Bring a garden to an RHS Show – 10 easy steps
Interested in taking part in an RHS Show? Watch our how-to videos and panel discussions with RHS experts, garden designers, landscapers and judges to help get started. If you would like to book a chat with the RHS Shows team to discuss your plans, we would love to hear from you
Email the shows team
10 steps to creating an RHS Show Garden
Why design a garden at an RHS Show
Shows Garden Development Manager Graeme Maynard explains why bringing a garden to the RHS Shows can be a career-enhancing experience
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1: How to apply
Follow four steps to apply for a garden at an RHS Show.
Watch: How to apply
Complete your application in four simple steps: getting started, the application form, the design proposal and what happens next.
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2: Sponsorship
Some categories have RHS funding; others need external sponsorship or product-in-kind support.
Sophia, from the Corporate Partnerships team, explains the sponsor process and benefits.
Watch: Sponsors perspective
Sophia from the Corporate Partnerships Team explains the the process and benefits of attracting a sponsor and how to work together for the best outcomes
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3: Sustainability
Make sustainability core to your design – reduce carbon-cost, work with suppliers and use RHS tools and expert advice.
For more information and access to tools to help you calculate the sustainability of your garden, get in touch with the show teams.
Watch: Sustainability at RHS Chelsea
Head of Sustainability at the RHS, Malcolm Anderson, gives insights into how the RHS aims to be as sustainable as possible at the RHS Shows
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4: Plants
From plant selection to biosecurity and peat-free policies.
Video
Green to Gold
How to plant a medal-winning RHS Show Garden
Video
Shows biosecurity
Updates from Dario Spagnoli, RHS Shows Biosecurity Specialist
Video
RHS Peat-free policies
Nikki Barker, Senior Horticultural Advisor updates on peat-free policies at the shows
5: The client brief
How to write the client brief to showcase your garden
Watch: How to – The client brief
Judge James Alexander Sinclair explains how to write a client brief – the cornerstone of the RHS judging process.
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6: Exhibitor zone
The Exhibitor Online Zone holds paperwork and essential guidance for allocated gardens. Remember, you will also get opportunities to visit the site in advance to visualise your garden in situ.
7: Engage with the press
Top tips for preparing your media form, making the most of press events and useful ideas from the press team
Video
Filling in your media form
Watch this step-by-step guide
Video
Share, post and promote
Hear top tips from the RHS Social Media team
Article
How to do Press Day
See the checklist from the RHS Press team
8: Health and safety
Advice and support to avoid accidents during build and at the show – health and safety is vital. Video coming soon.
9: Judging
The RHS medal has long been considered a hallmark in horticultural excellence, providing educational and inspirational value for visitors, the public and the horticultural industry. Our judges strive to support designers, growers and contractors to achieve the highest accolades in horticulture, all while championing the essential role of gardening. But who, how and what does it take to award an RHS medal?
Watch: How does the RHS Show judging process work?
Discover how RHS Show judging works and what it takes to achieve a medal. Charlotte Harris, a seasoned RHS Show judge and award winning garden designer, guides you through the process. Find out more: rhs.org.uk/shows-events/exhibit-at-a-show/judging-at-rhs-shows
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10: Breakdown and Garden Legacy
Plan your garden’s post-show life: relocate, reuse or repurpose elements so nothing is wasted.
Gone are the days when a garden would be dismantled and thrown away. It is now essential for all gardens to have a plan after the show. This takes one of three forms: the three ‘R’s:
Relocation: The garden is created with a final destination in mind, where the entire garden is moved to its permanent post-show home
Reuse: Contractors reuse hard elements in future projects, while nurseries reuse plants
Repurpose: Different elements of the garden are redistributed in a variety of ways, e.g. plants are sold off on the last day of the show, hard landscaping is used for a private garden, and garden furniture or art is donated to a charity
London Square Chelsea Pensioners Garden relocation
