Garden and horticultural design

Creating a garden at an RHS Show is often a garden designer’s dream come true and a fantastic way of engaging with a switched-on and enthusiastic audience. RHS Shows provide a platform to convert an idea, message and skill into future commissions, conversations and employment.

At RHS Shows, we encourage creativity, innovation and a celebration of plants. We are looking for original, bold and brilliant ideas and garden designs. To find out more about what goes into creating an RHS Show Garden see our how-to guide for designers, featuring a range of videos and panel discussions to help get you started.

To discuss opportunities at any of the RHS Shows, please email [email protected] and we will be in touch. When applications deadlines have passed or you are interested in the following year, please sign up to the relevant mailing list below.

RHS Malvern Spring Festival 2025

Show Gardens

Applications are now open for 2025


Show Gardens are a real treat for any visitor and are located at the heart of the Festival. RHS Malvern Spring Festival gives free rein to designers and encourages creative freedom in garden design by giving an open brief. Therefore, the gardens can be any shape or form, and any theme – classical, contemporary or conceptual.

Serene Spaces

Applications are now open for 2025


Incorporating a building structure, these Serene Spaces offer a truly adaptable space encompassing multi-functional areas for living, working and relaxing.

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025

Show Gardens
Applications for 2025 are now closed

A Show Garden demonstrates the best of horticulture and excellence in garden design and innovative landscaping. The largest gardens at the show offer the opportunity to create the extraordinary, generate wonder and excitement and make a lasting impact at the world’s most prestigious flower show.

The deadline has now passed for garden applications for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025. Please submit your interest and ensure you receive an application pack for the 2026 show. Sign up to the mailing list.
Interested in sponsorship opportunities for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025? Please contact [email protected] for more information.

Opportunities are still available for other RHS shows in 2025
 
Sanctuary Gardens
Applications for 2025 are now closed

Sanctuary Gardens combine contemporary and traditional visions of the home garden, harnessing the healing power, and serenity of nature. Offering a harbour from the hectic landscape of the modern world, these gardens show how design innovation and tradition combine to form spectacular real and conceptual gardens. Located in a prominent position on Royal Hospital Way or Ranelagh Gardens, these gardens offer the opportunity to create a space to inspire the gardener in all of us.

The deadline has now passed for garden applications for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025. Please submit your interest and ensure you receive an application pack for the 2026 show. Sign up to the mailing list.
Interested in sponsorship opportunities for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025? Please contact [email protected] for more information.

Opportunities are still available for other RHS shows in 2025
 
All About Plants
Applications for 2025 are now closed

All About Plants celebrates the wonder and magic plants can bring to a garden. With a focus on unusual and specialist plants rather than hard landscaping, this category offers a different take on the story of a garden. By working closely with specialist nurseries, exploring different plant schemes and palettes these gardens can inspire the plant enthusiast in us all.

The deadline has now passed for garden applications for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025. Please submit your interest and ensure you receive an application pack for the 2026 show. Sign up to the mailing list.

Interested in sponsorship opportunities for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025? Please contact [email protected] for more information.

Opportunities are still available for other RHS shows in 2025
Balcony and Container Gardens
Applications for 2025 are now closed

The Balcony and Container Gardens category is a mentored category open to designers who have not exhibited or been involved in the design of a garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The deadline has now passed for garden applications for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025. Please submit your interest and ensure you receive an application pack for the 2026 show. Sign up to the mailing list.

Interested in sponsorship opportunities for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025? Please contact [email protected] for more information.

Opportunities are still available for other RHS shows in 2025
 

RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2025

Show Gardens 2025

Applications are now open for 2025

  • Wave 1 Deadline: Closed
  • Wave 2 Deadline: 18 November 2024

Show Gardens are offered in three different sizes: Option A: 100sqm and larger; Option B: 50–99sqm; and Option C: 24–49sqm. With an open theme, Show Gardens allow talented designers to turn unique artistic plans into a feast for the eyes.

Gardens of Curiosity 2025

Applications are now open for 2025

  • Wave 1 Deadline: Closed
  • Wave 2 Deadline: 18 November 2024

This brand new category challenges designers to create spaces that stimulate curiosity and invites visitors to engage with the space on multiple levels. Sparking a sense of wonder and exploration, Gardens of Curiosity encourages visitors to observe, question, and connect with their surroundings, whether in a conceptual or traditional way.

RHS Allotments 2025

Applications are now open for 2025

  • Deadline: 17 February 2025

The RHS Allotment focuses on the renewed interest in edible gardening and community engagement, with an emphasis on planting, without the need for heavy construction. Applications to design and build an allotment plot in The RHS Allotment section of the Festival are welcome from local community gardening groups, horticultural societies, allotment associations, keen gardeners and budding garden designers.

Pocket Planting 2025

Applications are now open for 2025

  • Deadline: 17 January 2025

The Pocket Planting category is a mentored category open to garden designers, community groups, charities and keen gardeners, both professional and amateur. The Pocket Planting category presents a fantastic opportunity to gain experience designing to a brief and staging an exhibit at an RHS Show on an achievable scale.

Planted Features

Applications for 2025 are open

  • Deadline: Friday 14 March 2025

Planted Show Features cover any planted designs that do not fit with existing planting or design categories available across the Festival.

Examples may include border planting, container planting, planted water features, bench planting, volunteer and community gardens and more.

If you would like to discuss an idea for an artistic installation or an interactive or planted show feature before applying, please get in touch with the Deputy Show Manager at [email protected].

RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse 2025

Show Gardens

Applications are now open for 2025

  • Wave 1 Deadline: 14 October 2024
  • Wave 2 Deadline: 13 January 2025

A Show Garden demonstrates the best of horticulture and excellence in garden design and innovative landscaping. These gardens offer the ability to create the extraordinary, generate wonder and excitment and make a lasting impact. There are opportunities to stage immersive and walk through gardens and designers are encourgaed to explore these possibilities.

Size: The minimum size is 25m2. There is no maximum size.

Young Designer Gardens

Applications are now open for 2025

Deadline: 14 October 2024

RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse offers young designers and contractors a wonderful opportunity to kick-start their careers in the exciting and rewarding horticultural and design industry. The Young Designer category is open in applicants who will be aged 30 or younger in the year of 2025.

Size: The minimum size is 64sqm. There is no maximum size.

Career Changer Gardens

Applications are now open for 2025

Deadline: 13 January 2025
 
This competition is a wonderful opportunity for designers, plantspeople and contractors to kick-start their new careers in the exciting and rewarding horticultural design industry. The competition is open to those aged 31 or over in the year of 2025 and who have not exhibited in any Garden category at any RHS Shows previously. Applicants are not required to have any formal qualification/training in the industry. There is an RHS Grant available to help fund each finalist.

Size: The minimum size is 25sqm. There is no maximum size.

Terrace Gardens

Applications are now open for 2025

Deadline: 13 January 2025

This category seeks to explore how to maximise green space without compromising on practicality. We ask designers to propose beautiful planting options alongside clever design solutions and novel ideas for functional items.

​Size: 6 X 4m and totalling 24sqm.

Long Borders

Applications are now open for 2025

Deadline: 10 February 2025
 
Long Borders provide an excellent opportunity for designers, community groups, horticultural students, or budding gardeners to create a planted border and be awarded an RHS medal. This category is a great first step into exhibiting at shows, a way to showcase creativity, inspire our visitors and share important messages. There is an RHS Grant available for successful applicants.

Size: The size of the design area is: (external) 7.2x2m; (internal) 7x1.8m; total 12sqm. The structure will be a raised bed.

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.