The Tamesis
“What are you here to see?” I’m asked as I collect my press pass for London’s Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show, a five-day flower show held in the lush, sprawling gardens of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. More than 150,000 people will explore 20 acres of the world’s most innovative garden design, gardening and artistic floriculture; and they’ll drink nearly 42,000 pints of Pimm’s beer.
But for me, the question this year is not What I look, but who. No, I’m not looking for royalty at the King’s Fund Curiosity Gardens, but for an equally legendary and anticipated family at the Chelsea Flower Show: a group of garden gnomes.
2026 marks the second time since 1927 that miniature mythical creatures have been allowed to take part in the event. The dwarfs were first banned from the exhibition tent, with rules stating that “no statue or other debris shall be exhibited…either alone or as part of an exhibition” before being banned outright. The rule was last temporarily lifted in 2013, during the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea’s centenary celebrations.
A group of gnomes painted by celebrities including Cate Blanchett, Dame Mary Berry and Sir Brian May are to be auctioned off as a fundraiser to support the Royal Horticultural Society’s school gardening campaign. As of this writing, Berry’s midget bid is $900, May’s bid is $3,000, and Blanchett’s bid is $400. The auction ends this Sunday, May 24th.
“We want people to have fun gardening, which is why we are lifting the gnome ban on these celebrity gnomes,” said Claire Mattson, director general of the Royal Horticultural Society. Comedian Bill Bailey (another dwarf artist) reminded the assembled media that the dwarf’s name is of Latin origin dwarfmeaning “earth dweller”. “The Romans had them as guardians of their gardens and to protect against evil spirits. So I think they’ve been maligned a lot,” he said. (It is worth mentioning that at Highgrove, the King’s private residence in Gloucestershire, the gardens are full of gnomes. It is said that there is a mysterious statue that can change positions and locations on its own.)
On Wednesday, Chelsea was in full bloom. Outside the flower show grounds was a free flower festival themed “Out of This World” and I noticed a Saturn made of burnt orange buttercup, a four-metre dragon and Pegasus, and a gorgeous display of roses around the Cartier store. After arriving at the flower show, I picked up my press pass and headed straight to the King’s Garden. Queues snaked around the square, but the celebrity-starred dwarfs were hidden slightly away from public view in a glass case, opposite an information desk and champagne and seafood stalls.
