Chelsea 2025 felt quieter in spirit than some previous years — less about shock and spectacle, and more about ideas, messages and careful storytelling. There was a lot to admire, but also a sense that many of the gardens were designed to be looked at rather than lived in.
As always, the craftsmanship was exceptional. The planting quality was high, and the narratives behind many of the show gardens were thoughtful and well-intentioned. Sustainability, wellbeing and climate resilience ran through almost everything. But from a practical gardening point of view, not many of the gardens felt achievable or transferable to real, everyday gardens.
Ironically, the garden that made the most sense to us was the RHS & BBC Radio 2 Dog Garden.
At first glance, it might not have seemed the most serious or design-led garden on the showground, but it was by far the most useable. It addressed a real situation that millions of gardeners deal with — how to share a garden with a dog — and did so without gimmicks. The layout was clear, the planting robust, and the materials sensible. It felt like a garden you could actually recreate at home without a team of contractors or an unlimited budget.
Paths were wide and logical, surfaces were durable, planting choices were realistic, and the whole space worked as a functioning garden rather than a temporary display. That practicality is something Chelsea sometimes forgets — gardens are meant to be used, not just admired from behind a rope.
Many of the larger show gardens were impressive, but they leaned heavily on hard landscaping, complex construction and ideas that would be difficult to maintain long-term. Beautiful, yes — but often more like outdoor art installations than gardens.
For us, the Dog Garden stood out because it remembered the gardener. It acknowledged daily life, wear and tear, movement, mess — and still managed to be attractive. That balance is hard to achieve, and it’s why it felt like the most honest garden at Chelsea this year.
Chelsea 2025 was thoughtful and polished, but the standout lesson was simple: the best gardens are the ones that work. And this year, the most practical garden on the showground was also the most convincing.
