I’ve been coming to Chelsea Flower Show for two decades; and this year, there seems to be even more stands than usual and more to see. It is surely the best year since Covid struck us all down.
What’s really surprised me is how international this most British of institutions is. I’ve spoken to readers of Country Life from as far afield as the west coast of America and Melbourne, Australia. Perhaps I should not be surprised — after all, Chelsea is the best event on the global horticultural calendar.
Why, you might ask? Because it has something for everyone, from the Royal gaze — HM King Charles visited on Monday with The Queen, David Beckham and Alan Titchmarsh in town — to simple allotment style (the balcony gardens, hidden away in the woods, are a treasure trove of small space inspiration).
Put simply, if I was a plant, I’d want to be seen at Chelsea.
So, without further ado, here are six of things that have caught my eye:
The Japanese Tea Garden
I know, I know, this is a very boring one to start with because it’s at the top of everyone’s lists, but it really is head and shoulders above everything else.
Whatever angle you look at it from, it is utterly mesmerising and extraordinarily beautiful. Kazuyuki Ishihara's attention to detail is second to none and there is a simplicity in its perfection.
Garden designer Kazuyuki Ishihara with his show garden Cha No Niwa – Japanese Tea Garden at the press day of the 112th RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Claverton Cloches
A stand a few down from Country Life’s selling greenhouses in miniature form. There’s joy in their size; they are the gardener’s dollhouse.
Norfield Nursery
This seller, situated inside the Great Pavilion, sells just acers — also known as maples. The smaller, more compact, shrub-like varieties are known as Japanese maples.
They are delicate things, but their delicacy belies a dramatic, secret talent. Come Autumn, their flush of youthful leaves turn the most spectacular and vibrant colours. When it comes to colour, they are the most generous of trees.
Woodpecker Joinery
I bought a cedar waterbutt from this company that also sells quality cedar and Victorian greenhouses.
Imagine the scent of cedar every time you go to water your plants, bringing interest to an otherwise mundane job. Your plants will thank you for taking a renewed interest in their wellbeing!
The Woodpecker Greenhouses team at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show have been keeping things immaculate throughout the week.
David Austin Roses
Every year, David Austin is the star of the Great Pavilion, and right now is no exception. Their stand is circular in shape and framed by a walkway covered in garden arches groaning in a myriad fragrant rose species. It is almost obscene in its beauty. Who doesn’t love a rambling rector?
David Austin's Roses stand is always a highlight in the Great Pavilion.
Alan and Raymond
Last, but not least, I have to mention the thrill I got when Chef Raymond Blanc dragged Alan Titchmarsh onto our stand to look at a picture of his garden — which we used on the front cover of an October 2024 issue.
To celebrate Country Life's return to the Chelsea Flower Show, we're offering up to 40% off subscriptions to Country Life Magazine. It's our best offer ever; available until June 30, 2025.
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