As we (slowly) flip the page on Winter, one oft-overlooked sponsorship opportunity is garden and flower shows. Horticulture Week takes an in-depth look at how garden shows and designers can employ a little lateral thinking to tap into brand budgets.

Exhibiting at a major garden show, like London's Chelsea Flower Show, can require designers to balance budgets as high as $600,000 so many turn to brand tie-ins and product placements as a source of funding. A drop in sponsorship funding at the 2009 show, meant a 36% drop in the number of designers exhibiting. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), which manages the show, expects modest improvement in 2010.

As with other forms of lifestyle sponsorship, garden shows have not been immune from the economic slowdown. Garden designer Geo...