Around Town

London’s annual calendar is crammed with events that suit spontaneous souls – Mayor Ken Livingstone’s mission to turn Trafalgar Square into a party venue hosting a succession of events reflecting the capital’s diverse population adds more variety to the ‘stop-by-and-sample-what’s-on-offer’ menu each year. But there are two notable London summer events that benefit from a bit of forward planning.

The first is Chelsea Flower Show, scheduled for May 20-24. The deal for the event – which offers masses of inspiration for people with modest city spaces alongside the wild flights of horticultural fantasy on display in the main show gardens – is as follows: you have to book tickets in advance. They’re not available on the gate and you can’t buy a ticket for the first or second day unless you’re a member – a hopeless arrangement for spur-of-the-moment types. If you wait until spring to think ‘I know, I’ll join the Royal Horticultural Society and get Members’ Days tickets as a treat for my mum’, you’ll have left it too late. So, act now. Membership costs £46 (£19 if you’re under 25) and, among other benefits, entitles you to buy two tickets at members’ rates (£15-£46 depending on the day and time of day). Join online at www.rhs.org.uk or ring 0845 130 4646. Feature continues

Trooping the Colour (aka the Queen’s birthday parade), which this year will take place on June 14, is London’s most flamboyant bit of traditional pageantry. The Queen was born on April 21 but traditionally the sovereign’s birthday is celebrated in the summer, when there’s a better chance of good weather. The Foot Guards and Cavalry of the Household Division take part in the annual ceremony, which dates back to the eighteenth century at least, when the ‘colours’, or flags, of the battalion were carried down the ranks so that they could be seen, and subsequently recognised, by the soldiers. Since 1748 the parade has also marked the sovereign’s official birthday and from the reign of Edward VII onwards the sovereign has appeared in person to inspect the troops and take the salute. Nowadays the event also features a fly-past by the Royal Air Force and a Buckingham Palace balcony photo opportunity. You can watch the proceedings from the Mall and huge crowds gather each year to do just that – which means that you need to arrive early to take up a position with a good view.

An alternative is to take part in the annual ballot for tickets for seated stands around Horse Guards Parade, which are allocated in March. Applications should be made in January or February to: Brigade Major, HQ Household Division, Horse Guards, Whitehall, SW1A 2AX. Enclose a stamped addressed envelope and say how many tickets you require. If you’re successful, you’ll be invited to buy tickets (which last year cost £20 each) and your overseas visitors/royalist relatives will be thrilled.