Written by Oliver Ryan, Communications Officer at the Landscape Institute
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show remains one of the most significant events in the horticultural and landscape calendar, bringing together leading designers, growers, contractors and landscape professionals from across the UK and beyond. This year’s show once again demonstrated the transformative power of landscape-led design and the important role the profession plays in addressing environmental and societal challenges.
Representing the Landscape Institute at Chelsea 2026, Tracy Whitfield, Technical & Research Manager, and I had the opportunity to meet with members, industry partners and collaborators involved in a wide range of gardens and installations across the showground. These conversations provided valuable insights into the ideas, innovations and expertise shaping the future of the landscape profession.
Chelsea - a platform for excellence
A defining theme throughout this year’s show was sustainability. Many gardens showcased approaches to climate adaptation, biodiversity enhancement and water-sensitive design, while also demonstrating how carefully considered landscapes can support health, wellbeing and stronger connections between people and nature. The integration of resilient planting strategies and environmentally responsive design reflected the growing importance of landscape architecture in creating places capable of meeting future challenges.
Chelsea continues to provide an important platform for demonstrating excellence across the landscape sector. From innovative planting schemes to complex construction and delivery, the show highlighted the breadth of skills and expertise required to bring ambitious landscape projects to life. It was particularly encouraging to see Landscape Institute members contributing to so many exhibits, often playing key roles in design, implementation and technical delivery.
One of the highlights of the week was seeing members recognised for their contributions to award-winning gardens and installations. Their achievements reflect the creativity, professionalism and dedication that underpin the landscape profession and demonstrate the significant impact landscape practitioners have in creating places that deliver lasting environmental, social and economic value.
Arit Anderson CMLI's Parkinson's UK garden
We had the opportunity to stop by at the Parkinson’s UK – A Garden for Every Parkinson’s Journey garden, designed by Landscape Institute member and broadcaster Arit Anderson CMLI. Inspired by the experiences of people living with Parkinson’s and their loved ones, the garden combined thoughtful design with a powerful social purpose.
A wide, accessible pathway guided visitors through vibrant planting, while a sculptural hand-rill provided both a striking water feature and practical support.
The garden’s uplifting planting palette and carefully considered sensory elements created a space of comfort, reflection and hope, ultimately earning the prestigious RHS/BBC People’s Choice Award. Congratulations to Arit Anderson CMLI and team.
Tom Stuart-Smith FLI's Tate Britain Garden
We also had the opportunity to walk around the Tate Britain Garden designed by Tom Stuart-Smith FLI. Renowned for his naturalistic approach to planting and strong sense of place, Tom’s garden demonstrated the enduring power of landscape design to connect people with nature. Richly layered planting created texture, movement and seasonal interest, while the careful composition of trees, shrubs and perennials showcased both horticultural excellence and ecological value. There was a detour from his familiar style we have seen at Chelsea for the last years however as he mentioned some of the planting remained in this well executed style. The garden provided a calm and immersive experience for visitors, illustrating how thoughtful planting design can deliver beauty, biodiversity and long-term resilience within contemporary landscapes.
Sarah Eberle's garden - On the Edge
We visited Sarah Eberle FLI at her garden titled On the Edge, designed by her for the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE). Awarded both a Gold Medal and RHS Chelsea Garden of the Year. Through naturalistic planting, native species and a striking Gaia sculpture carved from a fallen tree, the garden conveyed a powerful message about the value of protecting vulnerable green spaces. Its thoughtful design demonstrated how landscape architecture can raise awareness of environmental issues while creating an emotionally engaging and visually compelling visitor experience.
A discussion with Bridgette Macilwaine CMLI
Later on, we were able to catch-up with Bridgette Macilwaine CMLI about her involvement in the show this year.
Could you tell us about your involvement in this year’s event?
“My involvement kicked off with a busy week on the planting team for James Basson’s Project Giving Back garden. Once the show opened during show week, I supported PGB and the James Basson team, as well the Crocus and Tate teams on Tom Stuart-Smith’s garden. Definitely an incredibly rewarding experience, which then followed on with 2 days assisting with the break down and sorting the plants from James Basson’s garden ready to be packed up and relocated to their new home.”
What attracted you to becoming involved with RHS Chelsea this year?
“Working on this incredible James Basson design was an opportunity too good to miss, with his creative use of sculpted terrain, beautifully detailed plants and interesting textures. A design with a focus on the quiet regeneration of the landscape which challenges the standard perceptions of what a beautiful garden could be. This perfectly aligned with my design interests and my curiosity to how we could approach gardens and planting for the future.”
Could you tell us a little about the preparations involved before the show officially opened?
“The week before the show is mainly focused on the planting of the gardens, any finishing touches to details, and ensuring water features are functioning correctly. We had a particularly enjoyable task of planting up various different sized planters and pots as part of the planting team, to be used on the PGB stand exterior decking, as well as the interior shelves as decorations.”
What was the most rewarding part of being involved in both the build-up and the event itself?
“While the show is famous for its creative designs and garden inspiration, the most rewarding element for me is the people who bring these ideas to life, both the design teams and the build teams. Being surrounded by great skill, creativity, hard work, and passion has been incredibly inspiring. I’ve loved being part of the journey with Mark Whyman’s team, witnessing how varying professionals and skilled team members bring these gardens together in such a short period of time is remarkable, followed by the amazement of the guests when they see the finished result.”
Was there a standout moment from the week that you will remember most?
“A standout moment would be a story from behind the scenes which involved a particularly crafty and adventurous fox. As we were planting up James Basson’s garden with challenging small delicate plants in sand, every morning we would approach the garden with anticipation, waiting to see how much fun the fox had in the garden the previous night. You could see locations where he had run in the plants and launched onto the sculptural rocks to land on the other side, so each morning required a little tidying and adjusting to the garden. As I also assisted on Tom Stuart Smith’s garden, each morning preparing and clearing the paving and water feature, you could see the same little muddy fox footprints, where he had run everywhere previous night.”
Key takeaways from Chelsea
Tracy and I spoke about the show while we left the Royal Hospital Cheslea site.
So, Tracy, what are your reflections on this year’s show?
“RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 once again demonstrated the incredible value of landscape-led design in addressing some of today’s most pressing environmental and social challenges. It was inspiring to see so many gardens embracing themes of biodiversity, climate resilience and wellbeing, while maintaining the creativity and excellence Chelsea is known for. The show continues to provide an important platform for sharing innovative ideas and showcasing the expertise that exists across the landscape profession. It was particularly rewarding to see Landscape Institute members contributing to so many outstanding projects and helping to shape conversations about the future of our landscapes.
“I would say one of the standout aspects of this year’s Chelsea Flower Show was the exceptional quality and diversity of planting on display. From naturalistic schemes to climate-resilient planting palettes, the gardens demonstrated how thoughtful plant selection can create beautiful, sustainable and biodiverse spaces. It was inspiring to see how planting design continues to evolve, combining aesthetic impact with environmental benefits and reinforcing the important role plants play in shaping healthier and more resilient landscapes.”
Chelsea plant of the year
As has become a tradition, Tracy likes to decide what we would say the plant of the year is. This is the plant that we see crop up all around the show, the one that catches your eye.
This year, that plant is the Foxglove (Digitalis). This plant seems abundant this year and offers height and structural form to many gardens.
The Landscape Institute extends its congratulations to all members involved in the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026. Their work continues to showcase the highest standards of landscape practice and reinforces the importance of landscape-led approaches in shaping resilient, healthy and sustainable places.
