RHS Chelsea 2025 Review: The Colourful Reality
Ok, ok, ok, it’s time to hold my hands up. I confess that last week I was properly fretting about RHS Chelsea 2025 – I was worried about fewer gardens and the real possibility of yet another year of muted palettes. Well, I’m delighted to eat my words because having spent a gloriously exhausting day on Main Avenue, I can tell you this: my fears were completely unfounded. Chelsea 2025 is delivering a proper horticultural feast – quality, meaning, and a riotous return to real garden colour that had me grinning from ear to ear.
Chelsea’s in full swing, and with only one day left before Saturday’s grand finale, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what we’ve seen this year. The large show gardens may be a little light compared to previous years, but what they lack in quantity, they make up for in quality and – hallelujah! – actual colour.
Colour Makes a Welcome Return
Confessing my hope in last week’s newsletter to see more colour at the show, you can probably imagine how thrilled I was to see boldly vibrant planting hues embraced at RHS Chelsea 2025. Gardens Illustrated’s Stephanie Mahon captured it perfectly, describing the palette as ‘maximalist, bright and brilliant – no green textural stylings or achingly subtle minimalism here – with candy pops of pink and apricot-orange everywhere alongside burgundy and neon yellow against dark purple.’
And then came the line that made me smile: ‘It’s as if Ann-Marie Powell has been sneaking in to sprinkle her own brand of planting inspiration ‘sugar’ on the designers’ cereal each morning when they weren’t looking.’ It didn’t half make me laugh and of course, I hugely appreciate the compliment! Though I promise I haven’t spent my mornings creeping around designer’s kitchens with a shaker of technicolour fairy dust, I am thrilled to see more designers embracing bolder colours.
After years of gardens that looked like they’d been photographed with a muted filter, this explosion of colour feels like a welcome awakening. As a designer who’s never shied away from bold hues it’s immensely satisfying to see designers creating gardens that aren’t afraid to dazzle.
My RHS Chelsea Standouts
Before I dive into my personal highlights (which are honestly too many to list exhaustively – my apologies if I’ve omitted your favourite but do share your thoughts on anything I’ve missed in the comments below), I should note that these are just a few of the gardens that particularly caught my eye. There genuinely was something remarkable at every turn, and one newsletter simply can’t do justice to all the creativity on display, but I’ll give it my best shot at sharing what appealed to me most!
Mr Ishihara’s Textural Masterpiece (Gold Medal & Garden of the Year)
I’ll admit it: I was surprised when Kazuyuki Ishihara’s Cha no Niwa – Japanese Tea Garden took Garden of the Year. Not because it wasn’t deserving – goodness me, it was immaculate – but because so many people discussing just this on Main Avenue on Monday suggested Tom Massey and Je Ahn’s garden would take the top honour.
Mr Ishihara’s creation was textural perfection. Each moss placement, each stone position was thoughtful and precise. The garden achieved that magical balance between control and naturalness that defines great Japanese gardens. And while it wasn’t full of vibrant colour, he incorporated subtle seasonal elements through carefully placed Acer palmatum varieties and delicate Iris ‘Flight of Butterflies’.
As a judge myself, I understand how the final decision works: it’s simply a matter of which garden scores highest against the brief and RHS judging criteria. Mr Ishihara’s meticulous approach explains why he’s now claimed his 13th Gold medal and the show’s top honour.
What’s particularly significant about this garden is that it demonstrates the universal language of garden-making. Japanese garden philosophy – with its emphasis on harmony, contemplation and connection to nature – speaks to people regardless of their gardening expertise or cultural background. Whether you love gardens or not, there’s no denying that everyone could appreciate the tranquillity and beauty of this space. This accessibility is exactly what we need more of in garden design.
But speaking of awards, I do have to ask: why has the RHS changed the Best in Show Garden Award to ‘Garden of the Year’? What was wrong with the original name that served the show so well for decades? And more importantly, where has the Children’s Choice Award gone? Last year’s inaugural Children’s Choice Award meant the absolute world to our studio when we won it for our Octavia Hill inspired Garden—it showed that we’d genuinely connected with young visitors and inspired the next generation of gardeners. The fact that it seems to have disappeared this year feels like a real missed opportunity. Children are our future gardeners, and their voices matter enormously in shaping what gardens should be. I do hope the RHS reconsiders bringing this award back.
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