Top Garden Trends From the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019
Find inspiration in landscape designs and ideas from this year’s show in London
Victoria Harrison
May 24, 2019
Editor, Houzz UK and Ireland
Woodland plantings, green roofs and copper and brass structures were some of the standout trends at the 2019 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, held May 21-25 in London. Read on to see other design and planting ideas from England’s famed garden exhibition.
Wild Planting
Forget close-cropped grass and neatly clipped box — wild planting was the order of the day at Chelsea. From naturalistic hedging to “wild” lawns dotted with buttercups and long grass spilling onto paving, as seen here in The Welcome to Yorkshire Garden by Mark Gregory, there was a joyful element of untamed nature creeping into many of the show gardens. It’s the perfect excuse to give your lawnmower a rest and allow some wildlife-friendly plants to flourish.
Look for a local landscape designer on Houzz
Forget close-cropped grass and neatly clipped box — wild planting was the order of the day at Chelsea. From naturalistic hedging to “wild” lawns dotted with buttercups and long grass spilling onto paving, as seen here in The Welcome to Yorkshire Garden by Mark Gregory, there was a joyful element of untamed nature creeping into many of the show gardens. It’s the perfect excuse to give your lawnmower a rest and allow some wildlife-friendly plants to flourish.
Look for a local landscape designer on Houzz
Woodland-Style Gardens
The most prominent example of woodland gardening was The RHS Back to Nature Garden, pictured, which was co-designed by HRH The Duchess of Cambridge and landscape architects Davies White.
Described as a “woodland wilderness,” it featured trees, underplanting, a woodland stream, a campfire and even a hollow log for young visitors to clamber inside.
This emphasis on woodland-style planting was echoed in many of the other gardens at the show too, with The M&G Garden by Andy Sturgeon representing a woodland landscape, and The Savills and David Harber Garden by Andrew Duff featuring a woodland clearing around a still pool of water.
Let Nature Inspire Your Landscape: Ideas for a Woodland Garden
The most prominent example of woodland gardening was The RHS Back to Nature Garden, pictured, which was co-designed by HRH The Duchess of Cambridge and landscape architects Davies White.
Described as a “woodland wilderness,” it featured trees, underplanting, a woodland stream, a campfire and even a hollow log for young visitors to clamber inside.
This emphasis on woodland-style planting was echoed in many of the other gardens at the show too, with The M&G Garden by Andy Sturgeon representing a woodland landscape, and The Savills and David Harber Garden by Andrew Duff featuring a woodland clearing around a still pool of water.
Let Nature Inspire Your Landscape: Ideas for a Woodland Garden
Encouraging Children to Get Outdoors
Along with The RHS Back to Nature Garden, other exhibits and designs at the show focused on encouraging children to interact with nature and get outdoors.
The Montessori Centenary Children’s Garden by Jody Lidgar, pictured, was a wonderful example of a garden designed specifically with youngsters in mind, from the brightly colored metal shed structure to the walls of edibles and fruit bushes designed to introduce children to growing and foraging for their own food.
Browse garden sheds in the Houzz Shop
Along with The RHS Back to Nature Garden, other exhibits and designs at the show focused on encouraging children to interact with nature and get outdoors.
The Montessori Centenary Children’s Garden by Jody Lidgar, pictured, was a wonderful example of a garden designed specifically with youngsters in mind, from the brightly colored metal shed structure to the walls of edibles and fruit bushes designed to introduce children to growing and foraging for their own food.
Browse garden sheds in the Houzz Shop
Cow Parsley
Moving on from the wild planting theme, there was a frothy profusion of cow parsley all around the show grounds this year, as well as a spotlight on umbellifers in general.
Jo Thompson softened the edges of her Wedgwood Garden with white clouds of cow parsley. Mark Gregory dotted it through the wild borders of his Welcome to Yorkshire Garden, while The Savills and David Harber Garden, pictured, featured large stems of it around the edge of the naturalistic woodland clearing.
Umbellifers in different forms and soft shades of peach and pink even made an appearance in the plant tent.
Warning: Cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) is a native of Europe, North Africa and Asia. It can be invasive in Washington, Michigan and Massachusetts.
Moving on from the wild planting theme, there was a frothy profusion of cow parsley all around the show grounds this year, as well as a spotlight on umbellifers in general.
Jo Thompson softened the edges of her Wedgwood Garden with white clouds of cow parsley. Mark Gregory dotted it through the wild borders of his Welcome to Yorkshire Garden, while The Savills and David Harber Garden, pictured, featured large stems of it around the edge of the naturalistic woodland clearing.
Umbellifers in different forms and soft shades of peach and pink even made an appearance in the plant tent.
Warning: Cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) is a native of Europe, North Africa and Asia. It can be invasive in Washington, Michigan and Massachusetts.
Green Roofs
Green roofs were in evidence too. The Montessori Centenary Children’s Garden, pictured, made the most of every inch of planting space. This included along the roof of the shipping container “classroom” and even up walls to create the effect of a lush cocoon of greenery.
The Silent Pool Gin Garden by David Neale, meanwhile, featured a metal canopy that was softened with rooftop plantings around the edges.
4 Ways Green Roofs Help Manage Stormwater
Green roofs were in evidence too. The Montessori Centenary Children’s Garden, pictured, made the most of every inch of planting space. This included along the roof of the shipping container “classroom” and even up walls to create the effect of a lush cocoon of greenery.
The Silent Pool Gin Garden by David Neale, meanwhile, featured a metal canopy that was softened with rooftop plantings around the edges.
4 Ways Green Roofs Help Manage Stormwater
Using Gardens to Regenerate the Landscape
The power of nature to rebuild and heal damaged landscapes was an interesting idea explored by several of the garden designers.
The Resilience Garden by Sarah Eberle, pictured, explored how our woodlands can be made resilient in a changing climate. The M&G Garden set out to “celebrate the beauty of nature’s extraordinary power to regenerate” by focusing on new species able to thrive in a British climate.
Over in the Artisan garden section, Walker’s Forgotten Quarry Garden explored the idea of an abandoned industrial landscape that was being reclaimed and restored by nature.
The power of nature to rebuild and heal damaged landscapes was an interesting idea explored by several of the garden designers.
The Resilience Garden by Sarah Eberle, pictured, explored how our woodlands can be made resilient in a changing climate. The M&G Garden set out to “celebrate the beauty of nature’s extraordinary power to regenerate” by focusing on new species able to thrive in a British climate.
Over in the Artisan garden section, Walker’s Forgotten Quarry Garden explored the idea of an abandoned industrial landscape that was being reclaimed and restored by nature.
Copper and Brass
Warm metals, such as copper and brass, made their way out of the kitchen and into the garden this year in the form of furniture and garden structures. Several gardens featured high-shine metals usually more associated with interiors, such as the brass structure in Chris Beardshaw’s Morgan Stanley Garden, pictured.
These warm tones were also reflected in the planting, with copper- and amber-colored flowers winding through several gardens.
Tell us: Which of these ideas is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read other stories about the Chelsea Flower Show
Find a landscape contractor to help with your project
Shop for outdoor furniture
Warm metals, such as copper and brass, made their way out of the kitchen and into the garden this year in the form of furniture and garden structures. Several gardens featured high-shine metals usually more associated with interiors, such as the brass structure in Chris Beardshaw’s Morgan Stanley Garden, pictured.
These warm tones were also reflected in the planting, with copper- and amber-colored flowers winding through several gardens.
Tell us: Which of these ideas is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read other stories about the Chelsea Flower Show
Find a landscape contractor to help with your project
Shop for outdoor furniture
As a full-service, family-owned remodeling company in New Albany, OH, we strive to bring our clients incredible... Read More
Related Products
Related Stories
Landscape Design
Outdoor Flooring, Turf and Tile Products for 2024
By Julie Sheer
See the latest materials for patios, decks and yards displayed at the recent Surfaces trade show
Full Story
Houzz TV
5 Trends for Kitchen and Bath Products in 2024
See fascinating new features for showers, tubs, faucets and more launched at the 2024 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show
Full Story
Laundry Rooms
5 Fresh Laundry Appliance Trends for 2024
Check out the lean, green, powerful and smart washers and dryers showcased at the KBIS 2024 trade event
Full Story
Trending Now
5 Trends in New Engineered Countertops and Surfaces for 2024
See the latest styles and features for quartz, porcelain and sintered stone showcased at the recent KBIS 2024 trade show
Full Story
Kitchen Design
8 Clever New Kitchen Appliance Features
We didn’t know we wanted or needed these food preservation, cooking and cleanup gizmos until we saw them at KBIS 2024
Full Story
Kitchen Design
10 Trends for New Kitchen and Bath Faucets and Fixtures in 2024
See the latest in colorful sinks and tubs, innovative shower features and more launched at the KBIS 2024 trade show
Full Story
Kitchen Design
12 Trends in Kitchen Appliances for 2024
See the latest styles and features in refrigerators, ovens and other kitchen appliances at the KBIS 2024 trade show
Full Story
Trending Now
10 Design Trends for New Kitchen and Bath Products in 2024
See the latest shower features, countertop looks, faucets, appliances and more that debuted at the KBIS 2024 trade show
Full Story
Materials
5 Trends to Watch From London’s 2024 Surface Design Show
Find out about new surface materials and products displayed at the annual trade event
Full Story
Materials
5 New Trends in Flooring for 2024
By Julie Sheer
See the latest looks in luxury vinyl, engineered wood, porcelain, laminate and other products debuting this year
Full Story
I hold the Chelsea flower show responsible for both inspiring me and making me skint at the same time!
Not a fan of the 'hot pink' for the frames or the kidz' space... Could one not use a colour more in harmony with natural surroundings... Well, as 'natural' as you get at the CFS 'set up'. The rest are lovely. Like the trend back to more natural gardens which encourage biodiversity...
Would love to go there but a few years back ticket touts were selling tickets for £100. Were these cheaper? Or 'pay this price cos there's nothing else available' tickets? I declined...
wildlife and naturalistic gardens are my favorite because of the birds, bees, butterflies, etc that come visit and make a garden come alive.