RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025: these are the highlights

All eyes of gardening Europe are on London this week. The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is taking place there, the place where garden trends are set, landscape architects’ reputations are made (or broken), new, award-winning plants are unveiled and gardening issues are tackled. Our editor-in-chief Anne Wieggers is there to share her report and images of her favourite show gardens, so you can enjoy them too!

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Many show gardens at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year are dedicated to biodiversity and gardening in times of climate change. And what immediately strikes me? Pastel shades are hard to find. Strong, contrasting colours pop out at me, and they make me so happy. Especially orange shades in combination with purple shades are in full swing. Plenty of inspiration! But the garden that everyone runs to, with two or four feet? The very first Chelsea show garden of our own Monty! We share some first images of this and 4 other beautiful show gardens here.

There has been a buzz around this garden for months. Our very own Monty has designed his very first Chelsea show garden, which he created together with and for his faithful four-legged friend Ned. If there is one thing that stands out, especially amidst all the glamour of Chelsea, it is the accessibility and friendliness of the garden. The balance at this world-famous show can sometimes tip from inspiration to intimidation. All those perfect gardens, how do you recreate something like that at home?

“In my gardens, dogs are always just as important, if not more important, than plants.”

But in this garden, with plants that many gardeners will recognize and that are also readily available at garden centers and growers, such as catnip, iris, cardoon, fennel and native trees, Monty created a garden that is not only beautiful, but also feasible. As we know from him, he creates magic, without ever making you feel that you can't do it too. The garden is an ode to how Monty gardens. "In my gardens, dogs have always been just as important, if not more important, than plants." Faithful four-legged friend Ned was also allowed to help determine the design, by walking right through it and thus indicating a route that is attractive not only from a human perspective, but also from a dog perspective.

As a true Chelsea veteran, top designer Jo Thompson had no intention of designing another show garden, but when The Glasshouse – a charity that aims to give women who have served time a second chance by helping them pursue a career in landscaping – asked her if she wanted to work for them, she couldn’t say no. “I wanted to support this cause because I know that I have come this far because of the countless opportunities that have been given to me. Strong women supporting strong women, that’s what this garden, this charity and I stand for.”

The result is breathtaking. Even through the noise of a busy day, the soft flow of water can be heard, which is symbolic of renewal and reinventing yourself. The planting is very colorful, with a greenhouse in the heart of the garden, which looks lovely and open. Thompson combines beautifully with deep red tones versus soft peach, apricot and soft fern foliage. The whole is very feminine and very strong. The moment the gates opened, it was only very busy here.

“Strong women helping strong women, that is what this garden, this foundation and I stand for.”

Some notable plants she used were Rosa 'Emma Bridgewater', Astrantia 'Burgandy manor', Angelica archangelica, and red birch ( Betula nigra ). There was almost no paving and the few stones that were found were unsellable and were recycled here, to form a beautiful whole within the design. “My aim was to make the imperfect perfect. To create harmony and second chances.”

Tip!

This garden is inspired by the Scottish coast, and you can see that right away. “We actually made this show garden as we normally do in our designs. It is the complete opposite of what people are used to from Chelsea show gardens. Very exciting!” It is not completely lushly planted here, but there is a lot of space between the plants, with the sand giving the feeling of dunes.

With a corten steel construction holding the sand and plants in place, a beautiful wavy effect is created, which reminds me of fish fins and rippling water. The rust colour complements the fresh colours of the plants, with lots of silver leaves, so the whole thing is very attractive. A fun fact: during the construction, a group of foxes drove the team crazy by digging up the whole thing at night, the team says. Glad everything turned out well!

“There is a lot of space between the plants, with the sand giving the feeling of dunes.”

Plants that are beautifully combined here: Lagerstroemia indica 'Natchez', a beautiful white spur flower ( Centranthus ruber Albus ) Tamarix ramossisima (a cedar that can withstand salty sea air), spurge ( Euphorbia mellifera ) , thrift ( Armeria martima ) and a beautiful pink Geranium palmatum . If you live on the coast, this garden is the perfect source of inspiration.

Most gardeners will not have much to do with AI (artificial intelligence). We simply prefer to do things by feeling and are sometimes averse to innovation. Unless it is a new plant of course. It is therefore not surprising that the Avenade Intelligent Garden is causing a lot of discussion at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year.

AI is used to monitor how the plants and especially trees in the garden are doing. In this way, the needs of what is growing are mapped out, but it is also predicted what they will need in the future. In fact, I was able to have a conversation with a tree via AI and ask how the tree felt. Whether you only see advantages in this or are not, the garden has become beautiful.

“AI is used to monitor how the plants and especially trees in the garden are doing.”

In fact, the use of AI only distracts from the rest of the garden, where much more interesting things are happening. For example, there are walls of mycelium fibers (the roots of fungi) and the planting by Sebastian Cox is wonderfully beautiful. The design is based on a forest garden, with the aim of increasing biodiversity.

Trees and shrubs you see: Chinese mahogany ( Toona sinensis 'Flamingo'), large-flowered dogwood ( Cornus kousa ), Japanese wineberry ( Rubus phoenicolasius ) and common boxthorn – also known as goji berry ( Lycium barbarum ). A very amusing element in this show garden I find are the large concrete blocks that serve as benches and low walls in the garden. They are hired for £5 each and are normally used for traffic.

As editors, we receive many questions about how to make a new construction garden beautiful, but also attractive to insects. This show garden has all the answers, in my opinion!

'Pioneer plants' are the dominant feature here, which is fairly new to the Chelsea Flower Show. These are the first plants to take over a disturbed patch of ground, and they often flower profusely to attract pollinators . They are also strong enough to survive in the poor, disturbed soil that is often found in new homes. This is the message of this garden. Planted in the right place, plants (and people) can flourish, no matter what has gone before.

“The romantic, loose way of planting quickly gives the feeling of eternity.”

It is a hopeful garden. The romantic, loose way of planting quickly gives the feeling of eternity. As if that new-build house has appeared next to an existing piece of nature. A few plants that have been used: black pine ( Pinus nigra ), wild carrot ( Daucus carrota ), European hop hornbeam ( Ostrya carpinifolia ) , Japanese poppy ( Papaver miyabeanum 'Pacino)' .

Most gardeners have been fans of Sneeboer's great tools for decades. That's why I find it extra nice to mention that they have won an award after 24 years at the show, namely for 'Sustainable Garden Product of the Year'.

The new garden trowel from Sneeboer is, with its shape, the perfect trowel for planting in pots or containers. The deep shape scoops a large amount of soil or compost from a bag, while you can aim very precisely with the pointed side. This way you don't scoop valuable soil over the edges.

Another plus: You no longer need scissors or a knife! With the serrated edge, you can zip open the plastic bags in one movement. Add to that the fact that circular wood is used for the handles (leftover pieces from the production of other, larger tools), they have 30 percent less energy consumption due to an innovative laser method, and you understand that they have won. (And that I immediately went and bought a shovel).

Of course, there is much more to see and admire at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025. Tune in every evening until 24 May on BBC One. There will also be a broadcast on BBC Two on Friday evening 23 May, meaning that the regular broadcast of Gardeners' World will skip a week. You can find more beautiful photos and inspiration from this event in the next edition of Gardeners' World magazine .