A glorious show celebrating the very best in horticulture, with children, sustainability and the future of gardening at its core
This year saw RHS Chelsea Flower Show live up to its reputation for inspiring, cutting-edge garden design and the unparalleled excellence of exhibitors in the Great Pavilion – but with a firm eye on the future of horticulture. Among the many trends and themes emerging from the show, here are some of the highlights from the week in Chelsea.
Children take charge
Designer Harry Holding worked with children from the Sulivan School in Fulham to create a garden just for them. It was only after intense negotiations that RHS Director General Clare Matterson was able to persuade the kids to let grown-ups on the fun, beautiful and wildlife-friendly garden. All week at the show, adults lined up to make one of three pledges – to find a plant that starts with the first letter of their name, to plant a tree or to donate to the
Campaign for School Gardening. Only then could they walk through the tropical planting, slide down into the submerged den or enjoy the view from the treehouse.
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The King’s first visit as RHS Patron
The week before the show opened it was announced that His Majesty the King was the new Patron of the RHS. This made the royal visit even more exciting, and both the King and Queen spent a long time touring the gardens and chatting to designers and exhibitors in the Great Pavilion. They even picked up new royal titles when the young designers of the No Adults Allowed Garden named them King of Compost and Queen of Bees.
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Spotlight on growers in the Great Pavilion
It was an exceptional year for exhibitors in the Great Pavilion. RHS Chelsea is a magnet for the best plants people in the world, in tribute to this the RHS partnered with UBS to make ‘A Day on the Nursery’ at the Monument. Designed by Emma Tipping, (mentored by RHS Chelsea icon Rosie Hardy) the installation featured raised beds, a potting shed and a polytunnel to give a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a nursery. The emphasis was on edibles – picking out four specialists;
Caley Bros.,
Kent Wildflower Seeds,
Kitchen Garden Plant Centre and
She Grows Veg. A love letter to the incredible work of skilled and dedicated growers, right at the heart of the Show.
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Gloriously green gardens
Rarely is the competition for the garden awards as close as it was at this year’s show. While everyone had their own favourite, the standard across the board in every category was incredibly high. Sustainability is no longer a ‘theme’ of RHS Chelsea gardens. The first Green Audit and
Environmental Innovation Award, saw responsible approaches to garden design become embedded into the entire process. In this, RHS Chelsea is leading the way, by proving that there is no need to compromise aesthetics in creating gardens which invite wildlife, encourage biodiversity and reduce carbon consumption.
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Houseplant heaven
Every year the House Plant Studios in Ranelagh Gardens get better and better. No longer the new kids on the block, with the first RHS Urban Show in April and Festival of Houseplants at RHS Malvern Spring, indoor gardening is increasingly becoming a staple feature of show season.
Verdant Visions,
Upcycled Botanicals and
Gardening in Small Spaces demonstrated how plants can be incorporated into any living space with maximum impact.
The Glasshouse Effect and
Hope After Humanity showed the transformative power of growing. Whereas
Plants with Soul and
An Atlas of Houseplants focused on the geographical origins of many common plants and how that informs how they should be cared for.
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Fabulous florals
It is a
Flower show after all, and the floral artists brought their A game to RHS Chelsea with spectacular installations and creations. Visitors were greeted with gates dripping with flowers as they made their way into the show, with more delicious planting and gorgeous installations running
throughout the showground. Inside the Great Pavilion the floristry provided explosions of colour and scent as the floral artists vied for the coveted Floral Ambassador’s Choice and Florist of the Year titles.
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If you enjoyed RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024, or couldn’t make it to the show this time, there’s plenty more horticultural treats and incredible days out in store at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival (2 – 7 July) and RHS Flower Show Tatton Park (17 – 21 July).
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