RHS Chelsea Flower Show

RHS COP26 Garden

The RHS COP26 Garden demonstrated how our gardens, plants and public green spaces can play an integral part in protecting our planet and people

Inspired by the UK’s hosting of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), we built a unique garden at RHS Chelsea 2021 which will be rebuilt at RHS Bridgewater.

With the conference now underway in Glasgow, many will be asking about the part they can play both in reducing carbon emissions but also mitigating the impact of climate change.

Autumn is a prime time to implement small improvements, so here are five top tips you can implement right now, from our Director of Science Alistair Griffiths .

Top five planet-friendly tips for this autumn

When plastic products wear out, replace them with sustainable alternatives. Swap plastic netting for hessian when protecting tender plants during winter. Use bamboo and wooden labels when planting winter and spring veg and natural twine to support plants during windier weather. They can all be composted when no long useful.

Go plastic free

When plastic products wear out, replace them with sustainable alternatives. Swap plastic netting for hessian when protecting tender plants during winter. Use bamboo and wooden labels when planting winter and spring veg and natural twine to support plants during windier weather. They can all be composted when no long useful.

Ditch plastic

Make space for rainwater in your garden through the addition of watering butts which can be connected not only to outbuildings but the downpipes on your house.

Water wisely

Make space for rainwater in your garden through the addition of watering butts which can be connected not only to outbuildings but the downpipes on your house.

More on saving water

A healthy soil stores more water ahead of droughts and reduces natural emissions of potent greenhouse gasses like nitrous oxide and methane that can occur after heavy rainfall. Reduced digging, increased plant coverage, and making your own compost all help to supplement that all-important carbon. 

Care for your soil

A healthy soil stores more water ahead of droughts and reduces natural emissions of potent greenhouse gasses like nitrous oxide and methane that can occur after heavy rainfall. Reduced digging, increased plant coverage, and making your own compost all help to supplement that all-important carbon. 

Make your own compost

When plastic products wear out, replace them with sustainable alternatives. Swap plastic netting for hessian when protecting tender plants during winter. Use bamboo and wooden labels when planting winter and spring veg and natural twine to support plants during windier weather. They can all be composted when no long useful.

Go plastic free

When plastic products wear out, replace them with sustainable alternatives. Swap plastic netting for hessian when protecting tender plants during winter. Use bamboo and wooden labels when planting winter and spring veg and natural twine to support plants during windier weather. They can all be composted when no long useful.

Ditch plastic

Make space for rainwater in your garden through the addition of watering butts which can be connected not only to outbuildings but the downpipes on your house.

Water wisely

Make space for rainwater in your garden through the addition of watering butts which can be connected not only to outbuildings but the downpipes on your house.

More on saving water

A healthy soil stores more water ahead of droughts and reduces natural emissions of potent greenhouse gasses like nitrous oxide and methane that can occur after heavy rainfall. Reduced digging, increased plant coverage, and making your own compost all help to supplement that all-important carbon. 

Care for your soil

A healthy soil stores more water ahead of droughts and reduces natural emissions of potent greenhouse gasses like nitrous oxide and methane that can occur after heavy rainfall. Reduced digging, increased plant coverage, and making your own compost all help to supplement that all-important carbon. 

Make your own compost

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Four garden zones

The unique RHS Chelsea garden took visitors on a journey through four areas, giving practical ideas on how to create a garden adapted to climate change, with warmer summers and more stormy rainfall

Decline

Decline

Showing how the environment suffers from intense building and poor planting

Decline
Adaptation

Adaptation

Showing the planting needed to adapt to increased temperature and rainfall

Adaptation
Mitigation

Mitigation

Demonstrating ideas that can improve local habitats and combat the effects of climate change

Mitigation
Balance

Balance

Showing a possible garden in 50 years hence using tender planting of edibles and ornamentals

Balance

Universal Window Box

At the centre of the exhibit was the Universal Window Box. Here you could find a variety of climbers, annuals and small shrubs which anyone can plant in their garden or containers, however small.

Bringing nature into urban environments gives a sense of wellbeing and helps provide balance in the stressful world, as well as helping to tackle climate change.

Some of the plants you might find in the Universal Window Box

Gaura lindheimeri
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Gaura</em> <em>lindheimeri</em>
Trachelospermum jasminoides
  • 8–12 metres
  • 4–8 metres
<em>Trachelospermum</em> <em>jasminoides</em>
Phytolacca americana
  • 2.5–4 metres
  • 1–1.5 metres
<em>Phytolacca</em> <em>americana</em>
Gaura lindheimeri
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Gaura</em> <em>lindheimeri</em>
Trachelospermum jasminoides
  • 8–12 metres
  • 4–8 metres
<em>Trachelospermum</em> <em>jasminoides</em>
Phytolacca americana
  • 2.5–4 metres
  • 1–1.5 metres
<em>Phytolacca</em> <em>americana</em>
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Meet the designer

Marie-Louise Agius is an award-winning designer, Director of Balston Agius and an associate member of the Society of Garden Designers. For more than 15 years she and her team have designed private gardens and estates across the UK.

She jointly designed the East Village Show Garden for the centenary of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show winning a much-coveted Gold medal.

Balston Agius

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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.