The judges have awarded the full spectrum of medals this year. Four of the large show gardens were awarded Gold medals, with the highest score (including criteria, such as design, spatial composition, build quality and planting excellence), attained by the Cha no niwa garden and hence, winning Best in Show.
Regarding Ishihara’s win, Hayley Skipper, Chair of the Judging Panel, said: “Overall, the garden is a masterclass. It is exquisitely detailed and delivers immersive, beautifully composed planting. Every viewpoint delivers exquisite compositions. The beautiful foliage throughout demonstrates the power of green. Perfect in scale, the trees are excellently proportioned. The garden illustrates how designers do not have to use huge specimens, powerful exemplifying an appreciation of beauty in detail. It is an immaculate delight.”
Curated to be a place for quiet reflection and forging connection for his visitors, the Chao No Niwa Garden incorporates various elevations to play with a sense of perspective and is Ishihara’s first large Show Garden. Ishihara now has a total of 13 RHS Chelsea Gold medals.
“I’m very honoured to receive this wonderful award – I never thought I’d have such a gift. I really still cannot believe it after working here for 20 years. It’s such an honour to have it, thank you so much,” he said.
Best-in categories
- Best in Show: Cha no niwa garden – Japanese tea garden, designed by Kazayuki Ishihara.
- Best small garden: Addleshaw Goddard: Freedom to Flourish Garden, designed by the Carey Design Studio.
- Best Balcony & Container Garden was awarded to Navium Marine: Blue Mind Garden designed by Ashleigh Aylett.
- Best All About Plants garden went to Seawilding, designed by Ryan McMahon.
- Best Construction for a Show Garden: The Avanade Intelligent Garden, designed by Tom Massey and Je Ahn’s The garden includes a fungal feature wall constructed from ash timber from diseased felled trees and pulp panels filled with mycelium.
- Best Construction for a Small Garden: The Addleshaw Goddard: Freedom to Flourish Garden. Liz Nicholson, Chair of Judges, said: “The designers have created a habitat with a mood and atmosphere that is transportational and highly evocative of north Norfolk. This is a small space successfully capturing a bigger landscape that is rarely seen at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Designers took risks in the three-dimensional aspects of the garden, confidently using water, innovative materials and exquisite planting design to create a balanced and unified composition.”
- RHS Environmental Innovation Award: The Pathway Garden, designed by Allon Hoskin and Robert Beaudin with Modular. The judges commended the garden as a masterclass in sustainable creativity using reclaimed materials to steer the design, providing a stylish and refreshingly resourceful garden.
Gold Medals
Show Gardens:
- The Kings Trust Garden: Seeding Success, designed by Joe Perkins
- The Glasshouse Garden, designed by Jo Thompson
- The Cha no niwa Garden – Japanese Tea Garden, designed by Kazayuki Ishihara
- The Avanade Intelligent Garden, designed by Tom Massey and Je Ahn
Small Show Gardens
- Killik & Co ‘Save for a Rainy Day Garden’, designed by Baz Grainger
- British Red Cross Here for Humanity garden, designed by John Warland & Tom Bannister
- London Square Chelsea Pensioners Garden, designed by Dave Green
- The Garden of the Future, designed by Matthew Butler & Josh Parker
- The Boodles Raindance Garden, designed by Dr Catherine MacDonald
All About Plants Garden
- Seawilding garden (All About Plants), designed by Ryan McMahon
Container Garden
- Room to Breathe Hospital Garden, designed by Jen Donnelly and Catherine Gibbon
- Komorebi Garden, designed by Masa Taniguchi
Houseplant Studio
- Babylon Beats (Houseplant Studio), designed by James Whiting of Plants by There and the Little Botanical
Silver-gilt
Show Garden
- Hospice UK: Garden of Compassion, designed by Tom Hoblyn
- Hospital Arts Garden, designed by Nigel Dunnet
Small Show Garden
- Down’s Syndrome Scotland Garden, designed by Nick Burton and Duncan Hall
- Tackle HIV Challenging Stigma, designed by Manoj Malde
- The Pathway Garden, designed by Allon Hoskin and Robert Beaudin
All About Plant Garden
- The Wildlife Trusts’ British Rainforest Garden, designed by Zoe Claymore
- The SongBird Survival Garden, designed by Nicola Oakey
- The ADHD Foundation Garden, designed by Katy Terry
Balcony Garden
- A Space to Read Balcony Garden, designed by Freddie Strickland & Ben Gifford
- Making Life Better With Bees, designed by The Humble-Bee Gardeners
Container Garden
- C6, designed by Joshua Fenton
- Secret Base – The Another Green Room garden, designed by Juan Ishihara
Silver
Small Show Garden
- Children with Cancer Uk ‘A place to be…’, designed by Tom Clarke and Ros Coutts-Harwood
Balcony Garden
- Fettercairn Wilderness Retreat, designed by Ssh Scapes
Container Garden
- MS Amlin Peace of Mind Garden, designed by Hamzah-Adam Desai
Houseplant Studio
- The TerrariROOM, designed by Hugo & Green
- The Senory Retreat, designed by Pippa Jameson of The Sensory Home and Beards & Daisies
Bronze
Balcony Garden
- The ME+EM City Garden, designed by Caroline and Peter Clayton of Viriditas Studio
Great Pavilion
- Best Exhibit: Raymond J Evison Ltd for their display of clematis cultivars
- Florist of the Year: Guan Guan Art Studio for his Floral Creations Exhibit, entitled ‘Seed’
- Best GreenSTEM exhibit, Animal and Plant Agency for Colorado Beetle, A threat to our food…
- Floristry Ambassador’s Choice, Remnants by Emily Thompson Flowers
Full list of the awarded Floral and Floristry Medals can be found here.
