RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026: Water, AI, and Recycled Materials Define the 113th Edition

The 113th RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 opened at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, expecting 145,000 visitors to explore 18 show gardens, 21 container gardens, and the Great Pavilion. Key trends include extensive use of recycled materials, AI integration in garden design, and a strong emphasis on water features and climate change mitigation. Notable gardens include Tom Stuart-Smith's Tate Britain Garden, which reuses elements from the Tate's site; Patrick Clarke's The Children's Society Garden with recycled steel rafters; and the Eden Project's 'Bring Me Sunshine' garden, featuring low-carbon 'clam-crete' made from shell by-products. AI returns after its debut in 2025, now used in three gardens, while Matt Keightley launches the AI-assisted garden design app Spacelift. Accessibility is prioritized with graded steps and sensory pathways. Arit Anderson's Parkinson's UK garden incorporates a tactile 'hand-rill' for navigation. Water flows through many gardens, including Kazuyuki Ishihara's Japanese courtyard and Imogen Perreau's scheme. Copper tones dominate, seen in James Basson's sandstone mounds and Darren Hawks's 'Silent No More' garden inspired by Eduardo Chillida. The show runs 19-23 May 2026, with gardens designed for relocation post-event, such as Anderson's hand-rills moving to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.