Gold Fever at RHS Chelsea

Inspiration from Chelsea: Bringing RHS Chelsea Flower Show Magic to Your Garden

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show has once again dazzled and inspired us here at Caragh Nurseries. As we explored this year’s remarkable exhibits, we were especially drawn to gardens that combined outstanding design with ideas that can be beautifully adapted to our clients’ gardens across Ireland and the UK.

Jo Thompson’s Glasshouse Garden: Simplicity with Impact
One of our standout favourites this year was The Glasshouse Garden by Jo Thompson. What drew us in was the effortless elegance of the planting—proof that sometimes, less truly is more.

The carefully chosen combinations created rich texture and visual interest while maintaining a unified, understated palette. We particularly appreciated Thompson’s skillful use of form, height, and seasonal variation to achieve a refined, yet impactful result.

Bringing it home:
At Caragh Nurseries, we can help you achieve this same harmonious balance with our thoughtfully curated plant selection. Our mature specimen trees provide strong structural elements, echoing Thompson’s use of form and height, while our seasonal plant options can help recreate the garden’s textural layers. Multistem trees like Zelkova serrata, which featured in Thompson’s design, pair beautifully with soft, romantic perennials such as foxgloves, delphiniums, Astrantia, Deutzia—and of course, classic roses.

Cha No Niwa – Japanese Tea Garden by Kazuyuki Ishihara: Tranquility in Design
Another garden that deeply resonated with us was Kazuyuki Ishihara’s Cha No Niwa—a Japanese Tea Garden that embodied harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.

The meticulous detailing—from precisely placed stones to beautifully pruned trees—created a meditative space that immediately calmed the senses. We were particularly taken with the garden’s journey-like layout, where each stage encourages the visitor to pause, reflect, and prepare for the ritual of tea.

Bringing it home:
You don’t need a full tea house to embrace the spirit of Japanese garden design. Through our bonsai collection and Japanese-inspired plants, Caragh Nurseries can help infuse your garden with the same peaceful aesthetic. Our Garden Stories collections—especially Moonlit and Shadowplay—are grounded in similar principles of serene, immersive design. Incorporating Japanese Maples, Hornbeams, and Niwaki-pruned specimens, along with calming groundcovers like pachysandra and striking seasonal plants such as iris, brings this tranquil style to life.

Killik & Co ‘Save for a Rainy Day Garden’ by Baz Grainger: Sustainability in Action
We were also intrigued by Baz Grainger’s compact yet impactful Save for a Rainy Day Garden, which championed sustainability without compromising on beauty. Featuring smart water management and drought-tolerant planting, the garden reflects a thoughtful response to climate change.

As our weather patterns shift, plants native to Southern Europe, such as Zelkova serrata and Pinus mugo ‘Mughus’, are becoming viable choices for Northern climates. The garden’s sustainable elements included a rainwater-harvesting steel tank and innovative 3D-printed walling—offering environmental benefits through reduced waste, lower carbon output, and no need for concrete foundations.

Bringing it home:
Sustainability is a core value at Caragh Nurseries. From harnessing solar power to encouraging water conservation, we’re committed to environmentally responsible gardening. We can help incorporate these principles into your garden through:

Drought-resistant plant choices

Rainwater harvesting solutions

Sustainable hard landscaping materials

Native planting that supports local wildlife

Our Chelsea Takeaways
What stood out most this year was how each garden told a story—evoking emotion, memory, and meaning. This aligns perfectly with our Garden Stories ethos at Caragh Nurseries.

Whether you’re inspired by the refined simplicity of Thompson’s garden, the peaceful contemplation of Ishihara’s design, or the forward-thinking sustainability of Grainger’s space, we’re here to help bring that inspiration to life.

Let our design team infuse your outdoor space with Chelsea-style magic—creating gardens that are not just beautiful, but meaningful, resilient, and deeply personal.