RHS Chelsea Flower Show themes and Show Gardens announced for 2021

This story has been updated.

For the latest on the (rescheduled to September 2021) RHS Chelsea flower show head here.

Themes for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2021, which will take place between 18 and 23 May at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London, have been announced as tickets go on sale to the public for the event.

'Sanctuary Gardens', a new RHS Chelsea category, has been revealed, after the positive impact of plants on the nation's health and wellbeing was a focus for many over the last year.

Garden designers and gardens that were set to exhibit in 2020 will, following the show's cancellation, be returning for 2021, with many focusing on the restorative power of plants.

Sarah Eberle's garden for the Bible Society is one of those transferring from 2020 to 2021, along with Amanda Waring for SSAFA the Armed Forces charity supported by CCLA and Robert Myers for The Burdett Trust for Nursing. Myers' garden looks at the critical role nurses play in modern-day healthcare whilst celebrating the remarkable legacy of Florence Nightingale and the importance of gardens for wellbeing and recovery.

In addition to these previously announced gardens, Naomi Ferrett-Cohen will present a ‘Finding Our Way – An NHS Tribute Garden’, while designer Lilly Gomm will create a Sanctuary Garden inspired by the unique flora that typifies various regions in Switzerland.

Carly Kershaw and Ekaterina Zasukhina will be making their Chelsea debut with a Show Garden inspired by the beauty of Russia’s Ural Mountain region, it will be a space to calm the mind whilst reinforcing the need to protect the region’s forests and rivers, which are coming under threat from industrial processes.

Designer Jonathan Snow will be taking inspiration from the Himalayas for his work and Taina Suonio will be focusing on Finland. Kazuyuki Ishihara returns with a ‘Zen Garden’ which takes inspiration from the scenery of both Satoyama in Japan and the rest of the world.

Don't miss our guide to RHS Chelsea Flower Show tickets for 2021.

Helena Pettit, RHS director of gardens and shows said: “Helping and inspiring millions of people to garden and grow for their health and wellbeing is at the heart of what we do, and as so many people have turned to gardening and experienced the positive power of plants during this unsettling year it feels more significant than ever to see this theme highlighted across our shows next year.

Further Show gardens to be featured at Chelsea Flower Show 2021 include

The M&G Garden, by Hugo Bugg and Charlotte Harris
Guangzhou China: Guangzhou Garden - Peter Chmiel with co-designer Chin-Jung Chen T
The Facebook Garden: Growing the Future by Joe Perkins
The Yeo Valley Organic Garden by Tom Massey, supported by Sarah Mead
New: The William Morris Garden - Ruth Willmott

SANCTUARY GARDENS:
The Calm of Bangkok by Mr.Tawatchai Sakdikul and Miss Ploytabtim Suksang
ARTISAN GARDENS:
Circle of Life by Yoshihiro Tamura

More gardens are due to be announced for 2021 including some 2020 gardens which are being redesigned for 2021.

Head to our Chelsea Flower Show hub page for more.