HTA at Chelsea: Medal success for members, advocacy and planting with Parliamentarians

22 May 2026

Chelsea Flower Show week has seen award success for Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) members, with 25 medals for Show Gardens, 10 in the Great Pavilion, the coveted BBC RHS People’s Choice Award and the prestigious RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year. This week has also seen collaborations, political engagement and international delegations celebrating the sector and the significance of UK environmental horticulture.

This year, over 50 HTA members were involved in Chelsea, designing, building, supplying, and planting three-quarters of the Show Gardens, alongside exhibiting and competing in the RHS Plant of the Year awards.

Throughout the week, the HTA’s Policy and Public Affairs team hosted around 100 politicians, VIPs and international visitors, giving them the opportunity to hear directly from members about the opportunities and challenges facing businesses in the environmental horticulture sector.

Fran Barnes, Chief Executive of the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), said:

“I could not be prouder of what our members delivered this year; the quality of the gardens, construction, plants, craftsmanship and inspiring designs. The sheer energy, expertise and determination that goes into transforming empty plots into world-class gardens in just 17 days is truly extraordinary.

“It was a personal pleasure to advocate for the importance of green spaces at the IPT parliamentary dinner on Monday evening, attend the Defra SPS Business Advisory Council, partner with the Irish Embassy for their Chelsea panel and reception, and attend our parliamentary workshop and dinner - possibly the first time soil, pots and planting instructions have made it into Parliament. Thank you to all MPs and Peers who attended.”

“This week has also been a reminder that horticulture delivers far more than beauty alone. Our sector supports the environment, careers, wellbeing and communities, but above all creates friendship, connection and unity.”

Highlights from Chelsea Flower Show Week

Monday 18 May – Press Day

• HTA members spent more than two weeks constructing gardens in preparation for Press Day. On Monday, the 27 Show Gardens, and 20 exhibits and trade stands - built, designed, supplied, and planted by HTA members - were displayed to the world’s media.
• HTA member Provender Nurseries spoke to a group of parliamentarians at a Westminster dinner about the value of green spaces and the crucial role they play in our health and wellbeing, our environment and our economy. Hosted by the Industry and Parliament Trust (IPT), the dinner brought together MPs, industry leaders from various sectors, and HTA representatives to discuss the barriers to green infrastructure and how to overcome them collectively

Tuesday 19 May – Medals Day

• HTA members impressed the judges with their quality and excellence. For the Show Gardens, APL members (designers and landscapers involved in construction) and HTA growers and suppliers won thirteen GOLD medals, six SILVER GILT, four SILVER and two BRONZE. There were also awards for RHS Chelsea Garden of the Year, RHS Chelsea Small Garden of the Year, Best All About Plants Garden, Best Balcony/Container Garden, Best Construction and Best Small Garden Construction
• Seven GOLD and three Silver-Gilt awards for HTA members exhibiting in the Great Pavilion.
• HTA member Fairweather's Nursery won the prestigious RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year with Hosta Red Ninja.
• The HTA participated in a breakfast briefing hosted by the RHS and the Environmental Horticulture Group (EHG) for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Gardening and Horticulture (APPGHG). The event brought together parliamentarians and industry leaders, including the new APPGHG Chair, Sarah Russell MP.
• On Tuesday night, MPs and Peers joined the HTA for a hands-on planting workshop and dinner. The event showcased the creativity, expertise and economic value behind the UK’s horticulture industry while providing an opportunity to discuss key challenges facing the sector, including costs, water resilience and trade.

Wednesday 20 May

• The HTA media team took national journalists around the show to meet members.
• The Embassy of Ireland in London hosted a reception and panel discussion celebrating Anglo-Irish horticultural relations and Irish participation in the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, supported by the HTA and our members. The event brought together leading figures from horticulture, business, design and government to discuss the evolving role of green spaces in supporting climate resilience, wellbeing and future urban development.

Thursday 21 May

• The HTA brought together UK, international and European horticulture partners at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, one year on from the Government’s commitment to pursue a UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement. Representatives from the HTA, Union Fleurs, VGB, Royal Anthos, and international diplomats toured the show, meeting growers and supply chain representatives at Chelsea to discuss what an SPS agreement could mean for the movement of plants and plant products between the UK and the EU.

Friday 22 May

• Parkinson’s UK – A Garden for Every Parkinson’s Journey was voted the BBC RHS People’s Choice Award. This Show Garden was built by the HTA’s specialist landscaper and designer member, APL’s Landscape Associates, with plants supplied by HTA members Harkness Roses, Hillier and New Wood Trees.

 

Inspiring the next generation of gardeners

As the public enjoys the final few days of the Chelsea Flower Show 2026, the HTA and its members now turn their attention to National Children’s Gardening Week (23 May – 31 May), highlighting the benefits of gardening for young people, inspiring them, and supporting their physical activity, education and wellbeing.

The week promotes gardening to the public and encourages visits to garden centres across the UK. There are plenty of activities for families to take part in, as garden centres host events throughout the week to connect a new generation with the joy of gardening, during a time when they are most likely to see results.

New for 2026 is the Great Garden Centre Mystery, an interactive, family-friendly adventure that leads children and their parents on a fun journey of discovery to find hidden mysteries around garden centres. The initiative encourages families to explore their local garden centre and to learn, play, and connect with gardening in a fun and imaginative way.

To learn more about National Children’s Gardening Week, visit: childrensgardeningweek.co.uk