RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Plants in The Avanade ‘Intelligent’ Garden

The garden is filled with trees and shrubs that have some kind of productive use. The forest garden is densely planted with a woodland feel, moving out into the more open woodland edge and swale areas which are brighter and more colorful

Toona sinensis ‘Flamingo’ – Chinese cedar

Toona sinensis ‘Flamingo’
Toona sinensis ‘Flamingo’

Valued for its young leaves with a distinctive onion or garlic flavour, widely used in Chinese cuisine. The tree is also prized for its medicinal properties, offering antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Additionally, it's grown for its durable, aromatic timber, making it a versatile species in both culinary and wood production.

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Zanthoxylum simulans – Sichuan pepper

Also known as Chinese prickly ash, this deciduous shrub or small tree is famous for its spicy, citrus-flavored husks, used to make Sichuan peppercorns – a key ingredient in Chinese cuisine.

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Zanthoxylum simulans
Zanthoxylum simulans

“Forest gardens are more resilient than traditional rowed out productive growing, providing a biodiverse mix of species designed to mimic the layers of a natural forest.”

Tom Massey and Je Ahn, designers

Cornus kousa – kousa

Cornus kousa
Cornus kousa

A small, deciduous tree, appreciated for its ornamental charm. It produces striking white or pink star-shaped bracts in late spring, red edible berries in autumn, and vibrant red and purple foliage, making it a great choice for varied seasonal interest.

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Rubus phoenicolasius – Japanese wineberry

Commonly called wineberry or Japanese wineberry, this deciduous shrub, closely related to raspberries. It produces sweet-tart, bright red fruits in mid-summer and features distinctive arching, thorny stems covered in red bristly hairs. Its unique appearance and colourful berries also make it popular for ornamental use.

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Rubus phoenicolasius
Rubus phoenicolasius

Lycium barbarum – Duke of Argyll’s tea tree

Lycium barbarum
Lycium barbarum

Known as goji berry or wolfberry, this deciduous shrub produces bright orange-red berries rich in antioxidants, traditionally used in Chinese and Tibetan medicine. The drought-tolerant plant adapts well to various soils and its nutrient-rich berries are often consumed dried for their health benefits.

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Plant lists are provided by the designer of the garden as a guide to the plants they hope to use in the Garden based on the time of year, the location and the Client Brief. The plants that feature at the Show depends on a variety of factors such as weather during the growing season and availability. While the designers try to update lists where possible, the accuracy of the list cannot be guaranteed.
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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.