RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 Guide

The history of RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Chelsea Flower Show has been hosted in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, a majestic retirement home for veterans of the British Army with Grade II listed grounds, since 1912. One of the most famous years for the show was in 1937, when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth celebrated their coronation year. As a result, the Chelsea Flower Show staged an Empire exhibition, with plants and trees brought in from as far afield as Australia and East Africa. Chelsea Flower Show has become synonymous with royalty, as the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 led to another celebratory show, and most members of the royal family attended.

Nowadays, the show is as popular as it ever was. As well as members of the royal family making regular appearances every year, the show is also attended by more than 150,000 people from across the world. It's widely believed even more people would attend if they could, but the limited number of tickets are in high demand and must be bought in advance. Various awards are presented to exhibitors at the show every year, ranging from floral arrangement trophies to Best Show Garden awards. Award winners continue to enjoy even more success in their careers, thanks to the prestige associated with the Chelsea Flower Show.

In 2026, the Chelsea Flower Show runs from Tuesday 19 to Saturday 23 May Gardens Illustrated. Here are just some of the highlights at this year's show.

Sarah Eberle, the most decorated garden designer in Chelsea history, comes out of Show Garden retirement to create 'The Campaign to Protect Rural England Garden: On the Edge', celebrating the overlooked edge lands and countryside at the edge of towns and cities.

Tom Stuart-Smith presents The Tate Britain Garden, offering a sneak preview of the Clore Garden at Tate Britain ahead of its autumn 2026 opening, bringing together art, nature and community in a biodiverse space for Londoners. The RHS and The King's Foundation Curious Garden will be designed by Frances Tophill, with Sir David Beckham and Alan Titchmarsh joining the project to encourage the nation to discover the joy of gardening.

Garden designer Harry Holding and architect Alex Michaelis create The Eden Project: Bring Me Sunshine Garden, marking the Eden Project's 25th anniversary, featuring a solar powered outdoor classroom and offering a glimpse of Eden Project Morecambe.

Kazuyuki Ishihara and Paul Noritaka Tange design the Tokonoma Garden, Samumaya no Niwa, set in a nostalgic Japanese courtyard that celebrates harmony, family bonds and community spirit.

Arit Anderson designs Parkinson's UK: A Garden for Every Parkinson's Journey, a calming space for people with Parkinson's and their supporters, destined for John Radcliffe Hospital after the show.

Darren Hawkes creates The Lady Garden Foundation 'Silent No More' Garden, designed to spark curiosity and open conversations about gynaecological health through bold forms and five sculptures representing gynaecological cancers.

Baz Grainger designs the Killik & Co 'A Seed in Time' Garden, revolving around the notion of making more from less, incorporating heritage crafts that encourage wildlife and capturing rainwater for times of drought.

Chelsea Flower Show is open from 8:00am to 8:00pm from Tuesday 19 May to Friday 21 May, and from 8:00am to 5:30pm on Saturday 23 May. The first two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, are RHS Members only days. Tickets are available from the Chelsea Flower Show website, with prices for the public from £77.25 to £133.90.

See more details to Royal Chelsea Flower Show 2026 Guide