“What are you here to see?” I’m asked when picking up my press pass for London’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, a five-day event that takes place in the Royal Hospital Chelsea’s lush, expansive gardens. More than 150,000 people will descend on its 20 acres to explore the world’s most innovative garden designs, movements in horticulture, and artistic floristry; they’ll also drink almost 42,000 glasses of Pimm’s.
But for me, the question this year isn’t what I’ll see, but who. No, I’m not looking for royals at the King’s Foundation Curious Garden, but a family just as storied and anticipated at the Chelsea Flower Show: a crew of garden gnomes.
2026 marks only the second time since 1927 that the miniature mythical creatures have been allowed into the event. Gnomes were first banned from the exhibit tents, where the rules stated that “no statuary or other sundries may be exhibited… either alone, or as a part of an exhibit,” before being banned outright. The rule was last temporarily lifted in 2013, for the RHS Chelsea centenary.
The gnome prohibition has been relaxed once again for a fundraiser supporting RHS’s school gardening campaign, with a crew of gnomes painted by celebrities such as Cate Blanchett, Dame Mary Berry, and Sir Brian May up for auction. At time of writing, Berry’s gnome has clocked up a $900 bid, May’s $3,000, and Blanchett’s a cool $400. The auction ends this Sunday, May 24.
“We want people to be playful with their gardening, which is why we’re lifting the gnome ban for these celebrity gnomes,” said RHS director general Clare Matterson. Comedian Bill Bailey—another gnome artist—reminded gathered press that the name for gnomes derives from the Latin gnomus, meaning “earth dweller.” “The Romans had them as guardians of the garden, and to protect against malign spirits. So I think they have been much maligned,” he said. (For what it’s worth, at Highgrove, the King’s private residence in Gloucestershire, the gardens are full of gnomes. One mysterious figurine is said to change positions and locations all on his own.)
On Wednesday, Chelsea was in full bloom. Beyond the Flower Show grounds was a free flower festival with an “Out of this World” theme, and I noted a rendering of Saturn made from burnt orange ranunculus, a four-meter floral dragon and Pegasus, and an opulent display of roses framing the Cartier store. Upon arrival at the Flower Show proper, I picked up my press pass and made a beeline for the King’s Garden. A queue snaked around its perimeter, but the celebrity-cast gnomes were cloistered in a glass cabinet slightly out of public view, opposite an information stand and stall for champagne and seafood.
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