Earth-Friendly Garden Ideas at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2020
This year’s virtual version of the iconic RHS show reflected a renewed love of nature and its restorative powers
Sarah Alcroft
May 30, 2020
Houzz UK Editorial Team
Wildlife-friendly designs, edible gardens and other sustainability-minded concepts were some of the top themes at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, held virtually May 18 to 23, 2020. The live event, normally held in London, was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, landscape designers and plant experts provided daily inspiration and advice through online talks, demonstrations and tours of their own gardens. Read on to see the design and planting ideas covered in the Royal Horticultural Society event this year, along with photos from Houzz.
Boost Well-Being in the Garden
One of the key pieces of advice from designers at Chelsea this year was simply to take the time to enjoy the natural world. Sarah Eberle said her first rule of gardening is to “just sit out there and really enjoy the green space around you.” Adam Frost emphasized the importance of stopping and sitting in your garden — finding secluded spots where you can just be. Listening to the birds and bees can be incredibly therapeutic, he said.
If you can, work a permanent seat into your garden, so you can pop out and enjoy the sights and sounds at every opportunity, even if just for a moment.
Eberle suggested taking some time to consider “how you can get the best out of your garden for your peace of mind and your physical health.” If you’re redesigning or even just tweaking your garden, find plants that bring you joy. Note or photograph what you’re drawn to, both in your current space and out on walks, she said, “whether it’s the shadow [a plant] causes, its associations or just the feeling it gives you when you look at it.”
One of the key pieces of advice from designers at Chelsea this year was simply to take the time to enjoy the natural world. Sarah Eberle said her first rule of gardening is to “just sit out there and really enjoy the green space around you.” Adam Frost emphasized the importance of stopping and sitting in your garden — finding secluded spots where you can just be. Listening to the birds and bees can be incredibly therapeutic, he said.
If you can, work a permanent seat into your garden, so you can pop out and enjoy the sights and sounds at every opportunity, even if just for a moment.
Eberle suggested taking some time to consider “how you can get the best out of your garden for your peace of mind and your physical health.” If you’re redesigning or even just tweaking your garden, find plants that bring you joy. Note or photograph what you’re drawn to, both in your current space and out on walks, she said, “whether it’s the shadow [a plant] causes, its associations or just the feeling it gives you when you look at it.”
Focus on Beneficial Wildlife
Beekeeping in Britain has almost doubled in a decade, according to government figures. The number reflects a general trend across the nation toward caring for and encouraging wildlife, something reflected in many of the Chelsea videos.
Frost gave a tour of his walled garden during the event, saying, “[The sound of] the birds singing has changed massively since 2016 when we moved here … and the wildlife that comes in now is incredible. So if you can garden a little bit more with wildlife in mind … our gardens are only going to get better going forwards.”
It doesn’t matter how small your garden is; it can still make a difference to wildlife. Tom Massey showed his slim front garden in London that he replanted with an insect-friendly meadow. “Putting naturalistic wild plants in urban spaces creates wildlife corridors — areas of natural habitat for lots of different insects,” he said.
Charlotte Harris, whose Chelsea garden was designed to be “a restorative space for people and wildlife,” recommended taking inspiration from the thoughtfully designed Olympic Park in East London and “bringing water into the garden, letting materials rot down to help beneficial insects and really just letting nature come in a bit more.”
Find a landscape designer on Houzz
Beekeeping in Britain has almost doubled in a decade, according to government figures. The number reflects a general trend across the nation toward caring for and encouraging wildlife, something reflected in many of the Chelsea videos.
Frost gave a tour of his walled garden during the event, saying, “[The sound of] the birds singing has changed massively since 2016 when we moved here … and the wildlife that comes in now is incredible. So if you can garden a little bit more with wildlife in mind … our gardens are only going to get better going forwards.”
It doesn’t matter how small your garden is; it can still make a difference to wildlife. Tom Massey showed his slim front garden in London that he replanted with an insect-friendly meadow. “Putting naturalistic wild plants in urban spaces creates wildlife corridors — areas of natural habitat for lots of different insects,” he said.
Charlotte Harris, whose Chelsea garden was designed to be “a restorative space for people and wildlife,” recommended taking inspiration from the thoughtfully designed Olympic Park in East London and “bringing water into the garden, letting materials rot down to help beneficial insects and really just letting nature come in a bit more.”
Find a landscape designer on Houzz
Chickens have grown in popularity in England and elsewhere. Watching well-known English garden writer and broadcaster Monty Don stroll through his glorious Herefordshire garden on his way to feed his brood certainly highlighted the attraction.
Grow Your Own Food
Many of us know the joy of planting seeds, nurturing them and then eating the fresh produce. Chef Raymond Blanc gave show-goers a virtual tour of his balcony garden, bursting with fava beans, summer squash, tomatoes, potatoes and herbs — all grown in containers. “You don’t need very much space to see the magic of growing food,” he said.
You don’t have to have dedicated beds or containers either. Frost mixed edibles with a meadow garden. “I like the idea of being able to go into the garden and pick some of the stuff we used to have a relationship with, and dressing a salad with it or using it in a sandwich,” he said.
6 Things to Know Before You Start Growing Your Own Food
Many of us know the joy of planting seeds, nurturing them and then eating the fresh produce. Chef Raymond Blanc gave show-goers a virtual tour of his balcony garden, bursting with fava beans, summer squash, tomatoes, potatoes and herbs — all grown in containers. “You don’t need very much space to see the magic of growing food,” he said.
You don’t have to have dedicated beds or containers either. Frost mixed edibles with a meadow garden. “I like the idea of being able to go into the garden and pick some of the stuff we used to have a relationship with, and dressing a salad with it or using it in a sandwich,” he said.
6 Things to Know Before You Start Growing Your Own Food
Try Organic Gardening Methods
Many of us are trying to cut down on the use of chemicals at home, including in our gardens. “Organic gardening is going with rather than against nature,” said Sarah Mead, designer of the organic garden at Yeo Valley family farm in Somerset.
The key to strong plants is the soil. “If it’s high in nutrients and well-looked-after, if it’s not flooded with chemicals and is full of microorganisms and worms doing a lot of your work for you, then you’ll have great, healthy plants that are resilient,” Mead said.
She added that part of gardening organically means we might have to relax where garden pests are concerned and let nature do the work. “If you see [whiteflies or black flies], go and have a cup of tea,” she said. “When you next go, lo and behold, somebody will be eating them. That’s nature’s way of making things work. [At the farm], we feed the birds in winter but stop in summer to encourage them to [eat] pests.”
How to Switch to an Organic Landscape Plan
Many of us are trying to cut down on the use of chemicals at home, including in our gardens. “Organic gardening is going with rather than against nature,” said Sarah Mead, designer of the organic garden at Yeo Valley family farm in Somerset.
The key to strong plants is the soil. “If it’s high in nutrients and well-looked-after, if it’s not flooded with chemicals and is full of microorganisms and worms doing a lot of your work for you, then you’ll have great, healthy plants that are resilient,” Mead said.
She added that part of gardening organically means we might have to relax where garden pests are concerned and let nature do the work. “If you see [whiteflies or black flies], go and have a cup of tea,” she said. “When you next go, lo and behold, somebody will be eating them. That’s nature’s way of making things work. [At the farm], we feed the birds in winter but stop in summer to encourage them to [eat] pests.”
How to Switch to an Organic Landscape Plan
Inspire the Next Generation
The opportunity to get kids into gardening has been one of the more positive aspects of sheltering in place. The Chelsea Flower Show ran a school gardening club all week, offering ideas for projects from seed bomb piñatas to fun garden crafts.
“The RHS wants to inspire a passion for plants in schoolchildren, to train the next generation of gardeners so they’re better equipped to find solutions to the problems facing the environment,” RHS ambassador Alan Titchmarsh said.
The Skinny Jean Gardener, Lee Connelly, suggested three ways to get children interested in gardening: grow edibles, attract wildlife and make the garden a fun place to be in.
Spark Wonder in the Garden With These Family-Friendly Ideas
The opportunity to get kids into gardening has been one of the more positive aspects of sheltering in place. The Chelsea Flower Show ran a school gardening club all week, offering ideas for projects from seed bomb piñatas to fun garden crafts.
“The RHS wants to inspire a passion for plants in schoolchildren, to train the next generation of gardeners so they’re better equipped to find solutions to the problems facing the environment,” RHS ambassador Alan Titchmarsh said.
The Skinny Jean Gardener, Lee Connelly, suggested three ways to get children interested in gardening: grow edibles, attract wildlife and make the garden a fun place to be in.
Spark Wonder in the Garden With These Family-Friendly Ideas
Cultivate a Small Garden That Offers a Lot
Having a small space shouldn’t be a barrier to creating a garden. Along with Massey’s petite meadow and Blanc’s abundant balcony, Chelsea favorite Andy Sturgeon showed us his 33-by-23-foot (10-by-7-meter) urban courtyard, in which he’s created a relaxing haven.
His recipe? Compromise, because you can’t fit everything in; a black fence, so it recedes into the shadows; trickling water to muffle traffic noise; and a patio just big enough that you can walk around it when people are sitting at a table, leaving enough space to circle it with plants.
Don’t be afraid to think big. “Bringing big things into a small space works,” he said. “If you flood a small space with small things, it makes it feel cluttered.”
He also offered a suggestion regarding trees. “People talk about using small trees in a small garden, but you should be talking about using large shrubs,” he said. “It’s a subtle difference, but you don’t want something that’s ultimately going to outgrow the space.”
Having a small space shouldn’t be a barrier to creating a garden. Along with Massey’s petite meadow and Blanc’s abundant balcony, Chelsea favorite Andy Sturgeon showed us his 33-by-23-foot (10-by-7-meter) urban courtyard, in which he’s created a relaxing haven.
His recipe? Compromise, because you can’t fit everything in; a black fence, so it recedes into the shadows; trickling water to muffle traffic noise; and a patio just big enough that you can walk around it when people are sitting at a table, leaving enough space to circle it with plants.
Don’t be afraid to think big. “Bringing big things into a small space works,” he said. “If you flood a small space with small things, it makes it feel cluttered.”
He also offered a suggestion regarding trees. “People talk about using small trees in a small garden, but you should be talking about using large shrubs,” he said. “It’s a subtle difference, but you don’t want something that’s ultimately going to outgrow the space.”
Bring Even More of the Outside In
Chelsea gave houseplants a spotlight this year, reflecting the trend of filling interiors with living plants. A few years ago, placing a pilea on a table or trailing string of hearts from a shelf might have been popular; now it’s all about abundance.
Indoor garden designer Ian Drummond suggested ways to create a houseplant oasis. “Consider the space and [where] the light [falls],” he said. “Create a landscape by using different heights, shades and textures of leaves.”
It’s important to have plants at every level for a lush impression. “Position plants on the floor, on tables and even hung from the ceiling, especially if you’re tight on space,” he said. This will “soften the lines of the architecture and furniture to create a nice space to be in.”
More on Houzz
Read more garden guides
Find a landscape contractor to help with your project
Shop for outdoor furniture
Chelsea gave houseplants a spotlight this year, reflecting the trend of filling interiors with living plants. A few years ago, placing a pilea on a table or trailing string of hearts from a shelf might have been popular; now it’s all about abundance.
Indoor garden designer Ian Drummond suggested ways to create a houseplant oasis. “Consider the space and [where] the light [falls],” he said. “Create a landscape by using different heights, shades and textures of leaves.”
It’s important to have plants at every level for a lush impression. “Position plants on the floor, on tables and even hung from the ceiling, especially if you’re tight on space,” he said. This will “soften the lines of the architecture and furniture to create a nice space to be in.”
More on Houzz
Read more garden guides
Find a landscape contractor to help with your project
Shop for outdoor furniture
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Lori - we are a on a Monarch migration route - they need places to roost - they really like the white pines and Hackberry trees. Nothing like watching a tree full wake up to the sun's rays. Magic that cannot be replaced.
Hmm - realized my wife had opened another window and commented twice. Couldn't find the photos of the Monarchs in the morning. They are in there somewhere - or maybe the other computer.
We are surrounded by up to 150 year old growth trees on our property. I’ve also added several bug houses to encourage solitary bees. I have scores of perennials on the property including milkweeds. Providing food, water, and shelter. Throughout the various stages is paramount. I’ve done my best to cover all the bases based on my readings and guidance from the Watch.