The North of England Horticultural Society has been organising flower shows in Harrogate since the 1920s. The first show was held in the Old Winter Gardens in 1923, but by 1934 the show had moved to its long-term home in the Valley Gardens.

During the 1950s, the event grew rapidly in size, taking up more space each year in the Valley Gardens, Sun Pavilion and colonnades. The variety of exhibitors also grew, with the addition of the Flower Academy, Alpine Garden Society and the Daffodil Society as well as displays from several local authorities.

In 1976 the Society launched the Autumn Flower Show. This event combined the annual shows of several societies including the National Dahlia Society and the National Chrysanthemum Society. This show has also expanded over the years and is now the annual show of more than dozen amateur societies.

The Autumn Flower Show became so popular that it outgrew its original home and moved to the Great Yorkshire Showground in 1995. Two years later, in 1997, the Spring Flower Show followed suit, when the Valley Gardens could no longer accommodate it comfortably.

The Spring and Autumn Flower Shows continue to expand and develop and have become major events in the horticultural calendar that draw visitors from all over the world.