The Chelsea Flower Show is one of London’s most anticipated events, when for five days the Kings Road and surrounding streets turn into a bee’s paradise — tulips spilling onto pavements, shopfronts transformed into full-blown installations and florals everywhere you look.
Whether you’ve managed to secure one of the coveted show tickets or not, there’s so much to do around the grounds once you’ve had your fill of dahlias. So if you’re staying nearby or simply drifting through Chelsea for the afternoon, here’s where to go and what to see.
Check out Chelsea in Bloom
Chelsea in Bloom takes over the Kings Road from May 18 to 24. During this time, 140 businesses will transform into an interstellar wonderland produced by Cadogan, in association with the Royal Horticultural Society.
Chelsea in Bloom is impossible to miss. As well as all the participating businesses, Cadogan has also commissioned six large-scale floral art sculptures including a UFO, a zodiac constellation and a Pegasus. Most exciting of all, there will be an immense globe of flowers, visible from space, to honour David Attenborough’s 100th birthday. kingsroad.co.uk
Dine at local favourite Bluebird Chelsea
Food at Bluebird Chelsea in the Kings Road
Keeping in line with this year’s Chelsea in Bloom “Out of this World” theme, Bluebird Chelsea — one of the area’s most recognisable haunts, where a Made in Chelsea cast member is rarely far away — invites guests into “Alice’s Dream”.
Step through a wildflower archway into a floral reimagining of Alice in Wonderland’s living room, complete with oversized blooms and trailing botanicals. Within this immersive and surreal space, guests are encouraged to “have tea and meet both Alices”, a playful nod to Lewis Carroll’s heroine and Alice Strange, the florist behind the design.
A special food and drinks menu leans into the English garden tea theme, with dishes such as applewood roasted quail and PB&J ice-cream sandwiches, as well as a new menu of floral cocktails, all to be enjoyed within the dreamlike floral wonderland. Prices vary. bluebird-restaurant.co.uk
Wander around Chelsea Physic Garden
Chelsea Physic Garden is one of the oldest botanical gardens in BritainAlamy
Tucked away just off the River Thames, this is London’s oldest botanical garden. It was founded in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries to grow medicinal herbs.
With more than 4,500 plants across four acres, there’s much to see for keen horticulturists — but just as much for those simply looking for a relaxing afternoon spent in the gift shop and café, which offers both indoor and outdoor seating. Tickets start from £13.50, or £15 with a donation. chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk
Soak up views of Albert Bridge
This one’s free and ideal for a post-lunch walk. Head to the end of Oakley Street — a good route in itself — and on to the Albert Bridge. It’s just as good by day as by night, when it’s lit up end to end.
Or go via Cheyne Walk, a riverside stretch lined with Georgian houses and blue plaques, including those for Mick Jagger and Bram Stoker. Homes here can reach £24 million, but a stroll costs nothing.
Take in some culture at the Saatchi Gallery
Visitors can interact with works by the kinetic artist Lucy Gregory
The Saatchi Gallery has teamed up with Lucy Gregory, a kinetic artist, and Naomi Ferrett-Cohen, a garden designer, for an installation at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, bringing together contemporary art, considered planting and public participation. The installation is designed to celebrate the simple satisfaction of being outdoors and the subtle, restorative joy that nature can instil.
For those not planning to go to the show grounds, the gallery will host Inflorescence from May 21. The exhibition presents new works by contemporary artists who featured in the Flowers – Flora in Contemporary Art & Culture exhibition in 2025. saatchigallery.com
Join a female-focused treasure hunt on the Kings Road
If you’re already strolling along the Kings Road, you might as well make a game of it. A spring treasure trail, hosted by the lingerie brand Stripe & Stare, is set to bring a sense of childlike excitement to Chelsea on May 9 and 10, while spotlighting female-founded businesses through the Buy Women Built movement.
Along the route participating stores will offer exclusive in-store perks, from complimentary matchas and free gifts to consultations and discounts — a kind of feminist-friendly Black Friday dupe.
The ten brands taking part are: Stripe & Stare, Rixo, Astrid & Miyu, Trinny London, Nrby, Aspiga, Sarah Chapman, Wyse, Blink Brow Bar and Margaret Dabbs. stripeandstare.com
Get a blow-dry at Hari’s
To mark its 50th anniversary, Hari’s is partnering with Sebastian Professional on a “Birthday Blow Dry” menu, running for one week from May 18, and celebrating five decades of iconic hair trends. It’s an indulgent refresh that pairs perfectly with a day spent wandering the flower show.
And if you’re willing to wait a little longer for a hair refresh, from June 9 to 12 Hari’s is teaming up with Burnt Fen Flowers to present clients with a bunch of peonies to take home. harissalon.com
Walk up to Chelsea Green for a hidden oasis of shops, cafés and restaurants
Just an eight-minute walk from Sloane Square lies the hidden oasis of Chelsea Green — a small triangular garden surrounded by independent shops, luxury boutiques and cafés. A few favourites you don’t want to miss are Rex Goldsmith, a well-regarded fishmonger with an open-fronted shop; Andreas, the award winning grocer; and the wine merchant Haynes Hanson & Clark. There’s also a cheesemonger and bakery in the vicinity. Anticipate getting peckish and pre-book a table at the popular Wild Tavern for some Italian-inspired fare.
Enjoy lunch at Meykade
Persian food at Meykade
This Persian café turns into a wine bar in the evening, built around slow hospitality, warmth and being present. To celebrate the Chelsea Flower Show, Meykade is injecting a bit more of a floral touch than usual to its beverages, with both rose and sour cherry blossom matchas available.
The wine list is superb — carefully selected with inspiration from across the globe, balanced between classics and more interesting surprises. Whether you’re after a casual glass or are a true oenophile, you’re in safe hands.
A little hole-in-the-wall spot, it can fit about ten people at a push, including the two seats outside. Because of its size, it feels like a true hidden gem. instagram.com/meykade.chelsea
Go for a pint in the sun at the Cadogan Arms
Alamy
The Cadogan Arms is a lovely restored Chelsea pub that brings together traditional British detail with a more contemporary finish. Inside, you’ll find dark wood panelling, stained glass and antique mirrors, offset by softer lighting, banquette seating and a slightly more polished feel.
You can try its famed — although slightly pricey at £35 — Sunday roast, or opt for a plate of ham, egg and chips for £28. This pub is warm and traditional without being heavy, striking a balance that many London pubs miss. It manages to remain both a classic pub and somewhere you’d stay for dinner. thecadoganarms.london
Indulge in pub grub at the Trafalgar
Joining Chelsea in Bloom for the first time, the Trafalgar is going fully celestial. Running from May 18 to 24, this Kings Road pub is marking the “Out of this World” theme with a multi-textile floral installation. Created in collaboration with the florist McQueens, expect fynbos flowers, king proteas and blushing brides framing the entrance, as well as a moon garden of night-blooming plants, a nod to the stars sailors once relied on to navigate.
Inside, the theme continues with a celestial cocktail list including Polaris Sours and Starlight Spritzes, as well as a three-course seasonal set menu designed to match. Dishes include gin-cured chalk stream trout, roast hake with samphire and Jersey Royals, and elderflower posset with strawberries. thetrafalgarchelsea.com
Try bespoke cocktails at Ixchel
Ixchel is joining Chelsea in Bloom this year with a floral display as beautiful and ethereal as the ancient Mayan goddess the restaurant is named after. Curated by Amaranté, an award-winning florist, the installation sweeps across the restaurant’s façade in a sequence of sculptural moon phases, moving from crescent to full. Cascading wildflowers soften the structure, creating a cosmic visual journey. Ixchel has also partnered with Codigo 1530 tequila on a range of bespoke cocktails with floral and fruity accents such as clementine and rose.
The astral theme continues inside where the celebrity clairvoyants the Psychic Sisters will be offering tarot readings to diners between 6.30pm and 9.30pm. Whether you’re looking for mythology, beautiful florals or a well-mixed cocktail, Ixchel is a great bet. ixchellondon.com
Comments are closed.