Bud to Seed

Bud to Seed

A Chelsea Preview

A first look at some of my favourite exhibits from this year's show

Clare Foster's avatar
Clare Foster
May 18, 2026
∙ Paid
The Lady Garden Silent No More Garden by Darren Hawkes

An extra post from me at a peak gardening time of year. I’ve had a great first day at the Chelsea Flower Show, privileged to be able to see the show before it opens to the public - and even before Press Day, which has become busy with celebs and corporate groups in recent years. I wanted to give you my first impressions. There is always so much to take in, and so much to take away - but also stuff that isn’t so interesting too. So here is my take on the show gardens, with my honest opinion and gut feelings from this first Sunday visit. Unlike some years, there were lots of gardens I felt really drawn to this year. I’m going to try and set them out here, in order of personal preference, although it really was neck and neck for the first three.

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