design principles. Literally translated, the Norwegian word Friluftsliv, pronounced free-loofts-liv, means 'open-air living' and is an amalgamation of the Norwegian words for free, air and life. The expression is often used to describe the sense of wellbeing and the spiritual and physical benefits of spending time outdoors in remote locations, which is timely as Viking has just announced the launch of its Expedition Voyages to the most unexplored and unspoilt destinations in the world.

Wendy Atkin-Smith, Managing Director of Viking UK, said: “Viking shares the RHS' passion for innovation and creativity so we are very pleased to be supporting the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival again for the fifth year.  The festival offers a fantastic summer's day out full of inspiration for gardening enthusiasts in the spectacular setting of Hampton Court Palace.  The theme for this year's show – 'Gardening for Everyone' – is in-keeping with our inclusive approach at Viking.  We share our guests' passion for horticulture – whether they are green fingered themselves or if they enjoy visiting gardens in the UK or on our river and ocean cruises around the world. 

As well as a taste for good design, appreciation for nature is deeply engrained in Scandinavian culture and this is reflected in the design of our river and ocean ships which feature natural materials, an abundance of space and natural light.”

Having graduated from the London College of Garden Design, Will Williams has built his garden design practice from the ground up, winning contracts for commercial and residential projects across the UK and overseas.  Will was the RHS Young Designer of the Year in 2018, and is the youngest designer ever to create a garden within the Show Garden category at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.

Will Williams said: “After our successful partnership last year I am thrilled to be working with Viking again.  The Viking brand is synonymous with excellence, comfort and understated elegance, and the design of our garden reflects this ethos as well as embodying the Scandinavian concept of 'Friluftsliv'.  Our garden is a celebration of outdoor living and the benefits of spending time outdoors.

I recently returned from a Viking ocean cruise where I was able to experience first-hand the simplicity and functionality of Scandinavian design.  The design of the outdoor furniture and kitchen in the Viking garden reflects the minimalist, elegant style of their ships as well as their use of natural materials.  I have created a garden where nature meets contemporary design, a space where people can relax and recharge, socialise and make new friends.  My goal is for visitors to be inspired to create their own open-air living garden and to spend more time outdoors.”

A champion of gardening in the UK, Viking offers a variety of shore excursions on both its river and ocean cruises that give guests the opportunity to visit historic and award-winning gardens all over the world. Guests on Viking's  Scandinavia & Kiel Canal cruise can look forward to visiting the Christiansborg Palace & Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen and spending a day at the famous Keukenhof Gardens in Amsterdam, one of the most beautiful floral showcases in the world.  On Viking's Paris & the Heart of Normandy cruise, guests can choose to stroll in the gardens of the Monet Foundation in Giverny to see first-hand the landscapes that grace Monet's paintings, including the famous Japanese bridge and water garden.

For more information and to purchase tickets for RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, go to www.rhs.org.uk/hamptoncourt

To make a booking or for more information on Viking call 0800 319 66 60 or go to www.vikingcruises.co.uk