Chelsea Flower Show 2018: 10 top tips to take home

Wild and colourful planting, formal blocks of stone and concrete, all interspersed with a woodland spirt – the hallmarks of this year's royal horticultural show

Concrete and foxgloves, combine creamy old-world elegance with modern lines (Kate Jacobs)

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show has launched a thousand gardening trends, big ideas that quickly trickle down into the smallest of green spaces. Here’s our take on the big stories from Chelsea 2018 that you can bring back to your garden, roof terrace or window box this weekend…

(Kate Jacobs)

Bright and beautiful

This year RHS Chelsea was not so much about any one colour as colour itself. Most of the gardens were full of joyous, often clashing hues: think vivid purples, dusky oranges and lemon yellows used against reds, pinks, peaches and blues in one glorious technicolour jumble. It’s great news for real-world gardeners looking to create maximum impact with minimal space.

(Kate Jacobs)

Anything goes

This year planting schemes went wild – with loose and naturalistic-looking arrangements seen across many show gardens. In a move that will bring confidence to the entry level gardener, long-respected rules have been thrown out and box plants went daringly unclipped, while borders featured a crazy mix of textures and heights. We’ve also seen more offbeat plants including obscure-but-beautiful euphorbias and once-unfashionable shrubs like azaleas and rhododendrons.

(Kate Jacobs)

Modern lines

Before you conclude that RHS Chelsea has fallen into sheer anarchy, be assured that structure still has a place in these gardens. Despite a small but growing minority of meandering layouts, clean lines still dominate for paths and water features, with elegant Modernist-inspired garden buildings in low-key woods and dark metals. Cool concrete and off-white stone especially in long rectangular slabs – large and small – were used in many gardens.

(Kate Jacobs)

Rusting up

Rusty shades work beautifully with lush greenery, creating a subtly modern yet timeless look. It’s an easy element to introduce into any outdoor space. As well as rust-coloured plants like irises and ferns, we saw lots of Corten steel used for sculptures, containers and to define steps and raised beds.

(Kate Jacobs)

Spirit of the woods

Forget prairie planting, this year there was a definite woodland influence on many show gardens. Multi-stemmed trees were a huge trend, peachy-barked birches being the biggest hit. The right multi-stem can make a brilliant addition to even small gardens, drawing the eye away from the boundaries and boosting the sense of space. Other woodland favourites like lush ferns and graceful foxgloves were also a major must-have.

(Kate Jacobs)

Rocks and blocks

This year at RHS Chelsea, rocks were huge – in every sense – so many gardens and stands were punctuated by big, rough-hewn boulders. They make a dramatic feature and can double as a seat when space is short. Crazy paving, rough stone chippings and grit were popular for paths too. For a more polished look, cuboid blocks were also a hot trend, serving as sculpture, seating and planters and looking especially cool in Brutalist concrete.

(Kate Jacobs)

Heat and dust

A stunning hot-and-sultry trend emerged in several show gardens this year – a style that works well for full-sun spaces and those lacking water. The look featured earth paths, stone seating and rammed earth walls in matte shades of sand, ochre and Petra-red. Sparse and airy planting included inspiring exotics from proteas to tree aloes. Carefully managed water systems, trickling through pools and shallow rills help to bring a cooling element to these sunny settings.

(Kate Jacobs)

Cream is the new white

White has been in the spotlight for many years but this year sees cream, once unfashionable, making a gentle comeback. If this year’s bright hues aren’t your thing, consider about using cream flowers in a largely green garden where texture and form supply the extra interest. It’s a shade that works well with the wild and romantic mood of many show gardens this year.

(Kate Jacobs)

Edible walls

Produce has never been the focal point of the Chelsea Flower Show but designers have acknowledged our increasing interest in growing our own food, even in the smallest of spaces. Living walls – inside and out – featuring salads, herbs and even strawberries, made an appearance on several show gardens.

(Kate Jacobs)

Power flowers

The hottest flowers at RHS Chelsea this year included lupins, irises and foxgloves. Perhaps that’s because these plants are available in exquisitely offbeat hues – from rusty peach to lavender-blue to inky blacks – and can even combine two shades within one flower. When it comes to colour, these plants will bring their A game to your garden.

rhs.org.uk