BBC Gardeners World Magazinehttps://www.gardenersworld.com2026-09-15T10:34:04.000Zhourly12000-01-01T12:00+00:00Gardens of the Year 2026 – Best of the Best – winner revealed!https://www.gardenersworld.com/news/gardens-of-the-year-2026-best-of-the-best/2026-09-15T10:33:36.000ZCongratulations to passionate gardener and expert ecologist Nadine, who beat 20 fellow finalists and then a people’s vote ‘top three’ to be our ‘Best of the Best’ for her stand-out garden, now spanning three adjoining plots and a shared space wildflower meadow at Fir Tree Allotments, Wallingford.
The competition was judged by BBC Gardeners’ World presenter, Arit Anderson; garden designer and author, Ann-Marie Powell; BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Director of Brand Voice, Kevin Smith, and Head Gardener at Crocus, Ashley Edwards, all of whom praised Nadine for her naturalistic design, biodiverse planting, sustainable approach and immersive atmosphere.
• To read more about Nadine’s garden then and now, and what the judges had to say, plus practical tips and advice on planting for wildlife, grab a copy of the October issue or subscribe here.
• For a full tour of Nadine’s allotment garden with presenter Ashley Edwards, head over to our YouTube channel
• For more inspiration from a truly shared space for plants, pollinators and people, tune into our podcast.
• For a reminder of all 20 gardens in our Gardens of the Year 2026 ‘Best of the Best’ competition, from 2016-2026, scroll down.
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Best of the Best - meet our finalists
Congratulations to all 20 finalists in our Gardens of the Year 2026 ‘Best of the Best’ competition. For a reminder of each fantastic garden, see the full line-up below. Thanks also to everyone who voted for their favourite garden, with a special shout-out to Jo and Andi Butler and Pam Woodall, who, along with Nadine, made it into the top three.
2016
Steve Moodey, Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Winner – Small space category
View Gallery on the source website
Taking advantage of microclimates within his south-facing plot, Steve transformed a small, overlooked, clutter-filled garden into a tropical hideaway using dense structural evergreen foliage for privacy and to add to the tropical feel, and some tall exotic plants for scale and drama. A curved path through the various vistas also added movement and a sense of journey.
Magda D’Ingeo, Reigate, Surrey
Winner – Family Plots
View Gallery on the source website
The arrival of Magda’s daughter made her see her new build through fresh eyes, inspiring the creation of a natural playground that would entice her family outdoors, stimulate the senses and share her love of plants. Areas for play included a scented bower and rope swing, a vine-covered treehouse, and multi-tasking features such as decking and a sandpit doubling as a coffee table.
Pam Woodall, Poole, Dorset
Winner – Wildlife Gardens
View Gallery on the source website
Opening up what appeared to be an impenetrable jungle of brambles and fallen trees, Pam then multiplied useful plants by seed and division to create a lushly vegetated garden. Adding a pond, vibrant flowers, log-edged paths for a woodland feel and keeping mature trees, the space then attracted a host of wildlife, including birds, amphibians, insects, squirrels, badgers and deer.
2017
Caroline Cassell, Waltham Abbey, Essex
Winner – Small Space and Judge’s Choice
View Gallery on the source website
Dividing a traditional cottage garden into a series of rooms, Caroline was able to add multiple spaces in which to enjoy the romantic and exuberantly planted borders, including a circular dining area and lawn, and a patio and deck placed to catch the afternoon sun. Climbers such as fragrant honeysuckle, small trees and box balls helped to blur boundaries, draw the eye upwards and add structure.
Helen Rushton, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire
Winner – Wildlife Friendly
View Gallery on the source website
What started as a derelict croft and rough farmland slowly evolved into a bucolic, biodiverse haven for wildlife with sweeping meadows, native shrubs and hedging, three ponds, and dozens of boxes for bats and nesting birds. The compost heap attracts pygmy shrews while roe deer roam among the wildflowers. The whole garden teems with bees, butterflies and invertebrates.
Caroline Critchlow, Mainland, Orkney
Winner – Challenging Plot
View Gallery on the source website
Battling with storm-force winds, Caroline and husband Kevin transformed their derelict plot using stone walls to create pockets of shelter, raised beds with staked plants and mesh-centred windbreaks, charming sculptures and a spectacular linear pond. The setting’s fantastic view of the Scapa Flow inspired a colour palette of resilient plants that would reflect the sea, with the design drawing the eye to what lies beyond.
2018
Wayne Amiel, South London
Winner – Judge’s Choice
View Gallery on the source website
Wayne took his narrow, north-facing site, full of builder’s rubber and on a different level to the ground-floor of the house and turned it into a little slice of his Jamaican childhood. The whole thing was done on a shoestring budget, using bold exotic foliage for a jungle feel, an intimate seating area of painted chairs, pots of vibrant blooms, and small trees and obelisks of climbers for height and shelter.
Richard Small, Tyne and Wear
Winner – People’s Choice
View Gallery on the source website
Visualising his small concrete yard as a plant-filled oasis, Richard painstakingly assembled a calming vista of containerised evergreens and a restrained palette of all-white flowers, including alliums, foxgloves, lobelia and lupins. Terracotta-coloured tiles and gravel were also employed to create a link to the house, with lighting bringing the garden to life in the evenings.
2019
Frank Bowdler, Wigan
Winner – Judge’s Choice
View Gallery on the source website
Frank’s garden was originally dominated by a long side lawn with leylandii hedging and patches of sparse planting. Over several decades, he filled it with hundreds of plant species, clever topiary, an old well covered with clematis, and meandering paths through the packed borders. A circular brick patio provided a focal point at which to stop and enjoy the abundance.
Annette Eales, Hampshire
Winner – People’s Choice
View Gallery on the source website
This lawn-to-cottage garden project was as much about gardening as therapy as it was about creating a peaceful sanctuary for Annette and her family. The immersive and artistic space included a potting shed, pathways and pergolas, pollinator-friendly plants and wildflowers that complemented the meadow view beyond, a sheltered seating area and repurposed furniture serving as pots.
2020
Elizabeth and Malcolm Schofield, Buckie, Moray
Winner – Judge’s Choice and People’s Choice
View Gallery on the source website
Given the task of turning a steep hill above a public footpath on the north-east coast of Moray, Lizzie, Malcolm and their daughters created a flower-filled paradise for all to admire, combining tropical planting and a gravel-pathed coastal aesthetic. Small, raised beds were added for growing vegetables, wildflowers sown on the bank, and the kids took full advantage of the slope via a built-in slide.
2021
Thomas Jose, South Yorkshire
Winner – People’s Choice
View Gallery on the source website
After developing a series of hidden shelves on which to show off his beloved collection of Japanese maples, Thomas then crammed every space with plants for year-round interest, but also to enhance the colourful autumn display provided by the acers. Many of the plants are in pots, so an extensive but sustainable irrigation system was needed to keep the garden at its best.
Nadine Mitschunas, Oxfordshire
Winner – Judge’s Choice
View Gallery on the source website
Nadine took on a sunny, weed-choked allotment site and created a paradise bursting with blooms and buzzing with wildlife. Working across three plots, hundreds of ornamental species grow alongside an abundance of fruit and vegetables, and, through her work as a pollinator ecologist, she has included stunning naturalistic planting that encourages a host of wildlife to visit.
2022
Vicky Ward and Maxine Stringer, Cornwall
Winner – People’s Choice
View Gallery on the source website
Steep inclines, exposed conditions and a truly remote location were some of the challenges Vicky and Maxine overcame as they gardened their allotment-style plot by the sea. Stone, reclaimed wood, found objects and a host of tropical but resilient plants were brought along the coastal path to be integrated into what is now a garden in which to also enjoy the sea.
Nicola House, Kent
Winner – Judge’s Choice
View Gallery on the source website
Designing a holiday-at-home sanctuary where her family could truly feel rested was a big impetus behind the creation of Nicola’s naturalistic idyll. Taking a relaxed approach to planting meant mixing ornamentals, wildflowers, veg and herbs, while almost every structure has been donated, upcycled or repurposed. The shed is a particularly important place to gather around a fire and enjoy the view.
2023
Clive-Johnson Cooper, Edinburgh
Winner – Judge’s Choice and People’s Choice
View Gallery on the source website
When Clive moved into his house, there was no garden, just a makeshift extension that the previous owners used as a living room. Having gardened since childhood, he used his passion to create a courtyard oasis just streets away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, focusing on the careful positioning of structured and tropical foliage to create a private and immersive green space.
2024
Sara Faulkner, Raynes Park, London
Winner – Judge’s Choice
View Gallery on the source website
Sara’s small, urban back garden is now a nature-loving haven for family and wildlife with several seating areas, a summerhouse, and vintage furniture and pots to give it a boho, lived-in feel. Dividing the plot into three interwoven sections and planting multiple small trees, shrubs and climbers around the boundaries to create depth and privacy, plus colourful perennials, this layered garden now provides year-round interest.
Andi and Jo Butler, Telford, Shropshire
Winner – People’s Choice
View Gallery on the source website
Jo and Andi were largely inspired to create their lushly planted tapestry of creatively designed garden ‘rooms’ by their travels in Asia, using upcycled materials and propagated plants and flowers, and working around several mature trees. It includes multiple innovatively lit seating areas, a greenhouse and a grow-your-own area, an extensive collection of roses and hostas, and an abundance of wildlife-friendly planting.
2025
Simon Richards, Folkestone, Kent
Winner – Judge’s Choice
View Gallery on the source website
Simon’s beautiful gravel garden was partly inspired by attempts to upkeep a traditional lawn over recent hot summers. With recycled turf and soil and added structure from two interlinked, wildlife-friendly ponds, a drought-tolerant prairie-style planting palette was introduced throughout the bed, borders and pots. Places to sit and take shade completed the picture.
Kamal Hussain (Kaan), Saltaire, Yorkshire
Winner – People’s Choice
View Gallery on the source website
Creating a colourful, flower-filled garden that brings joy to passersby while providing for pollinators and other beneficial wildlife was the inspiration behind Kamal’s transformation of this tiny canal-side space. A bijou seating area surrounded by containerised plants, flowers and climbers provides a place to read, relax, and watch the world go by. It’s also a haven for passersby who stop to share the joy.
]]>I ditched my 'proper' career to work with plants. Here's what happened nexthttps://www.gardenersworld.com/news/i-ditched-my-proper-career-to-work-with-plants-heres-what-happened-next/2026-07-01T05:00:25.000ZThe one thing career changers have in common is a desire to do something more fulfilling. Consultancy Careershifters, which published the State of Career Change Report 2026 in April, found that 41 per cent of 11,567 career changers in its survey were motivated by poor work-life balance and wanted to move into a different industry. And it's not often driven by money. In a recent survey of Good Housekeeping readers, 'better pay' ranked fifth among reasons to change jobs. Top of the list was a better work-life balance.
The wellness positives of a move into a garden-related role are obvious: hopefully less stress, time outdoors and exercise all day long. But there are negatives, too – low pay and working outside in all weathers if you're a gardener, getting to grips with running a business if you go into floristry or garden design. People who are leaving careers as lawyers or working in the private sector will be taking a significant pay cut. Is the lifestyle really worth it?
"I imagined I'd have far more freedom and spend less time thinking about work."
Shilpa Reddy, ex-doctor, now florist and founder of Shilpa Reddy Flower Design
Shilpa Reddy's first career as a doctor working in anaesthesia was incredibly rewarding, but after 15 years, she wanted to do something creative. "I spent most of my working life in operating theatres with no natural light, and after years of that I found myself craving colours, seasons and being outdoors."
"The change wasn't a sudden, dramatic moment. It was more of a quiet feeling that kept growing until I couldn't ignore it any longer. I just reached a point where not trying felt scarier than trying," Shilpa says.
A switch from healthcare to floristry meant running her own business, which had its challenges. "Nobody warned me that creating beautiful work is only half the job. When I started, I genuinely thought that if I made lovely floral designs, people would somehow find me. It sounds ridiculous now, but I had absolutely no understanding of sales or marketing. I thought quality alone would do the talking. Looking back, I was probably a bit naive, but in a strange way, that helped me. If I'd known everything I know now about websites, marketing, social media, pricing, cash flow and all the hats you have to wear as a business owner, I might have talked myself out of starting."
She misses her colleagues, some of whom she had known since she was 18, training together, working long shifts in a high-pressure environment. "I miss the camaraderie and the very specific sense of humour that develops in hospital teams. Running your own business can be lonely. I have a fantastic team around me, but ultimately the responsibility sits with you."
"One of the biggest benefits is being my own boss. I took to that like a fish to water. I don't know what that says about me! But I loved it from day one.
"When I first changed careers, I imagined I'd have far more freedom and spend less time thinking about work. The reality is, I'm not sure that's entirely down to the job. I thought about anaesthesia all the time when I worked, and I think about flowers all the time now.
Twelve years on, Shilpa's business is thriving, and she has no regrets about her career change. She loves working with her hands, choosing which projects she takes on, and the sheer variety of working on everything from creating wedding displays to creating Christmas installations to running a flower school.
"Of course, the reality of running a business is that there are spreadsheets, emails and plenty of less glamorous jobs too. But more than ten years on, I still feel lucky to spend my days working with flowers, seasons and creativity. I can't imagine many better ways to make a living."
Follow Shilpa Reddy @shilpareddyflowers
"I put my heart and soul into it. I was poor but happy."
Sarah Wilson-Frost, ex-HR professional, now gardener at RHS Garden Hyde Hall
When Sarah Wilson-Frost was young, she wanted to be a country park ranger, but she was good at exams, and a career in gardening was considered less academic. After 13 years working as a recruitment specialist in contract compliance, she decided it was time for a change. She enjoyed her job, but she wanted to spend more time outdoors. At 41, she thought she'd left it too late to reinvent herself, but she started looking into gardening qualifications.
"I thought about reducing my hours at work and doing a course one day a week, and then I saw an advert for the RHS apprenticeships. I applied, thinking "I'll never get that", and was fortunate enough to be offered a position. My initial thoughts were I'll have a lovely two years and learn new skills which will help me in my garden and maybe help me get work in some private gardens."
Sarah went on to complete a three-year training course with the RHS at Hyde Hall in 2017, working in the garden full-time and attending one day of college. The college course was paid for, but the pay as an apprentice was far less than she had been earning. "I loved it so much and wanted to know everything. I put my heart and soul into it. I was poor but happy."
"The downside was financial. I'm on a better salary now, but the salaries don't compare to the private sector. It should pay much better than it does, and somewhere in history, something has gone wrong."
Once she qualified, Sarah found a position gardening in a cemetery, before finding a role six months later back at Hyde Hall.
"We're thought of as unskilled workers, labourers, but it's an industry that you never stop learning in. It keeps people passionate." She has a varied role that is not only physical, but mentally demanding, with a scientific side to it, from learning about soil science to managing pests and diseases, and improving biodiversity. "I manage trainees and provide adult education, I run an ornamental grasses course and write articles for magazines. We all manage our own areas of the garden."
Despite the salary cut, Sarah relishes her role as a horticulturalist and biodiversity advocate. "I get a better quality of life. I would rather be happy every day than have a wonderful, expensive holiday twice a year."
Follow Sarah Wilson-Frost @beanrascal
"I constantly underestimated how long tasks would take and, as a result, underpriced my work."
Felicity O'Rourke, ex-management consultant and airline pilot, now garden designer
"I've never been afraid of changing direction," says garden designer Felicity O'Rourke. First a management consultant, then an airline pilot, Felicity started a course in garden design after a difficult period in her personal life.
"After taking a break from flying to raise my three daughters, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. What followed was a challenging few years of treatment, recovery and, ultimately, a battle with clinical depression. During that time, my garden became my refuge."
Felicity had always loved plants and nature, but the hours she spent in her garden while she recovered made her feel calm. "My psychiatrist encouraged me to think about what I wanted from the next chapter of my life. After a lot of soul searching, I signed up for a one-day introductory garden design course. I absolutely loved it. For the first time in years, I felt like I was using both the creative and analytical sides of my brain."
Although a new direction gave her a sense of purpose, it came with its own challenges. "One of the biggest challenges was learning how to properly value my own time. In the early days, I constantly underestimated how long tasks would take and, as a result, underpriced my work. Learning to recognise the true value of both my time and expertise was a steep but important learning curve." She also hadn't anticipated how much self-promotion she would need to do. "Selling myself and my business felt quite uncomfortable at first."
The highlight of being a garden designer, she says, is the thrill of seeing a project take shape in the real world, as well as watching her clients' excitement when their garden is transformed.
"I love the variety that garden design offers. No two days are the same." She sometimes misses the excitement of flying and the adrenaline, but has found the change rewarding.
"In a small way, I feel I am helping to reconnect people with the natural world while creating places that are beautiful, restorative and environmentally beneficial. That's an incredibly uplifting feeling and, unlike the thrill of a take off or landing, it continues long after the project is finished."
felicityorourkegardendesign.co.uk
]]>Five budget-friendly hacks to keep rats out of your gardenhttps://www.gardenersworld.com/news/five-budget-friendly-hacks-to-keep-rats-out-of-your-garden/2026-05-22T08:23:41.000ZRats live almost anywhere in towns, cities, and in the country. While intelligent, they are generally unwelcome in gardens due to the physical damage they cause by gnawing, and because they can carry serious diseases, particularly Weil’s disease, that can transmit to humans.
Because rats are attracted to our gardens by food and cosy places to set up home, just a few simple, cost-free or budget-friendly measures can help to keep them at bay. It's important to be vigilant and deal with rats before they increase in number. Try to avoid putting down rat poison, as the resulting dead rats may be eaten by pets or by carrion-eating wildlife such as hedgehogs, causing sickness or even death.
Remember that good hygiene is hugely important as Weil’s disease transmits from rat urine to humans through broken skin or by being ingested. Wear gloves, wash hands thoroughly after gardening and always protect cuts or abrasions with a suitable dressing.
1. Compost food waste securely
All food waste transforms into wonderful rich garden compost but putting it in an open heap or accessible compost bin can attract rats. Instead, use a rat-proof design specifically designed to take food waste. This could be a solid plastic composter placed on paving slabs or a wormery – those on legs are difficult for rats to get in. Ensure any hatches or lids are tightly closed so rats can’t get their teeth into gaps and gnaw their way in.
2. Stop feeding the birds
Bird food spills from hanging feeders on to the ground, which attracts rats. You can fix a tray to the feeders to catch the spills but bear in mind that rats are agile and can climb into trees, so hang feeders away from stout branches or on free-standing metal supports. However, switching to natural methods of bird feeding, such as growing native plants for caterpillars, leaving seedheads intact and planting berrying shrubs, is better for the birds in the long term, and also doesn't attract rats.
3. Clear away clutter
Rats seem to love undisturbed places to set up home or take shelter, particularly on the ground that’s easy for them to access. Get in the habit of having a regular tidy-up of things like compost bags, pieces of wood and pots. Keeping items off the ground, on racks or shelves, is also a good deterrent.
4. Fortify sheds, decking, and drains
The spaces beneath sheds and decking tend to be dry, snug and enticing to rats, so fix wire mesh or solid planks of wood around the bases to deter entry. Thin wooden shed doors can be nibbled at the corners, so fix metal plates to the bottom door edges. Pay particular attention to drains and ensure covers are tightly fitting, as rats travel along drains and may even be able to access your home.
5. Protect your harvests
Protect growing crops by clearing nearby hiding places, and train fruits like squash, courgette and pumpkin off the ground to make them less accessible. Store harvested fruit in a rat-proof outbuilding.
]]>RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026: Best in Show and medal winners announcedhttps://www.gardenersworld.com/news/rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2026-best-in-show-and-medal-winners-announced/2026-05-19T11:19:21.000ZThe medal winners at the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show have been announced. This year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show includes a garden designed to shed light on gynocological cancers, ideas for tranquil spaces and a campaign to protect our countryside. Discover which medals the Show Gardens and designers have been awarded.
Main Avenue gardens and medal results
BEST IN SHOW WINNER: The Campaign to Protect Rural England Garden: ‘On the Edge’
Designed by: Sarah Eberle
Medal: Gold and Best in show
Celebrating the ‘edge lands’ – the rural fringes around towns and cities – the CPRE encourages people to act together to protect and enhance these fragments of countryside that are vital for biodiversity and give access to nature to so many who live in an urban setting. Rich and diverse planting of UK and Ireland natives is framed by drystone walls and surrounds the key feature of a fallen tree sculpted into a guardian figure, representing Gaia or Mother Nature.
Forever home: the garden will be relocated to a regenerated housing development in urban Sheffield.
The Asthma and Lung UK Breathing Space Garden
Designed by: Angus Thompson
Medal: Silver
Designed as a restorative space to breathe to benefit people suffering from lung conditions, the serene woodland-edge themed garden is accessible and therapeutic, to foster recovery along with re-connection with nature. The design incorporates a sheltered platform for breath-focused practices, a still pond for calm reflection, and running water to encourage tranquillity, enhanced by low-allergen planting. Reclaimed and sustainable materials include recycled aluminium oxygen cylinders used as water spouts and channels.
Forever home: the Breathing Space lung rehabilitation centre in Rotherham, as a permanent therapeutic space for people living with lung conditions.
The Children’s Society Garden
Designed by: Patrick Clarke
Medal: Gold
Designed as a peaceful urban sanctuary aimed at supporting the emotional wellbeing of teenagers by creating a feeling of safety and calm, the garden gives a place to connect with each other and to talk to counsellors. Much of the garden’s structure is made from ‘waste’ materials, including a canopy structure with a steel frame, water rills, boundary walls of corrugated iron, paths of reclaimed gravel, and a mosaic feature wall. Plants are chosen for their performance in challenging conditions, in three zones: sun, transitional, and shade.
Forever home: a youth support centre in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
The Eden Project: Bring Me Sunshine Garden
Designed by: Harry Holding and Alex Michaelis
Medal: Silver Gilt
Inspired by the landscapes of Morecambe Bay in Lancashire, where the next Eden Project is set to open in 2028, the garden’s design is aimed at encouraging young adults to explore creativity, practical skills, and pathways into the green industries. A solar-powered outdoor classroom structure and rainwater-recycling pool is surrounded by coastal-themed salt tolerant planting as well as ‘useful’ plants such as perennial vegetables and plants for natural dyes. The sustainable design uses reclaimed materials and cement-free shell by-products.
Forever home: Part of a community space at Eden Project Morecambe.
The Killik & Co ‘A Seed in Time’ Garden
Designed by: Baz Grainger
Medal: Gold
The crafts of Britain’s natural wetland heritage and the challenges faced by a changing climate are the inspiration for the theme of this tranquil family retreat. Structures built of traditional materials – straw bales, earth render, and reeds - channel rainwater into a central wetland habitat, surrounded by fruiting trees and naturalistic planting. Boosting biodiversity is a key aim, by introducing different zones to improve species abundance and habitat health.
Forever home: a Centre Point project site in Kennington, London
Lady Garden Foundation ‘Silent No More’ Garden
Designed by: Darren Hawkes
Medal: Gold
With a life-saving aim of breaking down stigma and encouraging discussion about gynaecological cancers, the garden’s design is both intimate and open, providing nooks along with open spaces to foster connection and conversation. The central eye-catching structures echo the ceramic sculptures of Basque artist Eduardo Chillida and five sculptures, surrounding by abundant planting, represent the five cancers: womb, vulval, cervical, vaginal, and ovarian – which claim the lives of 21 women every day in the UK. Shattering the silence will encourage screening, early diagnosis, and treatment.
Forever home: the garden will be relocated to a community outdoor space in Jersey.
Parkinsons UK – A Garden for Every Parkinson’s Journey
Designed by: Arit Anderson
Medal: Silver
Designed as a sanctuary for those who are dealing with the complex and incurable brain condition Parkinson’s, the garden is divided into three zones: calming and restful, uplifting and energising, and nighttime. Each zone reflects the changing symptoms of the condition, with the wooden arch-like shelter is lit at night with low-impact lighting for those suffering from insomnia. Wide, curving paths create an accessible layout with support from a raised rill that does double duty as a handrail. Two-thirds of the plants are chosen to attract pollinators, providing extra interest and boosting biodiversity.
Forever home: the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, a UK Parkinson’s Centre of Excellence.
The Tate Britain Garden
Designed by: Tom Stuart-Smith
Medal: Gold
A new vision of museum gardens that bring together art, nature, and community, along with sustainable landscaping and resilient planting, is offered in this advance peek of the Tate Britain new Clore Garden, which is also being designed by Tom Stuart-Smith. At the heart of the garden is a Barbara Hepworth sculpture Bicentric Form 1949 - the first time a work of art from the national collection has been installed at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The planting is inspired by East Asian woodlands and uses long-lived, drought-tolerant species that increase biodiversity.
Forever home: incorporated into the new green space on London’s Millbank, which is set to open in 2027.
Tokonoma Garden – Sanumaya no Niwa
Designed by: Kazuyuki Ishihara and Paul Noritaka Tange
Medal: Silver Gilt
Celebrating harmony, family, and community, the garden is designed to evoke the view from a traditional tokonoma, or raised alcove recess, once central to Japanese family life. The garden’s design reimagines the concept for today’s gardens, with a tranquil layout that combines water, stone, moss, ferns, along with restrained planting, to promote calm and contemplation. The larger plants are chosen for their durability and longevity and while relatively few in number, the depth and atmosphere of the design are created by space, height, and foliage tones.
Forever home: venue to be confirmed.
]]>Chelsea Flower Show 2026: get the full rundown so you're in the knowhttps://www.gardenersworld.com/news/chelsea-flower-show-2026/2026-05-15T08:48:08.000ZThe RHS Chelsea Flower Show is the highlight of the gardening year and a showcase of the best in garden design and horticulture. The show takes place in central London, over five glorious days in May, with a wealth of beautiful plants and gardening trends and inspiration. There are Show Gardens of all sizes, right down to the tiny Balcony and Container gardens. The giant marquee or ‘Great Pavilion’, covering nearly three acres, is horticultural heaven, packed with the world’s best growers and nurseries, floristry and floral art displays, and GreenSTEM, which highlights the latest in horticultural science. Whatever your interest, Chelsea is packed with gardens to admire and ideas to take home.
- Chelsea Flower Show 2026 medal winners
When is the Chelsea Flower Show 2026?
The Chelsea Flower Show takes place from Tuesday 19 to Saturday 23 May 2026. On Tuesday and Wednesday entry is for RHS members only.
Where is the Chelsea Flower Show being held?
The Chelsea Flower Show takes place in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, on the banks of the River Thames. The address is London Gate, Royal Hospital Road, Royal Hospital Chelsea, London SW3 4SR. The What3words reference for the main gate is parent.arena.spider.
Plan your journey using the Transport for London website. The show is 10 minutes walk from Sloane Square tube station. The nearest mainline railway station is London Victoria and car parking (price £49, which must be booked with ticket) is at Battersea, with a shuttle bus running to the showground.
When does the Chelsea Flower Show start?
The Chelsea Flower Show opens at 8am on Tuesday 19 May and starts at the same time every day. Getting to the show as soon as the gates open is well worth the effort, as the first couple of hours tend to be less crowded.
What to expect from the Chelsea Flower Show 2026?
- Chelsea has plenty of take-home inspiration so make sure your phone or camera is fully charged. Take photos of labels as well as actual plants or take a notebook.
- Plants are only available to buy at the grand sell-off which starts at 4pm on the Saturday. Many products and sundries are on sale, though ordering for home delivery will save you carting a heavy load around.
- Chelsea is packed with visitors, which makes comfort the key to enjoying your day to the full. You’ll be on your feet for hours, so comfortable footwear and an easy to carry small rucksack are essential. Check the weather forecast and dress accordingly as the show gardens and many stalls are outdoors.
- Take a water bottle (refill stations are available), energy-rich snacks, plus a picnic if you don’t want to queue for catering – or treat yourself to one of the pre-booked food options.
- If you suffer from hay fever, take suitable medication as the trees around the show ground are loaded with pollen.
How much are Chelsea Flower Show tickets?
Tickets are only available booked in advance via the RHS website.
A full price day ticket for non-RHS members is £137 per person. Cheaper part-day ticket options give entry from either 3.30pm or 5.30pm but do sell out months in advance.
A Saturday ticket, with the show closing at 5.30 pm, is £114. RHS members benefit from significant discounts on ticket prices, plus the first two days are for members only. The Chelsea Flower Show guide (price £18) can be pre-ordered with your ticket and is well worth doing so you can plan your day in advance – there’s so much to see.
]]>Buyer beware! 8 garden red flags that everyone should watch out forhttps://www.gardenersworld.com/news/garden-red-flags/2026-05-15T08:45:56.000ZThe search for the perfect home is challenging enough, with a leaking roof or rising damp coming top of the list of unpleasant discoveries after new homeowners have moved in. But those aren't the only problems new house buyers might face, as too few pay attention to what's in the garden before buying. So which red flags should you look out for and what should you do about them?
1. Invasive plants that could devalue your home
Invasive plants like running bamboo, Russian vine or Japanese knotweed can not only cause problems for you as an owner, but they can affect the value of the house if you decide to sell in the future.
Japanese knotweed is expensive to get rid of, and banks usually require proof of an eradication management plan before issuing a mortgage on a property. Anyone selling a house is legally obliged to declare if there is existing Japanese knotweed, so make sure you check the garden carefully when you look around, as it can often be missed.
Running bamboo can spread over a metre a year and can be extremely difficult to remove, so if you find bamboo growing in a potential new garden, check which type it is and look for runners or other signs that it is an invasive variety.
Russian vine is also known as 'mile-a-minute' because it grows so quickly. If it's growing in your garden it can become a nuisance for neighbours as it quickly breaches garden boundaries. However, this also means that Russian vine growing in neighbouring gardens could pose problems for you, and if your neighbours aren't keen to get rid of it, you could be lumbered with it. So check before you buy!
Himalayan balsam is typically found near water courses and train tracks, where it quickly spreads by wind-blown seed. It's easy to get rid of, but persistent. Keep an eye out for it if you live near a canal, river or train line, and pull it out as soon as you see it, ideally before it flowers and sets seed.
2. Who really owns your garden fence?
Privacy can be an issue in gardens. Is the garden overlooked because of low fences or surrounding buildings? If there are any issues, will they be easy to resolve? A low fence may be ok if your neighbours are friendly and interested in discussing replacing the fence together. Check whose land the fence belongs to – the ownership of the fence depends on the property deeds. You may be responsible for replacing it or maintaining the boundary. Check also that the boundaries match the deeds and that there are no existing disputes with the neighbours.
3. Why you should visit during rush hour
Don't just look at the garden from the house or the patio – spend some time in it over a couple of visits, and at different times of day. There may be noise if you're below a flight path or near a busy road or school. If it's near a road, you might not notice the noise if you're there in the middle of the day, so check again at busier times if you can.
4. Spotting drainage issues
Soggy areas in the lawn or moss growing on hard landscaping could indicate that the garden has drainage issues. Check that the hard landscaping is sloping away from the house. If it slopes toward the house, water can pool around the foundations.
5. Why that narrow side path really does matter
If you're planning any hard landscaping or garden transformation, look at how easy it is to get to the garden from the front. Some houses have narrow passageways which you won't be able to get heavy machinery through, while others have no access at all, so you'll have to take everything through the house. Whether or not this is a problem depends on what you plan to do to the garden and the type of garden it is. Is it difficult to wheel your brown bin from the front to the back? This might not seem important at the time, but it could be irritating when you're living there.
6. The neighbour's security light problem
Check whether there could be any issues with neighbours' garden lights or security lights shining into your garden. As well as being irritating for you as a resident, light pollution has a negative impact on wildlife, including moths, bats and birds such as blackbirds and robins.
7. The toxic plants hiding in plain sight
If you have children or pets, have a look to see whether there are any plants that may cause harm. While many common garden plants – such as foxgloves and daffodils – are poisonous to eat, they are very unlikely to be ingested. However, some plants – including giant hogweed and plants in the spurge (euphorbia) family – have toxic sap that can cause severe skin irritation if you come into contact with it.
8. When trees become a structural threat
Trees that are planted too close to the house can cause structural damage. Their roots can get into pipes and also cause subsidence if they take too much water from the soil. There is also the risk that branches may fall onto the roof. If there are any trees that would need to be removed, this can be costly and should be taken into account when negotiating.
]]>Early flowering shrubs to prune now, and how to do ithttps://www.gardenersworld.com/news/early-flowering-shrubs-to-prune-now-and-how-to-do-it/2026-05-08T14:09:39.000ZAs soon as the flowers have faded on certain winter and spring-flowering deciduous shrubs, it’s time to break out the pruning tools. Don’t delay, because these shrubs bloom on growth that will be produced during the coming growing season, so leaving this job for longer will compromise the amount and quality of next year’s flowers.
Flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum)
Flowering currant flowers best on wood that's no more than five years old. Cut the bush back by about a quarter, pruning to a bud or near to the ground.
Flowering quince (Chaenomeles)
On shrubs that are trained to grow up walls and fences, cut back all outward-facing shoots to within two to three buds of the previous year’s growth, then tie in new shoots to the support.
Forsythia
Forsythia varieties that grow large, such as ‘Lynwood’, tend to need regular annual pruning. Compact varieties may only need a light prune. Cut flowered shoots back by at least half, and thin growth that has become dense and congested.
Winter heathers (Erica spp.)
Winter heathers tend to become leggy with age. Keep growth bushy and fresh by lightly trimming over the plant, using shears.
Winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima)
Winter honeysuckle is a large deciduous shrub. Remove the oldest stems near to the base of the shrub, to encourage regular production of new and productive growth. If large branches have arched over, prune them back to where younger, vigorous shoots have developed, usually where the stems bend.
Winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum)
Winter jasmine produces lots of thin-stemmed new growth which, if not trimmed, smothers older growth and results in a large, untidy, dead-centred shrub. Prune side shoots back close to the main branches, to where new growth is starting to emerge.
Witch hazel (Hamamelis)
Witch hazel can become straggly. To prevent this, shorten any leggy shoots by cutting back to just above a strong pair of buds. Take care to retain a natural-looking overall shape by varying the length of the pruning cuts.
Tips for success
- Always cut out dead, diseased or damaged material. Once this is out of the way, it’ll be easier to see what formative pruning needs doing.
- Having the right tools, with the blades kept clean and sharp, makes the job so much easier and gives better results, too. A small pruning saw with a curved blade is great for cutting thick stems and is especially good where growth is crowded.
- Loppers are good for medium thick stems, and secateurs for thinner growth. Shears are handy if you have a lot of thin growth to tackle.
]]>Chelsea Flower Show's best ever gardenshttps://www.gardenersworld.com/news/best-chelsea-gardens/2026-05-08T14:08:43.000ZThe Chelsea Flower Show has been a talking point ever since it started in 1913 and has become one of the most famous gardening shows in the world. For the 1951 show, the organisers built a massive marquee to replace an array of smaller tents. It entered the Guinness Book of Records as the world's largest tent and covered an area of three and a half acres. Today the show has a smaller tented area, known as the Plant Marquee, and a series of large and small show gardens to inspire the home gardener. People visit for inspiration, to be amazed, buy plants and also to critique. Should gnomes be banned? What did you think of the plasticine garden?
Here are five iconic gardens from the last 20 years. Do you remember them?
- Chelsea Flower Show 2026 medal winners
Five iconic gardens
600 days with Bradstone, 2007
Designer: Sarah Eberle
Sarah Eberle's garden recreated the conditions you'd find on Mars, complete with scorched clay earth and a spring surrounded by mist. It became known as the Life on Mars garden. The aim was to create a garden where an astronaut could live and relax for 600 days in space. It took Sarah eight years to research and plan, including features like a wind turbine and drought tolerant edible and medicinal plants. No one is likely to forget this garden, which pushed the boundaries of what a Chelsea garden can be.
Unique feature: red stone sourced in Scotland to recreate the look of Mars rock
Future Nature Garden, 2009
Designer: Nigel Dunnett, Adrian Hallam and Chris Arrowsmith
This garden emphasised the importance of recycling water and adapting to climate change. It was Nigel Dunnett's first Chelsea garden and one of the first to highlight sustainability. It featured steel drums for water harvesting, a green roof and planting for pollinators.
Unique feature: a four metre high wildlife tower with living walls and bug hotels
Laurent Perrier Garden, 2010
Designer: Tom Stuart-Smith
This elegant garden won a gold medal and was admired for its elegant planting and tranquil features. Around a long, rectangular pool there were birch trees, a cloud pruned box hedge and spring woodland planting. Tom Stuart-Smith created a calm effect with a green and white colour palette, using plants like Anthriscus sylvestris, euphorbias and Cenolopohium denutatum, Baltic parsley.
Unique feature: a bronze pavilion made from sheets of folded copper, designed by Jamie Fobert
The Westland Magical Garden, 2012
Designer: Diarmuid Gavin
Never one for a subtle design, Diarmuid Gavin created a 24m-high pyramid for the show in 2012. It had seven levels, each with a different type of garden. At the bottom he created a damp shade garden, on other levels there were seating areas, an allotment, even a working shower. Visitors could take a lift up the centre of the structure and come down a slide that wound around the outside of the pyramid from level five. With more than 5,000 plants and trees on various levels, the run up to the show involved a lot of watering for Diarmuid and his team.
Unique feature: a seven-storey pyramid built out of scaffolding
The M&G Garden, 2019
Designer: Andy Sturgeon
A garden that divides opinion is likely to be remembered. Andy Sturgeon's garden won Best in Show but its critics weren't keen on the predominantly green planting and lack of colourful flowers. Andy planted primitive plants like mosses and ferns that can thrive in difficult locations to show how adaptable plants are. Some of the plants had never been featured at Chelsea before, including the large-leaved Gunnera killipiana and Antartic beech, Nothofagus antartica.
Unique feature: black oak sculptures to represent volcanic rock
Looking ahead to Chelsea Flower Show 2026
There'll be no shortage of iconic gardens this year either. Don't miss The RHS and The King's Foundation Curious Garden, designed by Frances Tophill in a collaboration with David Beckham and Alan Titchmarsh. This is a showcase garden, so it's not judged, but will be full of ideas that people can try at home, however small their garden.
Here's a few highlights to look out for among the Show Gardens:
This year Sarah Eberle returns from retirement with a garden for The Campaign to Protect Rural England called On the Edge. It will celebrate the joy people can find in the green spaces found on the edges of towns.
Arit Anderson is designing a garden for Parkinson's UK, which includes a new rose that will be launched at Chelsea, a hand "rill" that is also a calming water feature and a colourful border that sweeps around a curving path.
Kazuyuki Ishihara is back following up his double win last year with The Tokonoma Garden - Samumaya no Niwa, which shows the view from a small tea room.
Get a taster of a new garden being created at Tate Britain, as Tom Stuart-Smith brings his latest design to Chelsea. The Tate Britain Garden will be moved after the show to become part of the new Clore Garden he's creating at the Tate.
And don't forget to explore the Balcony and Container Gardens and All about Plants Gardens, as they're always full of inspiring planting ideas.
]]>Garden job for the weekend: spruce up your garden furniture nowhttps://www.gardenersworld.com/news/garden-job-for-the-weekend-spruce-up-your-garden-furniture-now/2026-05-08T13:32:37.000ZTake advantage of any spare time in the spring sunshine over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend to give your garden furniture a thorough clean and refresh. Not only will you get your furniture summer ready but you’ll have plenty of time to repair or replace anything if you need to. None of these jobs is difficult and it's worth taking the time now to help your furniture last longer.
Give furniture a spring clean
Start by washing down any furniture that's been outside for winter. Dirt and algae always build up but this year it’s likely to be worse after so many weeks of rain. Either use a proprietary furniture cleaner or mild soapy water and a soft brush. But don’t use a pressure washer as the strong water jet is likely to cause damage.
Rejuvenate wooden furniture
Treat or repaint wooden tables and chairs. Once furniture is clean and thoroughly dry, certain materials benefit from treatment. Softwood furniture should be treated every two to three years using a suitable stain or wood preservative – there’s a wide range of colours to choose from. Good quality teak is unlikely to need treating unless you want a different finish from its natural silvery grey, in which case use teak oil or a wood stain designed for teak.
At the risk of stating the obvious, make sure any stained or painted furniture is completely dry before using. Lower air temperatures in spring means that drying times can take longer than stated on the product description.
Do a safety check
Inspect all your furniture thoroughly for stability, paying particular attention to chair and table legs, which means turning over your furniture to have a good look at where the legs join the seat or top. Check all joints on wooden furniture and tighten any loose screws.
Check plastic furniture for breakages. Be aware that plastic furniture gets brittle with age, especially when exposed to sun. If chairs have discoloured badly, they may be in danger of breaking. Replacing them rather than risking an injury is the safest bet.
Remove rust
Check metal furniture for rust and take special care to check the joints and structure are sound. If rust is only superficial, remove using a wire brush or sandpaper, and then paint if needed with a suitable paint.
Refresh your cushions
Bring cushions and parasols out of storage for a thorough airing. Do this job on a sunny day. Wash the cushions if necessary. Covers that are designed to zip or slip off can usually go in the washing machine on a gentle cycle with a short spin. Similarly, parasols may be able to be taken off their frames for washing. Old, stained, or faded fabric can be given a new lease of life by dyeing it a fresh colour.
Where cushion covers aren’t removable, use a sponge or microfibre cloth to clean with warm water and a detergent designed for hand washing. Take care to avoid saturating the cushions which could be difficult to dry.
]]>Beyond No Mow May: six wildlife wins that last all yearhttps://www.gardenersworld.com/news/beyond-no-mow-may-six-wildlife-wins-that-last-all-year/2026-05-01T13:18:18.000ZA quiet revolution has been taking place in our gardens since the charity Plantlife started its ‘No Mow May’ campaign back in 2018. The simple aim of getting us to put away our mowers for the month and allowing neatly cut lawns to burgeon into relaxed nature-friendly spaces, has seized the public imagination on a grand scale. Inspired by reconnecting with nature, improving both our own mental health and benefitting all kinds of threatened creatures, No Mow May has been the first step into wildlife friendly gardening for many people.
While letting our lawns grow long for one month helps create habitats, these are then removed when lawns are cut in June. Leaving long grass remain through to autumn is one way to continue helping wildlife after No Mow May is over. But what else can we do for wildlife? Browse our list below.
Mow less, for longer
Changing mowing patterns lets flowers flourish and turns your lawn into an insect magnet. ‘No Mow May’ is now not only an established and beloved feature of the gardening year but has burgeoned further into ‘Let It Bloom June’ and ‘Mow-saic’, which involves keeping some areas long and some short. Over the last 100 years the UK has lost 97 per cent of its flower-rich meadows. With approximately 30 million gardens in the UK, containing around 125,000 hectares of lawn, gardeners have the potential to make huge wins for wildlife.
Grow more wildflowers
You don't need a lawn to grow wildflowers, why not squeeze some into your borders? Consider ox-eye daisy, self-heal, red and white clover, viper's bugloss, meadow buttercup and birds-foot trefoil. You can also grow these flowers in pots.
Dig a pond
Everything needs water to live, so providing even a small source of fresh water is good, though bigger is better. A wildlife pond helps support many different species, including frogs, toads and newts, dragonflies and other aquatic invertebrates, birds which need water to drink and to bathe in order to keep feathers in good condition, and mammals like hedgehogs, voles and foxes that use ponds to drink from. Easy access is vital, so at least one side should be gently sloping, and ideally with a ‘green corridor’ of plants for protection from sun and predators. Avoid adding fish to your pond, which would eat frog and newt tadpoles, and other aquatic larvae.
Grow plants for pollinators
Provide a feast of nectar and pollen for insects by sowing their favourite annual flowers, including poppies, sunflowers, poached-egg flowers, cornflowers, nasturtiums, into border gaps. You can buy insect-friendly seed mixes, just look for the Plants for Pollinators logo on the seed packet. Sow between March and June, into bare, well-prepared moist ground, and sprinkle over a thin covering of soil. These flowers attract bees, butterflies, hoverflies and pollinating beetles.
Grow more native plants
Native shrubs, trees, climbers and hedges have considerable impact in gardens, providing leaves which a multitude of insects can lay eggs on. These, in turn, provide birds, hedgehogs and amphibians with grubs to eat. Choose from hawthorn, hazel, holly, guelder rose and spindle – all can be grown as a small tree, hedge or large shrub. If you don't have space for shrubs, hedges and trees, choose native herbaceous plants such as nettles, dandelions and other plants formerly considered 'weeds', plus foxgloves, primroses and campion. All of these not only provide pollen and nectar for pollinators, but egg-laying opportunities for other insects, including butterflies and moths.
Make homes for wildlife
Shelter is just as important as food and water. As wild habitats are increasingly diminished, our gardens become important havens. Make habitat piles from twigs and leaves, open up your compost heap so wildlife such as bumblebees and slow worms can use them, and leave some areas wild where plant debris can accumulate, among long grass and shrubs. Not cutting back plants in autumn is also extremely beneficial to hibernating insects.
As well as natural habitats, you can erect a variety of bird boxes to suit different types of bird, and bee hotels for solitary bees.
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