RHS Chelsea 2025: My Very Honest Preview

Every May, the grounds of the Royal Hospital transform into the world’s most extravagant garden centre. We willingly pay £137.85 (Ok, if you’re an RHS member it’s £99.85) to look at gardens, some of which cost more than most houses, then queue for overpriced Pimm’s whilst discussing the merits of mycelium. And you know what? I still wouldn’t miss it for the world.

After three decades of Chelsea pilgrimages and designing many gardens there – including last year’s main avenue Octavia Hill Garden – I’ll admit I’m feeling conflicted. This year’s show features just 16 Show Gardens, less than half the 35 at Chelsea’s corporate peak. Yes, there are Container Gardens, Balcony Gardens, and All About Plants displays too, but let’s be honest – at £137.85 a ticket, are we getting enough spectacle? Will the gardens feel samey? Is the whole shebang truly sustainable?

I find myself wrestling with these questions. Chelsea is transforming – from brand promotion to cause advocacy, from temporary displays to gardens with permanent homes. Part of me applauds this evolution; another part misses the sheer extravagance of the glory days. The contradiction between preaching sustainability while lorries deliver temporary gardens isn’t lost on me, especially when communities nearby lack permanent green space.

Yet despite these concerns, I’m genuinely excited about what’s emerging. This year promises intriguing innovations – mycelium structures grown from last year’s waste, AI-powered gardens monitoring tree health, designs tackling everything from homelessness to climate change. The constraints might just be forcing the kind of creativity Chelsea needs.

So, let’s explore this year’s Chelsea together. I’ll share what I’m genuinely looking forward to, my battle-tested tips on when to visit each section, where to grab a decent lunch that won’t bankrupt you, which nurseries deserve your precious time, and yes – which gardens are truly worth that hefty entrance fee. Because conflicted or not, Chelsea remains the most fascinating day in the gardening calendar.

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A heartfelt thank you to my wonderful paid subscribers who make My Real Gardens possible!

If you’re enjoying these free peeks over my garden fence, the full newsletter includes:

· The dramatic financial shifts that have transformed Chelsea

· My critique of the ‘garden or landscape?’ debate

· Eight spectacular Gardens worth your precious time

· My honest (and slightly controversial) take on Monty’s Dog Garden

· The Powell Protocol: my time-tested Chelsea navigation strategy

· The Great Pavilion nurseries you absolutely cannot miss

· My insider’s guide for first-timers with a 4-hour speed plan

· Food and survival tips that will save your Chelsea experience

· The four unmissable garden trends defining Chelsea 2025

For my free subscribers – I hope you’re enjoying these glimpses into my garden world! If you’d like to join our more in-depth conversations, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Not only will you get access to this full Chelsea preview, but you’ll also be part of our wonderful gardening community where we share successes, failures, and everything in between.

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