RHS Chelsea Flower Show
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, held annually in the heart of London, has always been an enchanting showcase of nature's majesty and artistic prowess. As you step into the verdant grounds of the Chelsea Hospital, your senses are instantly heightened by the vibrant colors, delicate fragrances, and captivating designs that surround you. This year's show promised to be a breathtaking spectacle, and we were eager to explore the award-winning gardens and discover the innovative designs that would take center stage.
The Show attracted an astounding number of visitors, with a record-breaking attendance of over 160,000 people. It was truly heartening to witness such an array of gardening enthusiasts, floral enthusiasts, and curious onlookers gather to appreciate the horticultural wonders on display, especially after the last few years of Covid uncertainty. Let’s give you a taste of what we enjoyed most at this years show:
The Gardens
Among the gold medalists, Sarah Thompson's "Elysian Fields" garden stood out with its harmonious blend of soft pastels and bold textures. A celebration of tranquility, her design embraced a naturalistic approach, using gentle curves and lush plantings to create a serene haven.
Another remarkable gold medalist was Michael Reynolds, whose "Symbiosis" garden fascinated visitors with its sustainable design, showcasing the beauty of coexistence between nature and urban spaces.
The ethereal beauty of the Sarah Pearce 'Nature Landscapes' garden was unparalleled, winning them a coveted Gold medal. The enchanting masterpiece unveiled at this year's Show was such a captivating space, you found yourself transported to a realm where nature reigns supreme. Lush greenery blended with a kaleidoscope of wildflowers set against the soothing clay colours of the walls and permanent features, creating a tapestry of colors - a delight to the senses. The 'Nature Landscapes' garden embodied a tranquil oasis, offering a serene sanctuary amidst the bustling show - it was one of our favourites for sure!
The Best Flowers
We were very drawn the bearded Iris this year, they seemed to feature in every garden in the most stunning array of colours. There were some stunning colours and varieties from Claire Austin. We’re also loving all the online buzz around these flowers and a favourite new follow of our is @fallsandstandrds_ from the amazing @vervainflowers sharing all the knowledge on Iris growing and selling their own rhizomes later this year!
Gemus have been popular for the last few years and it doesn’t seem like they’re going away any time soon. We loved seeing the joyful pops of colour from ‘Mai Tai’, ‘Totally Tangerine’ and ‘Mrs. Bradshaw’ as well as the delicately ruffled ‘Pink Petticotes’. These make an excellent cut flower for florists so check out your local grower to see if they have any of these on trend varieties out right now.
The warmer weather means that the garden roses are springing into life all around us and the displays from David Austin and Peter Beal were another highlight. We fell in love (again!) with Boscabel rose from David Austin and the sweet and beautifully long stemmed ‘Queen of Sweeden’. A must have for any grower/florists out there.
Outdoor Living
This year we were really struck by how many of the gardens were centred around living, with spaces you could really imagine yourself spending a lot of time in. Functionality for eating and spending down time were mixed with beautiful planting and calming colours and sculptural elements. Seated areas, dining areas, even cooking spaces, the consideration of creating a garden that had multiple ‘rooms’ and was almost an extension of the home was glorious to see.
One of our favourites of these was the incredibly peaceful Hamptons Mediterranean Garden by Filippo Dester, the colours used in this garden were just beautiful and the addition of a super tranquil water feature and lots of planted herbs made it a joy for all the senses.
Another stand out would also have to be The Savills Garden which featured a full kitchen under a glass canopy, meaning you were protected but also out in the garden, a truly divine outdoor living space. We also loved that they had focused on edible plants all around the space, meaning you were not only in an outdoor kitchen but also your own mini farmers market for the freshest herbs - what bliss!
Great Pavilion
Built around the Memorial Obelisk in the grounds of Chelsea Hospital, the Great Pavilion was as spectacular as ever. The central displays around the monument, designed by Polyanna Wilkinson were done beautifully and were an incredible focal point for all the displays, gardens and stands fanning out from its base.
The highlight of the Pavilion for us was of course the floristry work on display. It was great to see so many florists we knew creating displays in the tent, (check out all the exhibitors here: https://www.britishfloristassociation.org/for-the-industry/industry-news/chelsea-flower-show-2023-the-results/ ) and our personal favourites were:
The amount of time and skill that goes into these displays is so impressive, not to mention the long days of standing and talking to visitors about your creation. A true feat of floristry to say the least, we felt so proud knowing that our industry was being so well represented on this incredible world stage!
It was also great to see sustainable floristry being considered and talked about, the foam free mechanics on display were truly inspiring. One of our favourites by Kathryn from Fierce Blooms was her piece ‘Time To Change’ which gave such a wonderful and thought provoking message about the environment.
Container Gardens - Small Space, Big Impact
Last but not least we just had to mention the Container Garden section of the show, where designers were given the same sized space (either as a balcony or a patio space) and were only allowed to add things to the floor and walls - no digging down! The variety and ingenuity on show in these gardens was amazing, starting with the same incredibly small space and all coming out with something so different. Whether the intention was to maximise vertical space, make the area feel small and cosy or try to create another world within the confines of the space, it was eye opening to see how different an area can look and feel by using different techniques.
Also, as part of the the ‘small garden’ revolution, the new David Austin Rose, revealed at the show, has been bred specifically to thrive in a city garden. “In 2022, David Austin was hugely impressed with an RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden called ‘Hands off Mangrove’ by not-for-profit Grow2Know. The garden was designed by Danny Clarke along with Grow2Know founder, Tayshan Hayden-Smith, and powerfully united the two prominent issues of social injustice and global deforestation. Intrigued by Danny's drive to make gardening more accessible and inclusive, this city dwelling rose was the perfect pairing to share our passion for the power of gardening and enabling roses to bloom in any landscape. This rose is full of character, who is happy to thrive in containers, against walls or fences and in shadier areas making it the perfect rose for city dwellers and modern living. The medium luscious scent is with zesty with notes of lemon, lychees and fresh apricots. £10,000 from the sales of Dannahue® will be donated to Grow2Know a not-for-profit which encourages a more inclusive environment within the horticultural scene with the aim to reconnect people with nature and one another.”
We love to see such positive change coming from big hitters like David Austin and the RHS, lets hope this is the start of great things to come in the horticulture and floristry industry!
Pulling it all together, the 2023 RHS Chelsea Flower Show was a resounding success, enchanting us and all the other visitors with its incredible displays, innovative designs, and celebration of nature's beauty. Each garden told a unique story and provided inspiration for gardening enthusiasts around the world. With record-breaking attendance, the show once again solidified its position as a must-visit event for both seasoned gardeners and those with a budding green thumb.