With the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in full swing, our readers take a moment to reflect on their favourite Chelsea garden from the last seven years.
A Letter from a Million Years Past
2023 Show Garden
Designed by Jihae Hwang, built by Botanic & Terra
“For me as an RHS judge, I was privileged to be able to walk onto the garden and suddenly feel myself immersed in an ancient landscape. The attention to detail made the garden feel authentic as if you were transported to the very mountainside that it represented.
“Moreover, I feel the underlying message of how we must protect earth’s biodiversity not just for the benefit of nature but for the benefit of humankind as well is a message that we ignore at our peril.”
Liz Nicholson, managing director, Nicholsons
Credit: RHS/Neil Hepworth
Arcadia
2021 Balcony Garden
Designed by Martha Krempel, built by The Landscape Consultants
“I know there are bigger gardens and vaster budgets, but this garden was about an escape from the bustle of city life, and it just sucked me in – not a horticultural technical term I appreciate but sometimes, a garden quite simply does that.
“The doors in the background were a standout feature, Krempel uncovered them from a dusty lock-up in Surrey, previously rescued from a palace in India destined for demolition and in storage for more than 20 years.”
Peter Donegan, garden and landscape designer
Credit: RHS/Sarah Cuttle
A Rewilding Britain Landscape
2022 Show Garden
Designed by Lulu Urquhart and Adam Hunt, built by Landscape Associates
“From the artistry that they did at the beginning, that black and white concept image, I thought was so provocative; to the fact it was such a freeing design. And I think sometimes modern life is too constraint, too boxy. I enjoy the garden’s aesthetic because I think we all need to be a bit more wild.”
Zoe Claymore, garden designer
Credit: RHS/Neil Hepworth
The M&G Garden
2018 Show Garden
Designed by Sarah Price, built by Crocus
“It’s hard to narrow it down, but Sarah Price’s gardens always stand out to me, because I’m really interested in the artfulness of the horticulture, not just the functionality, and that’s what she brings to her designs, and this one was very Mediterranean in style.”
Credit: RHS/Neil Hepworth
Nigel Dunnett, professor of planting design and urban horticulture in the Department of Landscape at the University of Sheffield
Editor’s choice
WaterAid Garden
2024 Show Garden
Designed by Tom Massey and Je Ahn, built by Landscape Associates
I know it’s a journalism sin to lay claim to a favourite anything, but this garden was one from recent years that stuck out to me. Water is a precious resource, and as our climate continues to change, we are often left with either too little or too much. Massey and Ahn’s exploration and demonstration of water conservation made this a standout garden at last year’s show for me, from the rainwater harvesting pavilion to the wildlife pond.
Bethany Vann, deputy editor, Pro Landscaper
Credit: RHS/Neil Hepworth
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