Notes & News
There is so much to see at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Armed with a large map I set off through the show gardens, woodland pathways and flower-lined avenues in search of the makers behind some of the most beautiful stands at this year’s event.
For a first-time visitor, what struck me most was the atmosphere. Beyond the spectacular planting schemes and show gardens, there was a softness to RHS Chelsea that I hadn’t expected. Birch and oak trees in the show’s venue at the Royal Hospital gardens framed many of the show gardens, blending with trees installed especially for the show and creating pockets of calm amongst the crowds.
The Royal Horticultural Society is a charity on a mission to help people and plants to grow, and while horticulture remains firmly at the heart of this event, the artisan businesses exhibiting throughout the grounds felt equally inspiring.
Through The Artisan Founder I’ve uncovered a fascinating relationship between nature and craft. Again and again, artisan makers draw upon the natural world, whether through the materials they use, the stories behind their products or the landscapes that inspire them. RHS Chelsea felt like a celebration of that connection.
The shopping avenues were heaving with visitors throughout the day, every stand draped in flowers, foliage and botanical details. You could easily spend an entire day exploring the makers alone.
The first artisan I stopped to speak with was Melissa Waudby Ceramics, whose beautifully handcrafted ceramic flower frogs and floral-inspired pieces were almost completely sold out by just the second day of the five-day show. In what must be one of the best signs of a successful RHS Chelsea debut, her husband had already headed back to Cambridgeshire to fire up the kiln for an emergency restock.
Prestigious events like RHS Chelsea are a major investment for independent makers, both financially and emotionally. As ceramic artist Louise Condon, The Ceramic Botanist, told me during our conversation, “you have to be brave the first time you exhibit.” That bravery has clearly paid off. Now in her fourth year at RHS Chelsea, Louise’s award-winning stands and royal visits are a deserved celebration of her intricate botanical ceramics, where flowers are pressed into clay to preserve their delicate silhouettes forever.
What stood out while speaking to several exhibitors was the balance many successful stallholders strike between smaller pieces visitors can carry home on the day and larger commissioned works that become lasting statement pieces. Louise’s work embodies both beautifully.
Some creations also simply need to be experienced in person. Crowds gathered around the Norfolk Natural Living stand throughout the day, drawn in by the scent of their natural fragrances before they had even reached the display itself. Their new Annotations fragrance, a warm woody unisex perfume, seemed to stop people in their tracks, myself included. Yet it was their Geranium & Tomato Leaf collection that proved the bestseller amongst RHS Chelsea’s green-fingered visitors. I left with their multi-surface spray tucked carefully into my bag, and at home the lingering scent has become part of this warm week of open windows, sunshine and fresh air.
One of the joys of RHS Chelsea is that every maker has a story to share if you take the time to stop and speak with them. We chatted at length about the story behind the product itself, the journey of exhibiting at the show, and sometimes simply the pride of seeing visitors connect with something they’ve spent years perfecting.
Several visitors I spoke to shared what they loved most about shopping at the show, ‘everything feels connected to nature’, ‘you can find unique things’. Whether it’s home flourishes like designer Emma Britton’s floral glassware and splashbacks, sculptural garden pieces, handcrafted nature-inspired jewellery or practical objects designed to sit beautifully within a garden space, these are products created to celebrate the natural world.
Over in the Great Pavilion area of the show, an oasis of plants and exhibiting nurseries, it was fascinating to see artist Skippy Cooper (on social @skippys.art) quietly painting the award-winning Hostas as visitors naturally gathered around to watch. I would have liked to have seen more of this. I think watching willow weaving demos, dry stone walling or sculptors at work would add another wonderful layer of connection to nature to the show.
Away from commercial retailers selling familiar reproductions, it was especially exciting to discover the original makers, the pioneers behind iconic product styles. Jeremy Hastings’ mesmerising spherical water features, handcrafted from thousands of individually shaped Cornish slate tiles, caught both the light and attention of passers by throughout the day, and for good reason, they are exquisite.
Nearby, long-time Chelsea exhibitor Rupert Till’s expressive animal sculptures demonstrated the remarkable character that can emerge from handwoven wire in the hands of a master craftsman. While under trees, Parker & Coop’s iconic Woodstock rusted steel log store displays brought a delightful blend of utility and sculpture. Creator Dan tells me you can stack them messily and they still look great, but I know I would be faffing for hours with the joy of sorting different sized sticks and logs.
Beyond the shopping avenues, artisan craftsmanship appeared throughout the show gardens too. Woven willow fencing, more water features and handcrafted garden elements were integrated seamlessly into many of the displays, reinforcing the idea that gardens themselves are collaborative creative spaces shaped by growers, makers, and mother nature.
There are many stories from RHS Chelsea that deserve exploring further, you’ll be reading more about the makers I met over the coming months. One that particularly stayed with me was Seilich, founded by conservationist Dr Sally Gouldstone, whose skincare and herbal tea products are connected directly to the restoration of wildflower meadows and wildlife habitats.
Then there was MacMaster Design, where I actually gasped a little gasp at the sheer beauty of the bluebell lights, handcrafted from walnut wood by founder Alex and his team in Worcestershire.
Deborah Marie Nelson‘s delicate pressed flowers in frames had almost sold out when I visited on Wednesday. When I asked what she planned to do for the remaining days of the show with an empty stand, “I could always read people’s tarot” she replied with a smile, as she busily wrapped a very large customer order.
I hope the artisans, and those lucky enough to discover them, are enjoying the closing days of this beautiful event this week.
I was certainly inspired to bring more handmade texture into my garden and as a champion for craftsmanship was both delighted and relieved to see so much of it at such an iconic event.
Lyndsey | Editor
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