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00:00where a great telly really grows on you.
00:03For one week every year, gardening is headline news
00:07as RHS Chelsea transforms into a catwalk for the world of plants.
00:13This is where trends are set and horticultural history is made.
00:17And so, as the curtain comes down on another Chelsea,
00:21join us as we celebrate the best of the best
00:24from the greatest flower show on earth.
00:27CHEERING
00:56Hello and welcome back.
00:58Welcome back to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026,
01:02an event supported by Range Rover.
01:04It is bank holiday weekend.
01:06The sun is out. It really is hot.
01:10And the scene is set to look back on a week of flower-filled memories.
01:15And what a week it has been.
01:17So much inspiration, plants and spaces.
01:20There's so much to take away this year.
01:22I think it is, you know, what you realise every year,
01:26there's something for everybody.
01:28And when I'm talking about the garden designs,
01:30you know, we're stood on one of the big gardens.
01:32But, you know, you go out there in these tiny little courtyards
01:35and plant it up.
01:37I don't know, it's rams, you know.
01:39And it's not just the gardens, is it?
01:41Because inside, in the great pavilion, you've got floristry,
01:43you've got amazing houseplants.
01:46It's fantastic.
01:48That's why we're smiling.
01:49Yeah, it absolutely is.
01:51Well, no two Chelsies are the same.
01:53But one thing never changes.
01:56The riot of colour that is press day.
01:58When the show opened in style.
02:05It's such a place of inspiration.
02:06It's such a place where you can come and be inspired
02:09to take things back home, but just enjoy it as well.
02:15I do like gardening, for sure.
02:17You know, going outside and being in the fresh air
02:20and planting different plants at different times of the year.
02:25I'm actually looking for inspiration from my outfit.
02:27I get a lot of my inspiration from nature,
02:30nice brown tones and cream.
02:34We split our garden between my wife's garden,
02:36where I sit and wonder what all the flowers are,
02:39because I've no idea,
02:40and then my bit, which is in the woodland,
02:42where I cut down trees and chip wood.
02:47Yeah, I've got a young family,
02:48so my garden is all about practicality.
02:51It's about playing games, it's about running around,
02:53it's about hiding in the trees.
02:54I think if I had something like this,
02:56and the kids were running around in it,
02:58I don't know if the gardeners would be too happy.
03:03That's what I love about this place,
03:05because flowers and plants redeem us all.
03:08They literally are our life-giving force.
03:11And under these great trees and these scudding clouds,
03:13I mean, there's no better place to be.
03:16These flowers are from my garden,
03:18and just in case I've got a stunt flower ready
03:21for when these start to wilt.
03:24We've found about 15 trees that we want to buy.
03:27Yeah, we're going to leave here loads of trees.
03:29Yeah, that's the fun.
03:31It's great vibes.
03:33It's not a tradition of ours until about four years ago,
03:37so it's an enormous tree.
03:39It's wonderful.
03:41Well, I'm a big fan of irises and natural grasses,
03:45so I like less gardening,
03:48which means less weeding for me.
03:54Honestly, only at Chelsea are we discussing compost one minute
03:59and rubbing shoulders with movie stars the next.
04:03I think for sure, though,
04:05everyone can be inspired by the ideas on display here.
04:09JJ, Rachel and I have been out and about
04:12rounding up the headline design takeaways from Chelsea 2026.
04:20Well, you know me, Adam.
04:21I come to Chelsea for a bit of inspiration, some take-homes.
04:25So what's your favourite colour?
04:26Because that is a big thing this year.
04:28Well, it's usually red, but I love the blues in here.
04:30So that's Anjusa,
04:32but I like the way it's worked in with the yellow.
04:34So that's Baptisia that dots it through,
04:36and then the purple of the chives.
04:39I've seen a lot of yellow throughout Chelsea.
04:41Shall we go have a little look at what else
04:43is kind of catching people's eyes?
04:44Yeah, and then I'll see you in a little while.
04:47Cheers.
04:52There are some amazing structures in so many of these gardens.
04:57This, above me, is reciprocal.
05:00That means that every piece of timber supports the next piece.
05:05So in theory, if I take one away, the whole thing falls down.
05:11Shall I?
05:17Water, water everywhere, and for good reason.
05:21There is nothing like the tranquility you feel at the water's edge.
05:25Just like here with these beautiful subterranean water features
05:28which celebrate the hidden rivers of London.
05:32Look, as this water just cascades across this Portland stone
05:35and then just disappears into the ground.
05:39And then the water reappears here in this stunning Copper Valley,
05:43and thanks to its multiple layers,
05:45you get the waterfalls, and crucially, you get the sand.
05:52Craftsmanship is on display across this site,
05:55and this is an amazing example.
05:58That human connection with material,
06:01but you don't have to be over-skilled.
06:04It's old Victorian doors, the stencil painting,
06:07and you've got some wonderful upholstery,
06:10willow weaving, all of those things.
06:12You put them together, you've placed them in a garden.
06:16That human connection just makes the garden a more magical place.
06:22It feels like there's an added touch of glamour at Chelsea this year,
06:26with many designers going with jewel-like finishing touches.
06:29Brass and copper are the material of choice,
06:32just to add a little bit of shine, regardless of the season.
06:36I just love this modern take on branching rills,
06:39which bring water together from sources throughout the garden,
06:43helping to elevate the entire space.
06:54I'm in the Great Pavilion to take a look at the planting trends
06:58that are really coming to the fore this year.
07:00They should inspire and ensure that we all have a little bit of Chelsea magic
07:05in our own gardens for many years to come.
07:13One of the trends really coming through this year
07:16is the melding together of ornamental cultivated plants and natives,
07:22so wildflowers.
07:23And this shows that perfectly.
07:25You've got the lovely white oxeye daisy,
07:27and through that, the soft mauve of the Camassia,
07:30blending the two together.
07:38In this area, there's a drift of foxglarves.
07:41Now, they're very closely related to Digitalis purpurea, our native,
07:46but they've been bred to have more flowers going all the way around the stem.
07:50So it's a nod to nature, but still very much a garden.
07:59Well, shrubs are always in fashion at Chelsea,
08:01but I've noticed this year that there are a lot of beautiful corners
08:06here in the Great Pavilion,
08:07like this cultivar, which is called Scarlet Fire.
08:11Now, what appears to be the flowers,
08:13and they're very eye-catching here with this rosy red tone to them,
08:18they're actually bracts which are modified leaves.
08:20The true flower is the tiny, tiny little thing at the very centre of those bracts.
08:25But this, I love the shape,
08:26the way that they slightly flop over at the corners.
08:29And by contrast, there's a sort of cup-shaped cultivar that's caught my eye,
08:33which is called Venus.
08:35Now, all of these corners, they're well-behaved, easy-to-grow plants.
08:39They're not demanding about the site.
08:41You can have them in full sun or with a bit of shade.
08:44But they, too, take a little while to really get going.
08:47So buy them now, and they'll be amazing in a few years' time.
08:56This display from Somerdale Garden Nursery,
08:59all of these Primula auriculas, they are showcased to perfection,
09:04so you can really get in and enjoy them.
09:06You've got some of the doubles.
09:08There's a little one there called Sooty,
09:09which I think is brilliantly named.
09:11And others, which have this sort of farina on,
09:14little white dots all over the flower.
09:16I think it's absolutely stunning.
09:20And when you see so many different cultivars brought together like this,
09:24it just reminds us that plants are the trend that never goes away.
09:35So much to see across the showground.
09:38And one of the gardens that everyone was buzzing to visit
09:42was the RHS and King's Foundation Curious Garden.
09:46They were queuing every day to get in there.
09:49It was designed by our very own Francis Tophill
09:52and championed by His Majesty the King, David Beckham and Alan Titchmarsh.
09:56It has been delighting visitors all week.
09:59Now, before the show opened, we took a sneak peek at the finished garden,
10:03a space designed to spark your curiosity.
10:07And here it is.
10:09What a wonderful burst of colour.
10:12It feels beautiful.
10:14But for me, it's the interplanting of the herbaceous perennials,
10:19the shrubs, the veggies, the herbs, all in together.
10:23If you had a hard day at work, you came home, walked out,
10:28this would make you smile.
10:29It is making me smile right now.
10:31Let's go through the Museum of Curiosities as well,
10:33because I haven't seen this.
10:34It's the first time I've seen this properly finished.
10:36Wow.
10:37All the flowers, the dried flowers hanging.
10:39Isn't it lovely?
10:40It is.
10:41Do you know, I imagine Francis' house to be like that.
10:43It very, very possibly is.
10:46And look at that, that beehive.
10:48Isn't that spectacular?
10:50That's fantastic, isn't it?
10:51That's what David Beckham wanted.
10:52It really does celebrate plants, doesn't it?
10:54It really does.
10:54Here she is.
10:56The woman herself.
10:57Congratulations.
10:58Hello.
10:59Well done, girl.
11:00Are you happy with it?
11:02I think so, but I need more time for it to all sink in.
11:05Ask me in a month.
11:07Yeah, no, I think it's really lovely.
11:08So, come on.
11:09You've been here.
11:10You've built, created it.
11:12What's your favourite element?
11:14Oh, well, I love the herbs.
11:15Yeah.
11:16That whole front edge, it took me three days, because it kept crawling off to like, you know,
11:21can you check the gutters, can you do this?
11:23It took me three days to place that, but I really wanted to place that myself.
11:27Mainly because I love herbs, but also it's the texture of it.
11:29So, that front corner, under the pomegranate trees, I love the pomegranate trees.
11:33I wanted that to be this kind of amazing, sumptuous, textural space.
11:37You were talking from the day I came to see you, when you first broke ground here, about the garlic.
11:42I've just spotted it.
11:43You grew that, didn't you?
11:43Especially for David Beckham.
11:44Well, I didn't grow it for David Beckham, but when he asked for garlic, and I had already
11:48put in the plant orders, I had to dig up some garlic from my allotment and put it up for
11:53David Beckham.
11:53So, yes, I did, I did grow that.
11:56Bless you.
11:57What would you take home?
11:59Oh, I mean, I would take home the beehive.
12:01You were going to say that.
12:02I would take home the beehive.
12:03I love the beehive.
12:05You've got the big day tomorrow.
12:06The king is coming with David Beckham and Alan Titchmarsh, but the king is going to be here.
12:11Are you nervous about it?
12:12Yeah, I am nervous.
12:13I feel like it's a lot of responsibility.
12:15I want to represent, you know, the RHS and the King's Foundation well.
12:20I want them to be proud.
12:21I want them to get it.
12:22And I just, you know, I want people to love it.
12:24I want people to learn from it and be inspired by it and enjoy it.
12:27But I think when everyone comes tomorrow, that will be the test of whether I've kind of done
12:32them proud.
12:32You've nailed it.
12:35You've worked so hard for us.
12:37It's for masses of luck for tomorrow.
12:40She really did nail it, didn't she?
12:42Because the public have loved that garden all week.
12:44When I walked on there, I felt for her to satisfy those three characters.
12:49Big characters.
12:49I'm going to say it again.
12:51She absolutely nailed it.
12:53She's had a fantastic week, hasn't she?
12:55Well, we obviously loved it too.
12:57But what did the King think?
12:59I joined His Majesty alongside other members of the royal family on his annual tour of the
13:05showground on Monday, which included a stop-off at Francis' Garden.
13:13The King and Queen are arriving here at the Chelsea Flower Show, as they do every year.
13:17But this year has a special twist, because the King has been involved in the creation of
13:22the RHS and King's Foundation Curious Garden.
13:25And he's about to see it for the first time.
13:29Inside this garden, in the Museum of Curiosities, Sir David Beckham, Alan Titchmarsh, the King and
13:35Queen, all discussing the garden that they have worked together to create with Francis
13:39Tothill.
13:40What did the King say to you?
13:41He said it was everything that he had expected and hoped for, which is pretty amazing.
13:47But you know him well.
13:49No, but I mean, that was quite genuine.
13:51The Queen particularly liked it, because she said, it's this my kind of garden.
13:53Did she say that?
13:54She did.
13:55I didn't hear her say that.
13:56Oh, you worked so hard.
13:58Next on the King's tour of the Chelsea Flower Show is the On The Edge garden, designed by
14:05Sarah Eberle, and it has in it this absolutely fantastic sculpture.
14:13The King is being introduced to Chris Wood, the man who sculpted this extraordinary piece
14:19of work using a chainsaw.
14:22Chris.
14:23Yes.
14:23What was that like, meeting the King?
14:25I met him before, about 15 years ago.
14:27My business was started by the Prince's Trust.
14:29How was that?
14:30That was brilliant.
14:32It was a lovely opportunity to show the garden off, and it appears he appreciated it, which
14:36is lovely.
14:37We all know that he loves nature.
14:42A wonderful moment as the King spots Dame Judi Dench among the crowd.
14:57The King and Queen have been here on the showground for more than an hour now, and his final stop
15:02is right here, our very own Arit Anderson's garden that she's created for Parkinson's UK,
15:08and a Queen is already enjoying it.
15:12How do you feel now?
15:13This is the big hurdle you've done now, haven't you?
15:17Yeah.
15:17The Royal Visit.
15:18Yeah, the Royal Visit.
15:19I mean, you know, obviously you hope the Royals will come through and, you know, be able to
15:23sort of see the work that you've done.
15:25And so to have, you know, both, like I said, the King and the Queen come through has been,
15:29it's great for the charity.
15:30What we wanted to do is to raise more awareness, and hopefully, you know, their visit will validate
15:35that.
15:36Congratulations.
15:36Well done.
15:40Well, Arit's journey to create her first judged show garden here on Main Avenue was an
15:46emotional one.
15:47Her sister, Julie, is one of more than 100,000 people in the UK living with Parkinson's.
15:53And Arit designed the space with her sister very much in mind.
15:57I caught up with her before the show opened to get a preview of her garden.
16:03Arit, congratulations.
16:04It is absolutely beautiful.
16:06It's been an emotional journey for you.
16:08It has.
16:08It has.
16:09You know, doing this show garden takes a lot out of you anyway, Sophie.
16:12But to then add in such a personal moment, yeah, it's been a lot, but it's what's driven
16:17me on.
16:18And flowing all the way through the garden is this.
16:20I mean, it's absolutely beautiful.
16:22And to touch it as well, it's amazing to touch.
16:25It's what a handrail and a handrill as well.
16:28Yeah, it is.
16:29So, yeah, play on words.
16:30This handrail is something that I wanted to put in the garden so that people can have a
16:35support when they walk.
16:36When you have Parkinson's, it can be quite difficult.
16:38But didn't want to make it feel like it was just sort of ubiquitous handrails.
16:43So, with the water running through it, it picks up a sensory sound and the sight of water because
16:49there's a condition called freezing where the brain sort of stops you from walking.
16:54Tuning into this kick-starts the brain again.
16:57Talk me through the planting because you've got very different pockets.
16:59What was the thought behind that?
17:01Yeah, so I wanted to create these different zones, kind of reflecting the mood of what
17:06happens when you have Parkinson's as this sort of more joyous and uplifted moment when
17:10you're feeling sort of good in your treatment.
17:12But there's also high anxiety that can occur.
17:15So, by having a cooler, calmer palate, it means if somebody wants to sit quietly and be
17:20surrounded by the calm or if you want to be lifted by the energised, colourful planting.
17:25And then the pathway here is very wide for a purpose, isn't it?
17:30Yeah, definitely.
17:31So, if you have Parkinson's, your walking gait can make you veer to one side for a bit or
17:38your dyskinesia, it's called you move a lot.
17:40So, there needs to be space and I wanted to make sure that that person can walk through
17:44this garden side by side comfortably with somebody without feeling constricted.
17:50Well, it is beautiful and I think it's going to mean so much to people, to people with
17:54Parkinson's, to their families as well, people who live with what is really a horrible disease,
18:00isn't it?
18:00Yeah.
18:01And it is also your first Main Avenue judged show guns.
18:05So, very, very good luck.
18:08Thank you, Sophie.
18:11Arik wasn't the only designer sharing ideas to help harness the healing power of nature.
18:19Toby, Sue and Francis took a trip down Main Avenue to discover
18:24other gardens with the health of people and our planet in mind.
18:32The Breathing Space Garden is a tranquil woodland edge garden inspired by the Japanese concept
18:38of beauty in open space.
18:40It draws experience from people who've lived with lung conditions and provides a place to
18:46recover and reconnect.
18:48Accessible paths lead to a large central platform framed by pines, trees known for their restorative
18:56qualities.
18:57The platform is made from carbon negative concrete and it overhangs a central pond.
19:04Below the platform are recycled oxygen cylinders, while above the platform an airy canopy keeps
19:11off the rain.
19:12The planting has been deliberately designed to be calming and therefore the palette is
19:17mostly green.
19:18And the plants are chosen to survive and thrive in dappled shade.
19:22There are hostas, solomon seal and low allergen lamium.
19:34The Children's Society Garden is a sanctuary for teenagers, offering safety, calm and connection
19:42in an overwhelming world.
19:45Designed with the input of young people, it reimagines urban space to support emotional health
19:53and to restore optimism, placing their voices at the centre of the design.
20:00I'm underneath a recycled steel structure that frames the garden and is inlaid with glass
20:07art designed by the young people.
20:10I'm seated on a fallen timber chair and all around the garden is a steel rill filled with
20:17water that ends in a contemplative pond.
20:21The low maintenance green, pink and purple planting softens the linear design.
20:35This is the Silent No More Garden, a thought provoking garden encouraging more open conversations
20:41about gynecological health.
20:44Positioned around the garden are sculptures that represent the five different gynecological
20:49cancers.
20:50Contrasting environments promote connection, reflection and awareness to help break the
20:57silence and save lives.
21:00A steel pool flows away from the centre of the garden through a pair of rills that lead
21:06to a larger communal area.
21:09The planting palette here moves from silvers and blues right through to bold and vibrant colours.
21:16And the plants have been chosen to be well adapted to dry Mediterranean conditions.
21:21And throughout the garden, slate pathways have been used to echo the dry stone boundaries.
21:29Design ideas are plenty there to show how gardens can support our own well-being.
21:35But Toby Buckland has the secret formula for how we can return the favour and create beautiful
21:41borders at home that encourage wildlife and give nature a boost.
21:52What about this for an abundant border?
21:55It's got everything, it's got height, it's got colour, it's got bustle and spill, it looks
21:59like Mother Nature planted it herself.
22:03But of course that isn't the case, because every leaf, every bud, every bloom was in the
22:08back of the van being brought to Chelsea just two weeks ago.
22:10No, it's natural beauty is all down to clever planting design.
22:20There is no formality here, but there is a pattern.
22:23Once you get your eye in, you can see it.
22:25Plants are grouped in little clumps or clusters.
22:28So when you look along the border, you can see that they're in drifts, just as plants
22:33grow in nature.
22:34Similarly in nature, plants compete.
22:36There's no space between them.
22:38Everything's cheeked, bajow, bustling and competing for sunlight.
22:42But there are also layers.
22:44And here's the clever bit.
22:45At the ground level, there are cowslips, again, in little clumps and clusters.
22:49It's often said that if you want to create a naturalistic look, plant odd numbers of things.
22:54But I think that matters less than having an odd number of clumps or clusters of different sizes.
22:59Above them, oxeye daisies, beautiful daisy-like flowers, and then breezer, or quaking grass.
23:07This shimmers in the breeze and is the whole garden's motif.
23:12Above that, there's another layer of flowers with valerian, with landing pad-like flowers,
23:17perfect for butterflies, and sweet rocket for the bees.
23:24And talking of the bees, this garden isn't just natural in its look.
23:29It's fit for purpose.
23:30All the plants in it encourage insects.
23:33I mean, foxgloves, for example, they're a hedgerow plant.
23:35And they grow tall because they're often in the company of brambles and nettles that rise
23:40as the flowers start to open.
23:42Each flower opens just above its neighbours, creating a warm air pocket that bees like to fly in.
23:48And then as the nettles grow, the flowers open further up the spikes.
23:52And that's the genius of designer Melanie Hicks.
23:54She's brought together a whole pallet of plant that encourages pollinators and insects that
23:59both enjoy eating the plants and also sharing their pollen.
24:03And those insects bring in a whole other layer of life, including bats.
24:08Just one final thought.
24:10See the trees at the back of the border.
24:12They're important.
24:13You see, have a tree near a fence line in your garden.
24:16It sort of links hands with the trees in the neighbours' gardens.
24:20Joins the landscape together so birds, bees and bats can make your garden their home.
24:31Well, it doesn't matter if your borders are big or small.
24:35Chelsea has once again shown us you can still make an impact with your garden, whatever the size.
24:42Chris and Flo have been scouring the show ground all week to discover how the tiniest of spaces can pack
24:47an enormous punch.
24:54So, Sarah, hedgerows in the sky.
24:56Yeah.
24:57I mean, it sounds like a 70s pop record, doesn't it?
25:00But when you first came up with the idea, it must have sounded pretty bonkers, wasn't it?
25:05Yeah. I wanted to raise the profile of the hedgerow and how important it is for nature.
25:12And the fact that we've lost a lot of our hedgerows in the countryside over 50% since the Second
25:18World War.
25:19Is that right?
25:19Yeah.
25:20Do they lend themselves to being, you know, up high in a balcony?
25:23As long as you keep them pruned, because they will just keep growing, you'll be fine with them.
25:28The nice thing to think about is putting together as many different types of hedgerow plants as you can,
25:36because that will bring in the biodiversity, it will bring in all the pollinators, it will bring in your birds.
25:41Can you talk me through some of the different varieties you've got?
25:44We've got hazel.
25:45Yeah.
25:45We have hawthorn.
25:47So, the hawthorn is one of the best plants in the country, in the UK, to attract pollinators.
25:53So, after the oak, it's the hawthorn.
25:55We have the gilder rose, which is this beautiful white flower you get in May.
26:02We have gild maple, which has a lovely kind of acery-shaped leaf.
26:07And everything will have some sort of interest at different times of the year.
26:11Yes.
26:11But they all grow really well together.
26:13It's how they would grow in nature.
26:16If I wanted to do this at home, what do I do?
26:19So, you've got a couple of options.
26:21The cheapest option is in winter.
26:23So, between October and March, you can buy the plants, which are called native hedging plants, very cheaply for maybe
26:32a few pounds.
26:32OK.
26:33And they're called bare roots.
26:35There's no leaves on in that time of winter.
26:37And then you just pop them into your planters or into the ground.
26:41OK.
26:41And then the other option is you can already buy them in pots or in bags.
26:48Those bags, you put them straight into the ground so it's instantly ready.
26:51It gives you a lot.
26:52Yeah.
26:53A hedge.
26:53For very little effort.
26:55For very little effort, yeah.
26:57You've got a water feature I see in the corner there.
26:59Yeah, one of the best things you can ever do, no matter the size of your garden or balcony, is
27:04to put water in.
27:05Because water will attract insects and the birds.
27:09Hopefully the birds will come for a little drink when it's a bit hot one day.
27:11And I've noticed over my shoulder here, you've got a bug hotel?
27:14Yeah, it's a bee hotel.
27:15Oh, cool.
27:16Bee hotel.
27:16Yeah, yeah.
27:17Anyone can make this.
27:19What you need to do is get some wood that's not been treated.
27:22Yeah.
27:23And as many holes you can get in and then, yeah, you'll start to see bees going in and out.
27:27And that's joyful to sit and watch.
27:30Okay, Sarah, I'm sold.
27:31But if someone wanted to do this, what's your top tip?
27:36Buy a native plant, pop it in a pot, pop it in the ground, give it some water and tell
27:41your friends
27:41about it because the more people that consider doing this and bringing native plants or just
27:48wildlife into the garden will benefit everybody.
28:02As a gardener, one of the big heart hates can be leaving behind a garden you've planted
28:07and cared for for years.
28:09And if you're renting, you might think, actually, do I even want to invest in a garden because
28:13I might move out in two or three years?
28:15Well, you can, actually, by using some really super lightweight planters that you can take with you.
28:21Now, these planters, they're made from a glass reinforced plastic, super lightweight,
28:26and they're only half-filled.
28:28So the bottom is hollow, and the top is where the soil is.
28:34It's only half-filled with soil, with a really lightweight soil.
28:37So these modular planters, you can move around the space quite easily, creating your own little
28:43pockets of planting and engaging in building a beautiful garden.
28:52As well as these big planters that give you the opportunity to grow vertically, we've got space
28:59under the table. And why not create a garden almost at floor level?
29:03Choice of plants is really important when you have an exposed garden in the sky.
29:09So top plants are really quite critical. Nothing better than some alpines, which actually grow
29:15on the sides of cliffs and mountains. They're used to actually quite adverse weather. So things like
29:22Armeria, these lovely flowers that are proper bee magnets. Anything you grow in your garden,
29:30you know, you've got to think about bringing the bees in the pollinators, because that's where all the
29:34vitality is. Licorice plants is also another good choice. And they've got various times here,
29:41and they also, when they're full of flowers, full of bees, which is, you know, great for any garden.
29:47And then throw into the mix, you know, California poppy from seed. That's a nice little thing to be
29:54able to just add to your garden and just create some evolution as you have quite a static display here.
30:02I mean, look at that. Top of colour.
30:13And just because you have a balcony garden doesn't mean that you can't have a pergola
30:18like this. It's called a goalpost pergola. Two ends that bookend this space, creating a little room.
30:25And with the addition of a sail shade, you've got protection. You might be four or five stories up
30:30and exposed to wind and rain and sun. So this makes this space actually very comfortable to be in. You
30:38may come outside and work at the table. But it means you can be bold and grow vertically in this
30:45space and
30:45make it feel really like the garden in the sky.
30:54They're so clever, these small spaces, aren't they? You come here and they're like little jewels.
30:58You can stand in front of them and you think, I actually could take that home with me.
31:01Do you know what? That's a great description. I did quite a lot of filming on the Wittarts,
31:05which took me back to my scruffy man, her eclectic sort of back garden. But I'm saying that in a
31:12really
31:12beautiful way. The containers sit with the brickwork, the stonework, and then the planting
31:19just sort of brings it alive. And when you're in that space, it feels magical.
31:25It does. It really does. You know, the one that I think is rather magical there,
31:28because I love the idea of it, is the one tales from the riverbank.
31:32Yeah. So the one that's been created for a riverboat or a barge. And you've got the sort of front
31:37of it
31:38there. And then you've got all the edibles on the roof. And it's somewhere I can imagine sitting there
31:42and letting the world slip by. But another thing that demonstrates is the craft here at Chelsea.
31:48There's some incredible craftsmanship on that garden. There really is. You know,
31:52you look at the finer detail. Absolutely fantastic. But it does go to show you don't have to have huge
31:56spaces to transform something into something of so beautiful. No, the reality is there's something
32:02for everybody. Yeah, there really is. We've got plenty more highlights for you tonight. Looking
32:08back at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026, an event supported by Range Rover. Now from the big winners
32:16of the week in houseplants, floristry, and the all-important RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year,
32:21we have got it all for you. But first, another chance to enjoy two of the gold medal winning
32:27gardens going big and bold with their sustainable designs.
32:34This is A Seed in Time. A family garden centred on a wetland. It celebrates Britain's disappearing
32:42wetland crafts while addressing climate change. With a range of biodiverse zones, it demonstrates
32:49how to improve habitat health, support species and address biodiversity loss in the UK.
32:58The focal point of the garden is the seating area and it has walls and a canopy designed
33:05as if made from concrete in the brutalist style, when actually they're made using much older,
33:12traditional, ancient straw bale and reed building techniques. As well as keeping the seats dry,
33:18the canopy captures rainwater and channels it down into a central wetland habitat made of a concrete
33:24using 92% recycled material.
33:33The Tate Britain Garden is a sustainable landscape that combines art, nature and community.
33:41Inspired by East Asian woodlands, the planting is drought tolerant, encourages biodiversity but is also
33:48designed to cope in an ever-warming climate. It presents a future-looking model of resilient and
33:55environmentally conscious urban design. A wide path made from stones reclaimed from the existing Tate
34:02Britain Garden forms the centre of the garden and winds its way down to a circular seating area.
34:09The seats are made from that same stone but crushed up and remoulded into chunky benches.
34:16Planting-wise, upslope, there are more flowers. Thelictrum, Cranesbills, Libertia and Spurge,
34:24designed to give this part of the garden a naturalistic look.
34:31Well, if you aspire to a garden like that but you don't have the space, or if you simply want
34:37to bring the
34:37outside in, Arit Anderson was our woman on the ground seeking out the latest trends in houseplants and
34:44floristry to give your interiors the ultimate makeover.
34:52Even if you have limited space, there are so many plants that you can enjoy to create your own style.
34:58And I'm here at the houseplant studios to check out this year's trends.
35:09This houseplant studio, the composer's cabin, has really taken inspiration from blurring the lines
35:16in nature, bringing the outdoors in and the indoors out. Taking plants that have got the same leaf shape,
35:23something like this Parthugium on the outside, but inside making sure it's echoed by something like a
35:29Monstera. But you don't just have to think about plants in containers. What about climbers? Look at this
35:36lovely Actinidia on this pergola. But if you want to think about climbers on the inside, then why not try
35:42a climbing fig?
35:48Now this is Aphrodite's Hothouse and there is certainly a passion and love of plants here. Now if
35:55you want to create this look, you've got to take a few things into account. You've got to be bold
35:59on
35:59the colour. So something like this Anthurium is going to be perfect. Using large leaves like the
36:05Homolamina here and the Philodendron means you can get that real jungly vibe. If you want to get the
36:11Aphrodite look, you've got to love what you're doing.
36:19Natalia, I think you've done an amazing job. What's your favourite house plant that you've got here?
36:25Definitely the monkey tail cactus with the hairy stems just there.
36:29So tell me, if I want to grow succulents and cacti as good as this, what would I need to
36:33do?
36:34There's a misconception that cacti and succulents, because they're so hardy, they can go in a space
36:38without much light, but that's just because they won't show for a very long time that they're
36:42struggling and then one day they'll just collapse. So put them in a sunny spot, ignore them and just
36:47don't water them for a very long time. Let them dry. Brilliant advice. Thank you so much. Thank you.
36:57There's more to explore in the pavilion with the creative spaces, judged by RHS ambassadors,
37:03Nicky Chapman and Simon Lysett.
37:08Simon, it's always a pleasure to see you and here you are having been involved in the
37:13ambassadors award for floristry. So what does that actually mean?
37:17We have three floral installations and here is our worthy room.
37:20Oh wow.
37:21The whole theme this year is creativity, science, gardens and as you look at this beautiful piece,
37:28500 kilograms of volcanic lava and such little planting that speaks so beautifully.
37:35So we have mechanopsis poppies. Ah, love mechanopsis. Don't we love a mechanopsis poppy?
37:40There are seracenas, tree ferns, there's not much planting in there but every single piece is
37:46utterly beautiful. And I just can see why it's a worthy winner. Very good.
37:51Aren't they brilliant? Brilliant. These florists here. Brilliant.
37:58One thing's for sure, the great pavilion never fails to amaze. All 12,000 square meters of it or 500
38:07London buses in old money. It's packed with wonders from all over the world. It's also the place for
38:14growers to introduce new varieties but only one of them can win the RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year competition.
38:28Winning plant of the year is such a huge accolade that breeders come from all over the world with
38:35their best specimens to compete and judges are looking for plants that have novelty, performance
38:41and appeal to gardeners. I can't wait to see them.
38:51And coming in at number three is this. This is Hydrangea Velvet Night Red Lace and you can see why
38:58it's called that. Now this really is unusual for a Hydrangea and its bold colour scheme is very much on
39:05trend. It will go in modern gardens which is perhaps why it's been so successful in its introduction and
39:11very popular. Now it acts like most Hydrangea so it needs plenty of moisture. That means watering it
39:18in dry periods and giving it a good mulch and organic matter just to retain moisture in the soil.
39:23But this one can cope with a little bit of shade, only partial because the light will activate this
39:29lovely purple colour but midday sun will scorch the plant so at the edge of the shade cast by a
39:36tree
39:37somewhere like that would be perfect for this. It would really make a very bold statement in any garden I
39:43think.
39:49At number two we have another Hydrangea. This is Paniculata Groundbreaker Ruby and it is a really
39:57versatile plant from a modern garden to your quintessential quirky cottage garden. Now the
40:03unique thing about this is it's the first Paniculata Hydrangea that's truly a ground cover. It doesn't
40:09get any taller than 40 centimetres and about 70 centimetres in width. The other lovely thing about
40:15this plant is that now as the flowers have opened they're this very muted white almost green colour but
40:21as the summer continues and then the autumn goes on they'll turn to pink and then ruby and this will
40:26stay ruby right through the winter. So you have colour right through the year. You can see why this
40:32is such a popular plant.
40:40And the winner is Posta Redminia.
40:47Chris Potts, you have brought this award-winning plant to the Chelsea Flower Show. Tell me all about it.
40:53Yeah it's really special isn't it. Who would have ever thought we'd be stood here looking at a red
40:58hosta. Also a hosta that prefers a bit of sunshine. We're really proud of being part of this.
41:05And how did this come about?
41:07So a breeder in Denmark and it came out with this colour and then stabilised at this colour.
41:12And it has such a lovely colouration. So very deep red stems with red veining on the leaves but also
41:18this
41:18kind of painterly variegation as well. It's just, I think it's a really breathtaking plant.
41:23And so if you put this plant into shade it's going to have that more mottled look and it's like
41:30a
41:31beet rooty green. But if you put this into full sunshine it's really going to colour up and be
41:36really really red. There's appeal in spades but tell me about the performance of it. We always say that
41:41people put hostas in pots rather than the ground. And also with this one specifically you can then
41:47move this to wherever you need it to be light level wise. So if it needs a bit more sunshine
41:51you can move it red veining. That's so well deserved. Enormous congratulations. Thank you.
41:57Now Chelsea doesn't just cater for the experienced gardener. Across the week Sue Kent has been looking
42:04at plant choices perfect for beginners. And when it comes to surefire success the only way is up.
42:20Climbers are a really useful plant. They bring height to the garden and lift the eye.
42:26And they cover pergolas and fences and create screening. They're suitable for all size gardens.
42:32But the thing to think about is what they're going to be climbing up and how they're going to attach.
42:44You've got a wonderful choice of colours with clematis. And they flower throughout the year so if you
42:50want a summer flowering one you choose type 2. They love to grow with their roots in the shade and
42:57up
42:57towards the sun. And they twine with their leaves. And they need something quite narrow to twine on.
43:04So you can start them off with canes. This lovely white one has purple tones and it's called Tsukiku.
43:12That means moon child. And can you imagine sitting in your garden on a summer's night.
43:17The moon is shining. This beautiful pulse glowing. What a wonderful combination.
43:30This is a Japanese climbing hydrangea and it has lovely frothy white flowers in late spring
43:37and these gorgeous leaves. It is deciduous so the leaves will go in winter. The great thing about
43:43this is itself supporting. It's got aerial roots which will attach itself to a cabin like this
43:49or a brick wall. And you need patience because it does take a while to get established but over time
43:55it can cover a whole wall. It does well on an east facing wall with a bit of morning sun
44:00like this
44:01but it also does well on a north facing wall which is unusual for a climber. I've got a similar
44:07one in my
44:08garden and it's looking magnificent in the moment so I thoroughly recommend it.
44:19If you're looking for something to grow up a pergola or over an arch look no further than the
44:26honeysuckle. Once it gets going it'll wind round itself so it's self-supporting but it does need a
44:32nice strong structure. They're famous for their gorgeous scent so plant them somewhere like this
44:39in a seating area so you can really enjoy it. This one is American beauty and indeed it is a
44:45beauty.
44:46It's got striking pink and orange fowls which is my favourite combination. In the autumn it's got red
44:52berries. Honeysuckles can grow in sun or shade making it a versatile option for a climber.
44:58It's a beautiful part easy to grow and perfect for a structure like this.
45:09At Chelsea the stars of the show are the plants themselves attracting thousands of visitors
45:16each year. Amongst them some famous faces Nicky and Angelica caught up with some of them to discover
45:24more about their passion for gardening. Please welcome Dame Elaine Page. It's wonderful to have you here.
45:34Isn't it wonderful to be here amongst all this foliage and plants and flowers and just wonderful.
45:40Now not many people know that it's when you were a little girl that you found a love of nature
45:46by
45:46potting plants in your maisonette. I did we lived in a maisonette in Barnet High Street and we didn't
45:53have a garden but we had pots and my mother has always loved flowers and gardening and so I was
46:00first
46:00taught about planting and plants there in the maisonette and then many years later we moved to East Barnet where
46:08for the first time we actually had a proper garden and my mother made a wonderful rockery and my father's
46:16pride and joy was the lawn. He wanted to make it like Wimbledon you know the grass courts and they
46:24would also plant vegetables. We had an apple tree and she would make lots of wonderful apple pie so that's
46:32where I learned about gardening for me to be able to be in a garden or to have just even
46:38some pots and
46:39pretty flowers to look at yeah that just works for me. I know you're relatively new to gardening
46:48but when you bought your house what was the garden like did that attract your attention or was it the
46:53house itself? It was the garden. Was it? We hadn't even stepped foot in to the house and I think
46:58I said to
46:58my wife there's a little forest area at the back we're on just under an acre and says the estate
47:02agent do you mind if we just have a minute went back there I said to my wife. We've got
47:04to have it we've
47:05got to have it I mean it's amazing isn't it but what was the garden like was it mature or
47:10did it need
47:10work? No mature the wisteria that we inherited is the most beautiful wisteria we've got a grade two listed
47:17wall that to be honest with you we probably it deserves a little bit more and I think you've got
47:22a bit
47:23of footage about a wellness area that we have created only this week I actually only sent the footage
47:27yesterday I was like come on if anything's going to keep me accountable it's Chelsea flower show
47:31there's nothing better than being able to go out every morning we've got sauna out there we've got
47:35a little plunge so I've got my little wellness area opposite the area that we've just created so
47:40it's kind of all there. I want to discuss your lawn the lawn's your pride and joy of your husband
47:46isn't it? It is. How does he manage that? Justin is honestly amazing he puts so much effort into that
47:54grass it's a whole process I mean I'm not going to go through it because I don't know the stages
47:58but
47:58um there's a lot there's a lot um and everybody's always coming in on the grass and it's great like
48:03he has done such an amazing job it's a big space and I've got three boys they play football on
48:08it
48:09so there has to be a line is what I've said to him it's like you have to lock him
48:13up to say right
48:13the boys are on the grass they're on the lawn he's allowed to get it to its like perfect state
48:17at the start
48:18of summer which is kind of now really but then I'm like you have to let it go you have
48:22to let
48:23them be out there enjoying it because that's the whole point of the garden we all want to just be
48:27out there together sitting drinking barbecues boys playing football like that's the dream amazing
48:35you are such a regular here you love it don't you? I am very I absolutely love it I'm very
48:41lucky to get
48:41to come I think it's the most lovely celebration of all things gardening and it's you always meet
48:46nice people you never get someone angry doing gardening do you never get someone go get out
48:50the way no it's what we all need yes the world needs more calm people in the garden
48:56exactly exactly I do think that I think a lot of the world's problems could be sorted out if we
48:59all
48:59spend a bit more time gardening how do you feel gardening affects your mood is it your release
49:05your sanctuary I my partner says everything's okay when I'm in the garden and I think that's true
49:10like all the noise all the nonsense on social media or in the news all those things go away when
49:16you
49:16you have to put your screen down and you just are there with the plants and you can't you can't
49:20rush growing plants no and also you can't be a perfectionist you have to let go of that doesn't
49:25they don't laugh at your jokes they don't laugh at my jokes I know it's like doing a tour show
49:29no pressure at all but lots of gorgeousness and that is what you're going to find because I know
49:34you're desperate to go and explore a little bit more well I can't wait to go and have a look
49:37and
49:37I like the balcony gardens and the container gardens off you I'm going to go all right I'll go
49:43I do spend a lot more time now in the garden well it's been interesting seeing the pictures of your
49:49garden I mean there's you don't like hard landscaping you're into the plants aren't you I am I am what
49:56interests me mostly is the actual plants themselves these beautiful living breathing things that I can just
50:05exist with you know at the same time in my own space in my own garden I slightly the the
50:11the nature
50:12of it I love that I'm surrounded by the greenery so is your mother that loves gardening and pass that
50:20down to you my mum will be absolutely loving the fact that I'm talking to you about gardening because
50:27both my mum and my dad my late father garden obsessed growing planting um you know veggies
50:36as well as as beautiful plants and flowers and I started to appreciate it as I got older so seeing
50:45for example um seeing roses today makes me think of my dad um sitting in this beautiful garden how
50:52wonderfully landscapes it is makes me think oh my mum would appreciate this so much yeah I'm blessed
51:01now every year the award all the designers really want to win is the one that is voted for by
51:07you at
51:08home it is the BBC RHS people's choice award you voted in your thousands but there could only be one
51:17winner and with such a special award joining Angelica and the RHS to surprise the winner was
51:22none other than Dame Mary Berry well it is a most beautiful garden and all today we've been talking
51:29about making the best of summer that's the important thing I'm really sorry but we have got some news
51:34and I'm sorry to say this to you James Arrett I'm delighted to present you with the RHS and BBC
51:43People's Choice of People's Choice Award 2026 it's amazing oh my god I'm more excited than you are
51:56wonderful it's so great how you feel I think your face says it all doesn't it it has been an
52:05incredible
52:05week the public have absolutely you can see they have the georgia garden the important message that
52:12goes with it as well I'm sure this means the world to you and also to the charity oh it's
52:18oh it's so
52:19kind and um obviously I have to thank my sister and her bravery for letting us share her story and
52:27uh
52:28being able to work with a fantastic charity and we just want to help people that have got Parkinson's
52:34so you know my little motto has been I know medals and stuff are important but not everything glitters
52:40is gold but this is
52:44it was a hugely popular choice and we couldn't resist the chance to take a wander through the garden with
52:52Mary herself what a moment it was lovely wasn't it absolutely amazing and didn't she deserve it she
53:00really did and Adam let's take a walk through the garden but you know you have won what seven gold
53:05medals over the years what does it mean to designers to get the people's choice award i think in reality
53:12you know you get your medal necessarily always get what we want but then the public arrive and all of
53:20a
53:20sudden these become gardens and something like this it's that emotional reaction and then to get to the
53:28end of the week and for that to turn into an award is incredible and Mary i know you love
53:33this garden
53:34don't you why is it so special to you i love the planting and you know i have friends with
53:40Parkinson and
53:41you know if you're a little bit old you need a little bit of comfort support and then you have
53:47the
53:47rule um isn't that water lovely on a day like this on a hot day we're all dipping our hands
53:53it's very
53:53special you feel very safe you really do don't you and i think the Parkinson's community have really
54:00reacted to this garden it means a lot my father had Parkinson's um and he died last year but things
54:06like the night shelter there which is for people with Parkinson's who suffer from terrible insomnia
54:12and it's beautifully planted in there isn't it yes it's a real refuse it's garden and this is so
54:19smooth and comforting now Adam what would you take away from Chelsea we're going to have to say goodbye
54:28to it now what are you taking with you wow um do you know i'd have to go back to
54:35a moment when you and
54:36i walked on to the killock garden and there was a pear tree that that was like a work of
54:42art but
54:42there's quite a few of those across the showground so yeah for me for my new garden that would be
54:48it
54:48you um well i i'm obsessed with mother nature i saw her being driven into the showground three weeks
54:55ago and i just think she is spectacular but my garden's not big enough because you also might need an
55:03arctic yes i know i'm not entirely sure i don't think i'd have a garden left if i put her
55:08in it
55:08but she is absolutely wonderful if not mother nature i'll just go i'm going for an auricular
55:12because they're back here this year and i love the auriculars so like little gems they are special
55:20well what a week it's been if you can't wait until next year you can catch up with all our
55:28coverage on
55:29the eye player but before we go a huge thank you from the whole bbc team in front and behind
55:36the
55:36cameras we hope that you have enjoyed it as much as we have and we have one final treat in
55:43store for
55:44you because bringing the curtain down on another glorious year at chelsea is the one and only michael ball
55:58you know you know i want to be there i know i know you're not alone
56:07but still i wish that we could spend the day together it's been a while since i've been home
56:17i know i know i know i know that you can hear me i know i know i know that
56:24you do
56:26every time your heart beats know that i will always be finding my way back to you
56:34let them say let them say let them say what they want to
56:39cause our love is enough to hold on to they can't stop you and die if we try it's all
56:49right
56:49there's a light and it's shining upon you i see you glowing
57:00i won't i won't i won't ever forget to hold on to all that we've been through
57:09there's something in your eyes a spark that looks like mine and i came from the same damn storm as
57:17you
57:17let them say let them say let them say what they want to
57:23cause our love is enough to hold on to they can't stop you and die if they try it's all
57:33right
57:33there's a light and it's shining upon you i see you glow
57:56let them say let them say let them say what they want to
58:01cause our love is enough to hold on to
58:09say what you want to
58:12yes our love is enough to hold on to
58:17they can't stop you and die if they try that's all right
58:22there's a light and it's shining upon you i see you glow
58:31oh i see you glow
58:35yeah i see you glow
58:40i see you glow
59:02you
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