Chelsea Flower Show returns this month from 24 - 28th May 2022.
Following last year's historic, first-ever autumn show, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is returning to SW3 over five days this spring for Chelsea Flower Show 2022.
It is a jam-packed week – and even if you can't make it in person (limited tickets are available) – then you can stay on top of the biggest event on the horticultural calendar by tuning into BBC's RHS Chelsea Flower Show coverage across BBC One and BBC Two with Nicki Chapman, Angellica Bell, Monty Don, Joe Swift, and Sophie Raworth.
There are some favourites returning this year with incredible Show Gardens, including Sarah Eberle, Chris Beardshaw, Andy Sturgeon and Juliet Sargeant, who is back at Chelsea after winning a gold medal in 2016.
But, of the 44 designers at the show, 24 are making their RHS Chelsea debut, from emerging talent such as London community gardener Tayshan Hayden-Smith to established designers such as Richard Miers, and Lulu Urquhart and Adam Hunt.
Sanctuary Gardens are back with the likes of Kate Gould, Tom Hoblyn and Jamie Butterworth creating spectacular gardens.
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Planet friendly gardening and health and wellbeing will be two key themes across the gardens this year, highlighting how sustainable practices can benefit the planet, and how the healing and restorative power of gardens and plants promotes positive mental health.
We're pleased to see that Balcony and Container Gardens are back this year, providing great inspiration for small spaces, while an exciting new garden category, All About Plants, will be taking place inside the Great Pavilion in a new first for RHS Chelsea, celebrating the many powers of plants. And, with the trend for growing and caring for houseplants, the Houseplant Studios will showcase the forward-thinking style ideas and designs, ranging from an aerial indoor garden to a walk-in terrarium.
With celebrations for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee underway, there will be four installations to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's 70-year reign, and it is hoped that the Queen will be able to visit RHS Chelsea in person this year, Buckingham Palace confirms, although a final decision about her attendance will be made on Monday.
Chelsea Flower Show 2022 tickets
Only limited tickets remain for Chelsea Flower Show 2022.
Two days (24th and 25th May) are reserved for RHS Members only. If you get an RHS membership, tickets are slightly cheaper, and there are lots of other benefits too, including unlimited expert gardening advice and free entry to over 200 partner gardens.
Chelsea Flower Show 2022 location
The Chelsea Flower Show is held in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, home to the iconic Chelsea Pensioners who are retired soldiers of the British Army. Some 300 veterans live in the retirement and nursing home on site.
Address: Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London SW3 4SL.
Chelsea Flower Show 2022 dates
Opening and closing times
• Monday 23rd May: Press Day (restricted to members of the press, celebrities and the Royal Family)
• Tuesday 24th May: RHS members only, 8am – 8pm
• Wednesday 25th May: RHS members only, 8am – 8pm
• Thursday 26th May: RHS members and non-members, 8am – 8pm
• Friday 27th May: RHS members and non-members, 8am – 8pm
• Saturday 28th May: RHS members and non-members, 8am – 5.30pm (typically on the last day at 4pm, the plant sell-off begins).
Chelsea Flower Show gardens
What can we expect to see at Chelsea 2022?
As you can imagine, a lot of preparation goes into the world's most prestigious flower show each year. Here's what to expect...
Show Gardens
A Show Garden demonstrates the best of horticulture and excellence in garden design and innovative landscaping. Filling Main Avenue, these are the largest gardens at the show and it's the perfect opportunity for garden designers to create excitement and make a lasting impact. The Show Garden line-up is as follows:
• Alder Hey Urban Foraging Station designed by Howard Miller and Hugh Miller
• MEDITE SMARTPLY 'Building the Future' designed by Sarah Eberle
• St Mungo's Putting Down Roots Garden by Cityscapes (Darryl Moore & Adolfo Harrison)
• Brewin Dolphin Garden designed by Paul Hervey-Brookes
• The RNLI Garden designed by Chris Beardshaw
• Morris & Co. designed by Ruth Willmott
• 'The Meta Garden: Growing the Future' designed by Joe Perkins
• The Perennial Garden 'With Love', designed by Richard Miers
• The New Blue Peter Garden - Discover Soil by designer Juliet Sargeant
• The RAF Benevolent Fund Garden, reflecting on the Battle of Britain and designed by John Everiss
• A Rewilding Britain Landscape by Lulu Urquhart and Adam Hunt
• The Mind Garden designed by Andy Sturgeon
Sanctuary Gardens
Sanctuary Gardens combine contemporary and traditional visions of the home garden, harnessing the healing power and serenity of nature. These gardens, located in a prominent position on Royal Hospital Way or Ranelagh Gardens, form spectacular real and conceptual gardens and offer the opportunity to create a space to inspire the gardener in all of us. The Sanctuary Garden line-up is as follows:
• The SSAFA Garden supported by CCLA and designed by Amanda Waring
• A Swiss Sanctuary by Lilly Gomm
• The Place2Be Securing Tomorrow Garden designed by Jamie Butterworth
• ZEN Garden designed by Ishihara Kazuyuki
• Circle of Life by Yoshihiro Tamura
• The Body Shop Garden designed by Jennifer Hirsch
• A Garden Sanctuary by Hamptons, designed by Tony Woods
• Out of the Shadows designed by Kate Gould
• The Boodles Travel Garden by designed Tom Hoblyn
• Kingston Maurward The Space Within Garden by Michelle Brown
• The Stitcher's Garden designed by Frederic Whyte
Balcony and Container Gardens
Returning following the success of last year, Balcony and Container Gardens show that any space, whether inside or out, can be turned into a garden sanctuary for the benefit of our health and the environment. These creative ideas certainly dispel the myth that gardening is only for those with large outdoor areas or big budgets. The Balcony and Container Gardens line-up is as follows:
• The Blue Balcony designed by Tom Wilkes-Rios
• JAY DAY designed by Alison Orellana Malouf and Su-Yeon Choi
• The Potting Balcony designed by William Murray
• Cloud Gardener UK: The Cirrus Garden designed by Jason Williams
• The Enchanted Rain Garden designed by Bea Tann
• Mandala, Meditation & Mindfulness Garden designed by Nikki Hollier
• Wild Kitchen Garden designed by Ann Treneman
• Discovering Connection designed by Tanya Wilson and Johanna Norlin
• The Still Garden designed by Jane Porter.
All About Plants
A new garden category, All About Plants, will be the first ever garden category to feature in the Great Pavilion, joining the growers and nurseries. There will be four small gardens in this category, celebrating the many powers of plants, and each designed by first time RHS Chelsea designers to raise awareness of a UK charity. The All About Plants gardens will visualise the many ways plants can positively influence mental health, community, and industry.
All gardens in this category have been funded by Project Giving Back (PGB), a unique grant-making scheme that provides funding for gardens for good causes at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The All About Plants line-up is as follows:
• A Textile Garden for Fashion Revolution designed by Lottie Delamain supporting Fashion Revolution
• The Core Arts Front Garden Revolution designed by Andy Smith-Williams supporting Core Arts
• The Mothers for Mothers Garden: 'This too shall pass' designed by Pollyanna Wilkinson supporting Mothers for Mothers
• The Wilderness Foundation UK Garden designed by Charlie Hawkes supporting Wilderness Foundation UK.
The Great Pavilion
In the Great Pavilion, which is often referred to as the crown jewel of RHS Chelsea, you can expect to see a return of glorious spring flowers and the most beautiful floral displays from the world's finest growers and nurseries.
Alongside the flower displays in the big white tent you'll also find more educational exhibits for 2022, highlighting the latest discoveries in horticultural science. These inspiring exhibits will champion the benefits of gardening and how it can combat climate change or improve mental wellbeing.
Houseplant Studios
Displayed in individual studios provided by Malvern Garden Buildings, the Houseplant Studios will showcase brilliant style ideas and practical tips for bringing the splendour of growing to interior spaces. The six selected houseplant specialists will highlight a variety of species with designs ranging from an aerial indoor garden to a walk-in terrarium. The Houseplant Studios line-up is as follows:
• Hutch Houseplants: Rewilding
• The Aroid Attic: Social Media vs Reality
• Happy Houseplants x The Plant Rescuer: The Plant Spa
• The Planted House: A Room to Dance
• Malvern Garden Buildings: TBC
• Close Brothers Asset Management: TBC.
What else is new?
This year's theme is a return to the wild as gardens teeming with native plants that benefit wildlife will take centre stage at the 2022 show. Blossoming hedgerows, lush woodland and wildflower meadows will give RHS Chelsea its most naturalistic feel in recent years. And wildlife-friendly hawthorn looks to be among the horticultural stars of this year's show.
Meanwhile, The Newt in Somerset will be the new headline sponsor, replacing M&G Investments' 11-year run. The Newt is a working estate in rural Somerset, inspired by local heritage and sustainable agriculture, with farmland, orchards, restaurants, a cyder cellar, luxury hotel and acres of splendid gardens. The sponsorship will support the RHS' important charitable work.
Elsewhere, if you're unable to make the show this year there's no need to miss out. The BBC and RHS are extending their exclusive broadcast partnership for a further three years to bring gardening inspiration from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show to millions of homes across the UK.
Helena Pettit, RHS Director of Gardens & Shows, says: 'We can't wait to see the return of a spring RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2022 and welcome our visitors back after a two-year wait. The show is jam-packed with stunning gardens and inspirational displays and with an abundance of wildlife-friendly planting, we won’t be the only ones buzzing!
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21 great gardening books for tips on plants, design and wellbeing
Gardener’s World: How I Garden: Easy ideas & inspiration for making beautiful gardens anywhere
Adam Frost's practical, no-nonsense approach will help you plan and build a garden that works for you. The Gardeners' World presenter takes you step by step through the whole process, whether you have a window box or a charming veg patch.
Struggling to keep your houseplants alive? Wondering why leaves are turning yellow? This is the book for you. Sarah, also known as @theplantrescuer, is a self-taught houseplant obsessive who fills each page with her top tips on how to revive wilting plants. It has been described as a book to 'help your plants not only survive but thrive'.
Gardening for Mind, Body and Soul: How to Nurture Your Well-Being with Nature
Gardening for Mind, Body and Soul celebrates the benefits of gardening — and how nature can boost our wellbeing. Highlights include learning about birdsong, exploring which plants release scents to soothe the mind, and how we can all promote feelings of balance and calm.
The Modern Gardener: A practical guide to gardening creatively, productively and sustainably
Slip on your gardening gloves...Francis Tophill's book is packed with everything the modern gardener needs. You'll find plant advice, plant-based recipes, and tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint. Create a space that looks beautiful and attracts wildlife.
The National Trust GROW: Fill your world with plants (National Trust)
Whether you want to create a mini wildflower meadow or make the most of your houseplants, this beautifully illustrated book from the National Trust is a fresh take on gardening. Plant lovers, this one is for you...
Nancy Birtwhistle's The Green Gardening Handbook does what it says on the tin. Featuring over 100 tips to help you grow with confidence, chapters include composting, seasonal recipes, guides to freezing, storing and preserving, and basic gardening equipment. It also features clever tips that will help you save money and reduce waste at home.
Modern Container Gardening: How to Create a Stylish Small-Space Garden Anywhere
Isabelle Palmer shows you how to make the most of every little space with a series of projects for small gardens, singular containers and window boxes, that can be completed in a day or weekend. Perfect for novice gardeners, Modern Container Gardening offers beautiful photography and clear step-by-step instructions.
The National Trust employs over 500 gardeners with an extraordinary wealth of expertise. And now, in this in-depth guide, they pass on their wisdom and provide the answers any new and seasoned gardener is looking for. This book is intended to give you inspiration and confidence to make the most of your garden, without being overwhelmed with unnecessary technical detail.
Veg in One Bed: How to Grow an Abundance of Food in One Raised Bed, Month by Month
Veg In One Bed explains how to build your bed and grow from seed, as well advice on planting, feeding, and harvesting. YouTube gardening star Huw Richards shows how to guarantee early success by starting off young plants on a windowsill and suggests what to grow in each part of the bed.
Create a beautiful wildlife haven at home with the RHS' Little Book of Wild Gardening. Divided into sections for different areas — including lawns, flower beds, edibles, trees and water features – you'll find tips, tricks and helpful ideas for every space.
The Practical House Plant Book by the RHS contains a dozen step-by-step projects to help you assemble an eye-catching terrarium, create a floating kokedama 'string garden', or propagate succulents. Complete with 175 in-depth plant profiles, this is an essential practical guide for indoor gardeners.
A small garden space – an urban patio, a tiny backyard, or even just a pot by your door – doesn't have to sacrifice style. In Small Garden Style, garden designer Isa Hendry Eaton and lifestyle writer Jennifer Blaise Kramer show you how to use good design to create a joyful, elegant, and exciting yet compact outdoor living space.
Charles Dowding's No Dig Gardening: From Weeds to Vegetables Easily and Quickly: Course 1
Charles Dowding, innovator of no dig, teaches you everything you need to know about this method of organic gardening. With 19 chapters, you'll learn how to use no dig on different soil types, recognise and massively reduce the different types of weeds, know the difference between soil and types of compost, and grow an abundance of vegetables using the no dig method.
Get all the inspiration you need for planting cut flowers, and fill your home with colour and the gorgeous scent of the garden year-round with In Bloom. Clare Nolan reveals her secrets for growing a bountiful harvest as well as styling spectacular homegrown displays in this beautifully designed book.
RHS Complete Gardener's Manual
The RHS' Complete Gardener's Manual will help you choose plants that will thrive in your space, design a border for year-round colour, grasp different pruning techniques, discover how to protect your veg patch from pests, and make the best compost.
Do you want to attract more bees, birds, frogs and hedgehogs into your garden? In Wildlife Gardening for Everyone and Everything, Kate Bradbury teams up with the Wildlife Trusts and the RHS to help you discover how you can make your garden, balcony, doorstep or patio a haven for garden wildlife. You'll find handy charts, practical projects and fact files.
Gardener and TV presenter David Domoney is a firm believer that indoor plants can make 'a practical and emotional contribution to our wellbeing'. In this book, David explains the hard science behind the positive effect of the humble houseplant on wellness, and provides expert tips on how to keep your plants thriving, plus shares his top 50 life-enhancing houseplants.
RHS Encyclopedia of Garden Design: Planning, Building and Planting Your Perfect Outdoor Space
If you're looking for new garden ideas, the RHS Encyclopedia of Garden Design will guide you from planning to planting, such as choosing the correct materials for your structures and assessing your drainage, to laying patios, making ponds, and planting perennials.
How to Create an Eco Garden: The practical guide to sustainable and greener gardening
This planet-friendly book is filled with ideas for creating your own eco garden on any scale, from a small courtyard to a large garden or allotment. Discover organic techniques that improve biodiversity, learn the value of using recycled and reclaimed materials for landscaping, and take on simple projects such as making a pond and a wildlife hotel.
Drawing on expert advice from the RHS, this best-selling reference book – organised by colour, size, and type, rather than as an A-Z directory – will help you select the right varieties for your outdoor space.
Joyce and Ben Russell have devised 30 kitchen garden projects, devised to either extend the season, protect crops from pests or improve yields. These projects transform your vegetable plot into somewhere more productive, more attractive and more secure.
