Chelsea Flower Show 2025: A Guide

Opulent British horticulture is back for another year with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025. Nestled in the peaceful grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, this annual display of botanical brilliance draws flower fans from across the world to admire impeccable gardens designed by the industry’s best and brightest. But it’s not just for show, with cutting-edge ecological advancements blending with charity fundraising and eco-conscious ‘second lives’ of everything on display. Planning on attending in 2025? Here’s everything to keep your eyes – and nose – peeled for.

A Guide To Chelsea Flower Show 2025

RHS Letters by Pinstripes & Peonies. (RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024)

What Is The RHS Chelsea Flower Show?

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is an annual garden show held at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in west London. Beginning in 1912 and previously known as the ‘Great Spring Show’, the event is popular with professional horticulturalists and at-home gardeners alike, as well as British high society, including the Royal Family.

But it’s not all pomp and show: representing the latest and greatest in gardening techniques and designers, the Chelsea Flower Show has evolved into a frontrunning eco-conscious event, where environmentally friendly innovations are showcased alongside exotic flora, and modern issues – like urban greening, water conservation and biodiversity preservation – are tackled head on. Since 2023, it has been a requirement of every garden involved to have a planned second life, whether displays are moved in their entirety or rehomed in parts.

Best Show Garden Winner Ula receiving her award from RHS Director General Clare Matterson and Monty Don at Chelsea Flower Show 2024. (RHS)

What’s On In 2025?

As well as the usually beautiful show gardens, sanctuary gardens and house plant studios, we’re excited to see:

• Gardening stalwart Monty Don has presented Gardeners’ World for two decades and is a familiar face in the BBC’s broadcast coverage of the show, but 2025 spells the first time he has designed his own garden for the show. Best of all? It’ll be the show’s very first dog friendly garden in history.
• The Avanade Intelligent Garden is an urban forest featuring climate resilient plants and trees alongside sensors that track tree health (monitoring growth, sap flow, soil conditions, air quality and weather patterns), with AI analysing the data, spotting trends, predicting future conditions and providing actionable advice to create more hospitable living conditions in urban environments.
• The British Red Cross makes its Chelsea Flower Show debut in 2025, presenting its ‘Here for Humanity’ garden, designed by six-time RHS Gold Medal winner John Warland, and featuring alpine plants to underscore how, just as alpine plants survive (and thrive) in the most extreme conditions, so can humanity.
• Seawilding by Ryan McMahon will be the very first RHS Chelsea garden to be partially relocated to the ocean floor, capturing the spirit of Scotland’s west coast with the UK’s only native ocean plant, seagrass.
• The Boodles Raindance Garden celebrates  the 25th anniversary of the jeweller’s ‘Raindance’ collection, with its motifs found in a garden brimming with tranquility.

‘Our gardens, like people and plants have their own personalities,’ says Helena Pettit, the RHS’s director of shows and gardens. ‘This year there is a huge diversity of inspiration and creativity reflecting the very different ways we want to use our gardens. Gardens to heal and restore, places to connect with others and entertain and gardens to play and have fun. So whether you’re creating a place for relaxation, a haven for wildlife or simply want to revel in the joy of gardening, the 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show will be teeming with inspiration to help you bring more plants into your home.’

When Is The Chelsea Flower Show 2025?

The 2025 edition of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show will take place from Tuesday 20 to Saturday 24 May. The first two days of the show (Tuesday and Wednesday) are reserved for RHS members only, and then the show is open to the public from Thursday onwards. Note, however, that your ticket must be purchased in advance of the show at rhs.org.uk

Chelsea Pensioner Billy Knowles lends a hand to transform the grounds of the Royal Hospital for the return of the world famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show. © Oliver Dixon/RHS

Where Does It Take Place?

Since 1913, Chelsea Flower Show has taken over The Royal Hospital Chelsea for one week every year. An Old Soldiers’ retirement home for around 300 veterans of the British Army, residents of The Royal Hospital Chelsea are known as the Chelsea Pensioners, and you’ll probably spot a few wandering around the show donning their ceremonial scarlet coats.

Where To Watch The Chelsea Flower Show On TV

The BBC features the RHS Chelsea Flower Show on BBC One and Two throughout the duration of the show. This year, coverage will begin the evening before the Show commences, with the traditional ‘RHS: Countdown to Chelsea’ broadcast. The BBC will most likely then present two broadcasts per day throughout the duration of the Show: one at 3.45pm on BBC One, and another at 8pm on BBC Two, covering the highlights from the day and all the winners. Frequent presenters and experts include Sophie Raworth, Angellica Bell, Monty Don, Adam Frost, Frances Tophill, Arit Anderson and Nick Bailey.

The late Queen Elizabeth smiling with garden designer Joe Swift and RHS ambassador Mark Gregoy during a royal visit to RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022. (© RHS/Luke MacGregor)

What To Eat & Drink

There’s a plethora of food on-site at Chelsea Flower Show, including:

• The Ranelagh Restaurant: This fine-dining venue offers breakfast and lunch with a menu championing British provenance.
• Champagne & Seafood Restaurant: With a luxury seafood angle, indulge in lunch and brunch in beautiful surroundings, accompanied by a glass of Pommery Brut Royal.
• The Promenade at RHS Chelsea Flower Show by The Dorchester: In partnership with The Dorchester, enjoy exquisite floral-inspired Champagne afternoon tea created by executive pastry chef Michael Kwan, in the luxurious RHS special dining room.
• Spring Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show: Designed for private clients and intimate and exclusive groups, this is a stylish space where guests embrace the simplicity and seasonality of renowned chef Skye Gyngell’s food. The renowned chef will return to lead the kitchen, joined this year by Spanish chef José Pizarro.
• Cafes, food courts and picnic areas: Perfect for a quick bite to eat, there’s plenty of choice, including an array of vegan and vegetarian options, championing plant-based British ingredients.

What To Wear

While visitors typically dress up on members’ days, it is technically a smart-casual dress code at the RHS Chelsea Flower show. Since the show is predominantly outdoors and with fickle UK weather, perhaps consider an outfit that can be layered up or down. Comfortable shoes are essential.

Can You Still Get Tickets?

Yes, tickets are still available and can be purchased at rhs.org.uk

Tickets for Tuesday 20 May and Wednesday 21 May are only available for RHS members, but tickets for Thursday 22 May, Friday 23 May and Saturday 24 May are available to the public. The only remaining tickets are for all-day entry, starting from £90.85 for RHS members and £111.85 for non-members.

Find It: London Gate, Royal Hospital Road, Royal Hospital Chelsea, London SW3 4SR