From spectacular show gardens to clever balcony and container spaces
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 has once again delivered a spectacular showcase of beautiful planting, creative garden design and inspiring ideas for outdoor living.
Set against the historic backdrop of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the world’s most prestigious gardening event brought together leading designers, horticultural innovators and plant experts for a celebration of creativity, craftsmanship and planting excellence.
Following a rigorous judging process, RHS judges awarded Gold, Silver Gilt, Silver and Bronze medals, alongside several coveted Best in Show honours, while visitors also had the chance to vote for their favourite space in the coveted People’s Choice Award.
There are 30 gardens this year made up of 9 Show Gardens, 4 Small Show Gardens, 5 All About Plants Gardens, 10 Balcony and Container Gardens, and 2 unjudged Feature Gardens, plus 6 Houseplant Studios.
Discover all the winners in more detail below.
Feature Gardens are designed in collaboration with the RHS and remains the only category that is not judged.
Designed by Frances Tophill
The RHS and The King’s Foundation Curious Garden celebrates sustainable gardening and aims to inspire curiosity through accessible planting ideas and traditional craftsmanship. Featuring recycled materials and concrete-free construction, the garden highlights biodiversity, wellbeing and environmental responsibility. After RHS Chelsea, it will be relocated to a college for young adults for ongoing educational use.
Designed by James Basson
In its final year at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Project Giving Back has unveiled its own feature garden celebrating five years of funding gardens for good causes. The garden honours the charities, designers and communities involved in the initiative, which has helped amplify charitable work across the UK through show gardens with lasting social impact.
Towering red sandstone cliffs, shaped by natural ochre pigments and years of weathering, rise through pine woodland in this southern France-inspired garden.
Considered the crème de la crème of Chelsea, the Show Gardens highlight the most remarkable, show-stopping designs, defined by innovation, craftsmanship and wow factor.
Designed by Arit Anderson
• People’s Choice Best Show Garden
Award: Silver
A sensory, accessible sanctuary inspired by gardeners living with Parkinson’s, featuring flowing water, tactile handrails and calming woodland planting. Distinct zones balance uplifting jewel tones with restful greens and whites to support wellbeing day and night.
A key plant featured in the garden is the tulip – a flower associated with Parkinson’s worldwide after a variety was named after James Parkinson, the man who first identified the condition.
Designed by Sarah Eberle
• RHS Chelsea Garden of the Year
Award: Gold
Celebrating overlooked ‘edgelands’ on the urban fringe, this naturalistic garden explores nature’s resilience and community stewardship. A carved fallen tree representing Gaia anchors diverse native planting and a flowing dry-stone wall.
Read more: Sarah Eberle’s garden with a giant ‘Mother Nature’ sculpture steals the show
Designed by Darren Hawkes
• Best Construction (Show Garden)
Award: Gold
A bold contemporary garden designed to spark open conversations around gynaecological cancers through sculpture, water and immersive planting. Meandering paths move from communal spaces to secluded seating, reflecting both connection and intimacy.
Designed by Harry Holding and Alex Michaelis
• RHS Environmental Innovation Award
Award: Silver-gilt
Inspired by Morecambe Bay, this regenerative coastal garden champions young people, green skills and climate resilience. A solar-powered learning structure rises above reflective pools, shell-inspired terraces and salt-tolerant meadow planting.
Designed by Patrick Clarke
Award: Gold
This reimagined urban retreat supports teenage mental wellbeing through restorative planting and recycled materials inspired by the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi. A canopy of reused steel and handcrafted glass symbolises resilience, hope and renewal.
It also features a 28-piece glass installation created by The Repair Shop’s glass expert Matthew Nickels, and Yorkshire based artist and University of Sunderland academic tutor, Rachel Welford.
Designed by Baz Grainger
Award: Gold
Designed as a calming East Anglian retreat, this sustainable family garden focuses on rainwater harvesting, wildlife habitats and climate resilience. Reed-crafted structures, wetlands and productive planting embody the idea of ‘making more from less’.
Designed by Tom Stuart-Smith
Award: Gold
Previewing Tate Britain’s future Clore Garden, this immersive space combines art, biodiversity and social connection. Reclaimed materials, sculptural planting and a fungal-inspired water feature create a tranquil setting for creativity and conversation.
Designed by Kazuyuki Ishihara and Paul Noritaka Tange
Award: Silver-gilt
This contemplative Japanese garden reinterprets the traditional tokonoma viewing space through moss, water, maples and seasonal planting. Inspired by childhood memories and family togetherness, it encourages visitors to pause and reflect.
Designed by Angus Thompson
Award: Silver
A therapeutic woodland-edge garden offering calm, accessibility and restorative breathing space for people with lung conditions. Pine trees, reflective water and low-allergen planting create a peaceful environment for yoga, tai chi and rehabilitation.
Just as showy, but smaller than the standard-size Show Garden.
Designed by Rob Hardy
• People’s Choice Best Small Show Garden
• Best Construction (Small Show Garden)
Award: Gold
This garden reflects the way food banks and communities unite to support people facing hunger. Intersecting pathways, woven timber structures and adaptable seating symbolise connection and collective strength, while a central water feature encourages reflection. Bold planting paired with softer woodland species represents compassion, solidarity and collective action.
Designed by Joe Carey and Laura Carey
• RHS Chelsea Small Garden of the Year
Award: Gold
Celebrating London’s pocket parks and hidden green spaces, this garden offers a calm urban retreat inspired by the capital’s status as a National Park City. Portland stone, copper, water features and oyster-inspired forms reference London’s heritage and hidden rivers. Drought-tolerant planting in violet, pink and lemon yellow creates a resilient, uplifting city landscape.
Designed by Catherine MacDonald
Award: Silver-gilt
Inspired by Historic Royal Palaces, this elegant garden references the Tower of London, Hampton Court and Kew Palace through limestone paving, a moat-like rill and a decorative pavilion. Rich jewel-toned planting in reds and purples evokes royalty, luxury and historic palace interiors. The design also celebrates Boodles’ jewellery collaboration inspired by these iconic locations.
Designed by Max Parker-Smith
Award: Silver-gilt
Inspired by the Indian Pacific rail journey, this garden contrasts Western Australia’s rugged Outback with Adelaide’s greener urban landscape. A train carriage-style structure divides the space between tiered sand beds and lush planting with water corridors. Reclaimed timber, eco-concrete and native Australian species celebrate Australia’s diverse scenery.
Design ideas showcasing what is possible on even the tiniest balcony.
Designed by Katerina Kantalis
• Best Balcony and Container Garden
Award: Gold
Designed for a creative couple who have downsized to city living, this balcony garden celebrates intergenerational learning, travel and shared gardening traditions. Edible and ornamental planting are layered around a pergola-framed seating area, proving even the smallest spaces can feel productive, sociable and restorative.
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