Chelsea Flower Show highlights 2019 - in pictures
Chelsea Flower Show highlights 2019 - in pictures
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1/62 Hanging chairs
It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing. Hanging chairs take centre stage in many of the Chelsea show gardens this year, led by the much-publicised Duchess of Cambridge’s swing seat in her Back to Nature Garden.
Kensington Palace/PA
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2/62 Fun swing
Princess Charlotte on a family visit to The Duchess of Cambridge's Back to Nature Garden. These pretty rope balls from the Oak & Rope Company start at £210.
Kensington Palace/PA
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3/62 Toddler ride
The Duke of Cambridge with Prince Louis in the Adam White and Andree Davies co-designed garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London.
Kensington Palace/PA
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4/62 £2,250
The Green Apple Swing Seat in Kate Gould’s Greenfingers Charity Garden, from linumloom.com.
Alex Lentati
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5/62 £1,600
If natural timber draped with fleece is more your style, head to furniture designer Tom Raffield’s stand and ogle the Amble Hanging Seat from wellworking.co.uk
Tom Young (www.tomyoungphotography.co.uk)/Tom Raffield LTD
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6/62 Plastic-free gardening
The Husk swan watering can is plastic-free as it’s made from waste bamboo products, and it’s super-stylish, too (£8, madewithhusk.co.uk)
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7/62 Hard-working greenhouses
When garden space is tight, what could be better than a greenhouse that can double as a yoga space, artist studio or dining area? Hartley Botanic has styled up three greenhouses including the Opus, pictured, to show their potential beyond tomato growing.
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8/62 Outdoor eco-textiles
Devon husband-and-wife team Weaver Green turn plastic bottles into beautiful blankets (£45), throws, rugs and cushion covers. Water-resistant and washable, they feel like cotton, wool or even linen, and are ideal for a chilly summer night outside or a picnic on damp grass. Cosiness with a conscience, what could be better?
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9/62 Think of the bees
The importance of looking after our pollinators is beautifully made at this year’s event: Per Oculus Apum (Through the Eyes of Bees) by McQueens Flowers.
Rachel Warne
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10/62 Space to grow garden gold medal winner
The Camfed Garden: Giving Girls in Africa A Space to Grow
Clarah Zinyama and Sinikiwe Makove from Camfed celebrate
Alex Lentati
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11/62 Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
The charity is supported by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex
Getty Images
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12/62 Camfed Garden
The CAMFED garden, recreating a rural Zimbabwean classroom surrounded by crops such as beans and sweet potatoes in a landscape of red soil, was awarded a coveted gold medal in the "Space to Grow” category by judges from the Royal Horticultural Society.
Alex Lentati
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13/62 Camfed Garden
Singer/songwriter Joan Armatrading in the Space to Grow CAMFED Garden
RHS / Suzanne Plunkett
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14/62 Best in Show
The M&G Garden by Brighton-based designer Andy Sturgeon scooped the top prize.
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15/62 The M&G Garden
Planting detail from M&G Investments Garden designed by Andy Sturgeon including yellow hardy orchids
Alex Mitchell
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16/62 The M&G Garden
Designing at Chelsea can take its toll. Andy Sturgeon, designer of the dramatic M&G Investments Garden is just happy to be standing up, balancing on a pair of crutches he picked up from Argos after injuring his foot.
Alex Mitchell
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17/62 Show garden gold medal winner
The Morgan Stanley Garden
Rex Features
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18/62 Show garden gold medal winner
The Resilience Garden
Rex Features
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19/62 Show garden gold medal winner
Welcome to Yorkshire Garden
Rex Features
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20/62 Space to grow garden gold medal winner
Two Chelsea Pensioners pose with (left to right) Facebook gardening group admins Kevin Fortey, Sara Latimer, Rachel Hammond and Alex Thurley-Ratcliffe, in 'The Facebook Garden: Beyond The Screen'.
PA
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21/62 Facebook Beyond the Screen Garden
Designer Joe Perkins
Alex Mitchell
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22/62 Space to grow garden gold medal winner
The Montessori Centenary Children's Garden
Alex Mitchell
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23/62 Space to grow garden gold medal winner
Viking Cruises: The Art of Viking Garden
Alex Mitchell
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24/62 The Art of Viking Garden
Designer Paul Hervey-Brookes doing some last minute watering in his Viking Cruises Garden.
Alex Mitchell
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25/62
The Dubai Majlis Garden
Rex Features
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26/62
IKEA: Gardening will save the World Garden
AFP/Getty Images
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27/62
The Savills and David Harber Garden
Getty Images
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28/62
The Queen during her visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London
PA
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29/62
The D-Day 75 Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London
PA
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30/62
Anton du Beke and wife Hannah Summers during the press day for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London
PA
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The Queen and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London
PA
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Finishing touches are applied to begonias and delphiniums during preparations for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London
PA
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Mary Berry at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London.
PA
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Finishing touches are applied to a display during preparations for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London
PA
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35/62
Chrysanthemum Archie Harrison, named to celebrate the birth of the the Duke and Duchess of Sussex first child, on display at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London
PA
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36/62
Joe Sugg and Dianne Buswell at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London
PA
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37/62
Princess Beatrice of York with her friend Alice Naylor-Leyland as they look at a display during their visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London
PA
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The Queen around the 'Back to Nature' by the designer, The Duchess of Cambridge during their visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London
PA
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The Queen around the 'Back to Nature' by the designer, The Duchess of Cambridge during their visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London
PA
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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London
PA
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Kate greets children at the Chelsea Flower Show
Reuters
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The Duchess of Cambridge, is pictured with Adam White during a visit to her garden
Reuters
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The Duchess of Cambridge joined celebrity guests at the event today
Reuters
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Kate spoke to children in the treehouse of the garden she helped design
Reuters
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Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is pictured with Andree Davies and Adam White during a visit to her garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Reuters
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The Duchess of Cambridge looks at a display during her visit
Reuters
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Her garden is designed to help encourage young people to explore nature
AP
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The Duchess of Cambridge, visits her garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Reuters
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The Duchess of Cambridge, and Sir Nicholas Bacon, Chairman of the Royal Horticultural Society
Reuters
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50/62
Kate arrived looking casual in culottes and a white blouse
Reuters
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51/62
Mel Giedroyc attends the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Getty Images
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The Duchess of Cambridge, waves to admirers during her visit at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Reuters
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53/62
The Duchess admires a display at this year's show
Reuters
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54/62
The show opens to the public tomorrow
Reuters
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55/62
Mary Berry at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
PA
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56/62
Dame Judi Dench attends the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Jeff Spicer/Getty Images
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57/62
The Duchess of Cambridge leaves after visiting her "Back to Nature" show garden at the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Chelsea Flower Show
AP
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58/62
The Duchess of Cambridge greeted fans on her visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea
AP
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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in the Adam White and Andree Davies co-designed garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London
Matt Porteous via PA
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The Duchess of Cambridge with Prince Louis in the Adam White and Andree Davies co-designed 'Back to Nature' garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London
Matt Porteous via PA
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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in the Adam White and Andree Davies co-designed garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London
Matt Porteous via PA
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The Duchess of Cambridge visits her garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London
PA
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is back and there are plenty of must-see gardens, new plants and innovative products for keen gardeners attending the show to watch out for and take inspiration from for their own gardens.
As well as the Back to Nature garden designed by the Duchess of Cambridge, which takes centre stage at this year's event, other highlights include a medal-winning garden built by Camfed, an education charity supported by the Duchess of Sussex, and a £200,000 garden shed.
But away from the star factor, there are plenty of exciting ideas and products for the amateur gardener to pick up on at the show.
Here are some of the best ideas for 2019.
Greenhouses as ‘wellness spaces’
When garden space is tight, what could be better than a greenhouse that can double as a yoga space, artist studio or dining area?
Hartley Botanic has styled up three greenhouses including the Opus, pictured, to show their potential beyond tomato growing.
Next step, an infinity pool?
Trees to pine for
To be up with garden fashion, plant a pine. That’s the message from the show gardens, where craggy native Scots pines — pinus sylvestris — seem to assemble all over the showground like an army.
Best choose a dwarf mountain pine, the pinus mugo, unless you have plenty of room, £11.50 at Burncoose Nurseries.
Hanging chairs
It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing. Hanging chairs take centre stage in many of the Chelsea show gardens this year, led by the much-publicised Duchess of Cambridge’s swing seat in her Back to Nature Garden.
These pretty rope balls from the Oak & Rope Company start at £210.
Another version is the Green Apple Swing Seat in Kate Gould’s Greenfingers Charity Garden (£2,250, linumloom.com).
If natural timber draped with fleece is more your style, head to furniture designer Tom Raffield’s stand and ogle the Amble Hanging Seat (£1,600, wellworking.co.uk).
Raw Studio, based in Woolwich, is displaying its super-comfy Circa chair (£1,500).
A meadow in a bucket
If an area of your garden never seems to dry out, be inspired by Viking Cruises Garden designer Paul Hervey-Brooks and turn it into a lush water meadow by planting hostas, liguria and darmera peltata. Visit Crocus.
He says this combo also works in a container, such as a metal bucket, with a hole halfway up the side so the roots stay damp.
Plastic-free gardening
Why water your plants with a plastic watering can when you could just as easily use one made from recycled agricultural by-products?
The Husk swan watering can is plastic-free as it’s made from waste bamboo products, and it’s super-stylish, too (£8, madewithhusk.co.uk).
Sowing seeds can be equally guilt-free if you use bamboo trays and pots (from £3.99, haxnicks.co.uk).
Outdoor eco-textiles
Devon husband-and-wife team Weaver Green turn plastic bottles into beautiful blankets (£45), throws, rugs and cushion covers.
Water-resistant and washable, they feel like cotton, wool or even linen, and are ideal for a chilly summer night outside or a picnic on damp grass.
Cosiness with a conscience, what could be better?
Reuse and recycle
We can’t all repurpose a grain silo as a home office, as in the Resilience Garden, but the message is clear.
Many of the elements in the Camfed Garden by Jilayne Rickards came from eBay, markets or skips.
At the Facebook Garden, check out the fantastic sling-style Crew folding chairs made from upcycled yacht sails.
The Dinghy side table is made from a fibreglass boat hull. Visit Joe Perkins Design for details.
You zingy thing
Drama in Andy Sturgeon’s M&G Garden comes from the contrast of charred timber structures with fresh green planting in front. So zingy was the effect that Sturgeon removed several chartreuse spurge plants because it was “too much”.
Paint your fence a dark colour — Railings by Farrow & Ball is a safe bet — and your green leaves will shine.
Think of the bees
From the floral swagged gates designed by Walworth’s JamJar Flowers that greet visitors to the RHS Chelsea showground, to the tunnel installation, Per Oculus Apum (Through the Eyes of Bees) by McQueens Flowers, the importance of looking after our pollinators is beautifully made at this year’s event.
“Plant exotics by all means,” advises designer Sarah Eberle, “but balance that with native plants”.
Clever walls
The back wall of Jo Thompson’s Wedgwood Garden looks like rusted steel, but it’s thin, weatherproof plywood painted with an oxidised effect. Supplier Novacolor Italia also does polished plaster and concrete effects.
Kate Gould’s Greenfingers Charity Garden has a beautiful, fresh wall of green-and-cream glazed bricks (ibstock.com).
Moody blooms
Claret, merlot, cranberry… whatever you want to call this deep shade of purplish red, it’s everywhere at Chelsea this year. See it in the stunning echium russicum spires in the Resilience Garden (seeds, £3.45 at chilternseeds.co.uk) and astrantia Claret in several show gardens.
“Loon pants purple” is back, too, in Sable irises in The Donkey Santuary’s charming Donkeys Matter Garden.
