- Royals, celebrities, and other notable figures are attending an exclusive preview of this year's Chelsea Flower Show, which has sold out to the public for the first time since before Covid.
- The Royal Horticultural Society has temporarily lifted its long-standing ban on garden gnomes for only the second time, with decorated gnomes by stars like Cate Blanchett and Sir Brian May being auctioned for a school gardening campaign.
- A central exhibit, the RHS and King’s Foundation Curious Garden, designed with input from the King, Sir David Beckham, and Alan Titchmarsh, aims to inspire public interest in gardening and features sustainable materials and elements like delphiniums and roses.
- Other gardens showcase themes such as London's overlooked green spaces, eco-friendly materials (like the Eden Project's mussel and cockle shell features), the preservation of ancient woodlands, and responses to climate change.
- Displays also address social and health issues, including a 'breathing space' for lung conditions, a garden for Parkinson's sufferers, one reimagining female anatomy, and the Trussell's Together Garden highlighting community power.
IN FULL