Beyond the Show Gardens, the Great Pavilion is one of the biggest draws at Chelsea Flower Show. The huge central marquee, often described as the ‘crown jewel of Chelsea’, is home to specialist growers, independent nurseries, breathtaking floral displays, rare plants, new varieties and immersive installations.
At its heart, the Pavilion celebrates plants — and the people who grow them. Many exhibitors are family-run businesses with generations of horticultural expertise, making this vast indoor space one of the most inspiring parts of the show.
RHS / Neil Hepworth
Visitors can admire everything from roses to peonies and delphiniums to bonsai, succulents and heirloom vegetables, while speaking directly with expert growers and shopping for plants to take home. The RHS Experience also offers expert advice, alongside displays from the finalists and winners of the RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year and Sustainable Excellence Awards.
RHS / Neil Hepworth
For exhibitors, however, the Pavilion is also a competition. As judges – some in traditional bowler hats, clutching clipboards – make their way around the displays, the tension is palpable. Exhibitors discover the following day whether they’ve earned an RHS medal.
We spoke to some of this year’s exhibitors to find out what it really takes to be part of the Chelsea Flower Show – and how they keep their plants looking flawless throughout judging week.
RHS / Neil Hepworth
Your display features malus trees – how did you get them flowering all at the same time?
‘Planning starts with storing the trees in winter and pruning them to make sure they’ll be the right shape and flower well for the week of the show. We then bring them in and out of cold store to make sure they all flower simultaneously, bringing out the ones that flower the latest out first and the ones that flower the earliest out last.
‘There’s a huge amount of logistics behind getting here – booking lorries, organising turf, working with designers and getting sponsors. Coordinating it all is stressful but it’s a labour of love. Once we’re here, the stress eases a little. We know what we’re doing when we’re building the stand and hope we’ve done the best we can for the judging. And, of course, we can no longer control the flowers!’
• Lorraine Caley of Caley Brother, edible and medicinal mushrooms
Your display showcases amazing mushroom varieties. How do you ensure everything is show-ready?
‘Planning begins months in advance – we started reishi mushrooms and cordyceps at Christmas, but even then it depends on the weather. Understanding when to get things delivered is also important – the moss for our display was shipped down from Scotland – it only has a certain life but we’re really lucky as it’s beautifully fresh and will last the whole of the show. Some of the mushrooms will go over but the RHS does allow us to swap fresh ones in because of the nature of the mushrooms.’
Some of your plants are enormous. How do you get them here?
‘On very big lorries!’
Does anything get broken in transit?
‘As much as you try to mitigate damage, you do get the odd branch that gets damaged, which we remove when we get here, but most of our plants have travelled far and wide and they still look good. It’s all about perfection on judging day and for the rest of the show but this is our usual standard – everything we do is all about precision and detail. We’re obsessed!’
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How do you get your fuchsias to flower in time for the show?
‘A little food, extra heat and extra light – the normal flowering time for fuchsias is from June onwards so we have to ensure they flower early.’
Is it nerve-wracking when the judges come around with their clipboards?
‘Oh, yes! We’ve been exhibiting at Chelsea for many years and have been lucky enough to win Gold for the last 20 years, but we still get nervous. The judges are looking at the overall impression, plus details such as how the fuchsias trail. When they go in closer, they are looking at the leaves and the flower itself right down to the smallest things such as whether there are any gaps between the flowers. It’s an exacting process!’
This is your first year at Chelsea. How have you found it?
‘It’s been amazing. I’ve been at other flower shows with the RHS but Chelsea feels like “the Christmas Day of the gardening year” – it’s the highlight and the quality and the effort that goes into it is incredible.’
What inspired the model train track running around your display?
‘This is my 20th anniversary of being in business – I started when I was 11 in the school playground, selling plants to parents and teachers but my love of gardening began with my grandparents. They let me play with my model train among their cottage garden flowers as a child and I wanted this display to be a tribute to them. Thankfully, the train hasn’t derailed yet! I like to bring fun into things and spark the conversation about how important it is to get children involved in gardening. You never know where it might lead – for me it meant a wonderful career and a moment in the spotlight at Chelsea!’
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