We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
10 Show Gardens will fill the Main Avenue this year.
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2018 is just months away, and this year, the world's most prestigious gardening event will showcase the importance of gardening and growing plants to help tackle some of the biggest issues facing us today.
Sponsored by M&G Investments, garden designs will demonstrate the positive effects gardening and green spaces have on our health and wellbeing, and how it can help tackle major environmental issues.
To recap, there will be four garden categories at this year's show:
1. Show gardens: The latest innovative designs and must-have plants, crafted with skill by highly-talented designers and their teams
2. Artisan gardens: Gardens that demonstrate traditional designs, materials and craft skills revitalised by contemporary approaches
3. Feature gardens: Special show feature gardens which are not usually part of the judging process
4. Space to grow: A new category at Chelsea this year that will feature smaller gardens offering original ideas, trends and take home messages to inspire visitors
For now, get a first-look at all of the 10 Show Gardens that will be on display at Chelsea this year.
Sponsor: M&G Investments
Designer: Sarah Price
Contractor: Crocus
Set in a warm, sunny climate, this garden has been described as a 'romanticised haven'. It develops a simple, timeless idea that three core elements – a wall, trees and seating – can create an intimate, sheltered and beautiful oasis of calm.
The garden celebrates the expressive and sensual language of contrasts: colour and texture, light and shadow.
Sponsor: The Lemon Tree Trust
Designer: Tom Massey
Contractor: Landscape Associates
Inspired by the resiliency and determination of people in situations of forced migration and displacement, this garden will provide a sense of normalcy, wellbeing, peace and civility to broken lives.
Its design simulates a garden that would be used by families in a community of refugees displaced in Domiz camp in northern Iraq, providing a way to bring order to a chaotic situation.
Sponsor: Trailfinders Ltd.
Designer: Jonathan Snow
Contractor: Stewart Landscape Construction
This garden is inspired by the Winelands of the Western Cape of South Africa (especially the areas of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch), which are regarded as some of the most instantly recognisable and strikingly beautiful wine producing regions in the world.
Designer Jonathan Snow aims to bring a snapshot of a traditional South African wine estate, sitting in the fynbos landscape – a fire-adapted vegetation that requires regular burning in order to survive – to Chelsea.
Sponsor: Welcome to Yorkshire
Designer: Mark Gregory
Contractor: Landform
This garden is inspired by the iconic Dales, a picturesque part of Yorkshire that epitomises the essence of the county.
The Dales are world famous for artisan Wensleydale cheeses, quintessential buttercup meadows and rich surrounding flora, and this garden is intended to inspire the public to visit this iconic county and experience the culture, calm and serene beauty of the area.
Sponsor: Morgan Stanley
Designer: Chris Beardshaw
Contractor: Structure Group
Morgan Stanley returns for their fourth year with Chris Beardshaw, and this years' design aims to raise awareness of the work of the NSPCC.
The design is intended to act as a metaphor for the emotional transformation that takes place in a child as they experience the positive impact of the NSPCC's work, in their fight for every childhood.
Sponsor: N/A
Designer: Stuart Charles Towner
Contractor: RDC Landscapes Ltd.
This is a unique creative collaboration consisting of a garden designer, architects, musicians, a composer and a sculptor; all of whom have been commissioned by VTB Capital.
It's a multi-sensory experience inspired by the work of renowned British sculptor Barbara Hepworth and music composed by Leo Geyer. It will feature a palette of subtropical and temperate plants, illustrating the unique microclimates found throughout Cornwall.
Sponsor: Savills & David Harber Ltd.
Designer: Nic Howard
Contractor: Langdale Landscapes
A theatrical journey of transformation, this garden has been designed to provoke reflection on humankind's interaction with their environment over time.
Visitors will see a garden defined in layers, with planting and sculptures separating to reflect each evolving period. In the beginning, the planting and art is freeform and naturalistic, but as humankind evolves the subsequent layers become more formal and controlled.
Sponsor: LG Electronics
Designer: Hay Hwang
Contractor: Randle Siddeley Limited
This garden harmonises the increased presence and dependency on technology in our daily lives, presenting an increasing awareness of the environmental issues and responsibilities we face in reducing pollution in modern urban lifestyles.
Additionally, an outside kitchen reinforces the importance of the indoor / outdoor living concept.
Sponsor: Wedgwood
Designer: Jo Thompson
Contractor: Bespoke Outdoor Spaces
The Wedgwood Garden is a modern interpretation of the leisurely spaces found towards the late 18th century, which consisted of secret gardens and tea gardens to socialise, enjoy nature and drink tea.
Seeking to reflect the typically British thirst for exploration, this garden will inspire, surprise and delight by providing a contemplative space that encourages a pause in everyday life for appreciation of the wonders and beauty of nature and natural forms.
Sponsor: Creativersal
Designer: Laurie Chetwood & Patrick Collins
This garden aims to tell a compelling story about ancient water management with a contemporary environmental message. It depicts the unique geography, history, plant resources and technical achievements of Wuhan – China's City of 100 Lakes.
While the general layout is based around the lotus flower, the garden is inspired by Wuhan's 4,000 year old 'Great Yu' legend about not fighting nature by using inflexible dams to manage flooding and drought, but rather adopting a more flexible approach to guide the forces of nature to do good instead.
-----------
RHS Chelsea Flower Show, 22 – 26 May 2018, Royal Hospital Chelsea in London
6 low-allergy, lung-friendly plants to grow for a healthier garden
RHS Chelsea changed how I see my tiny paved garden
Japanese garden ideas for a calm and serene space
7 garden design rules to steal from Chelsea Flower Show
