Niwaki Jake manning the stand at Niwaki Corner
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026: the view from Niwaki Corner
There’s no two ways about it – whether the RHS Chelsea Flower Show evokes rabid excitement, visceral distaste or barely registered indifference – undeniably, this one week in May is a really big moment in the horticultural calendar for a lot of gardening fans. Where else could you see the work of so many top garden designers and plant growers (not to mention humble tool merchants) in one place?
Niwaki has been exhibiting at Chelsea in one form or another for the best part of a decade, and we hope to continue setting up shop at ‘Niwaki Corner’ (our label, not official RHS nomenclature, we should point out) for as long as they’ll have us.
Above all, we appreciate the opportunity to meet so many customers from all over the world in such a short space of time. It’s a great chance for us to gauge reactions to new products, help people out with sharpening problems, explain what separates our gear from the rest, and generally shoot the breeze with like-minded individuals.
This year, Niwaki Camo has been the runaway success, which is hugely gratifying after the time and effort that has gone into its design, production and promotion. Thank you to everyone who visited the stand, especially repeat customers with kind words for our gear.
Alex Fulton and friend, with that ‘post-Niwaki purchase’ glow
Frida Kim rocking a Niwaki Engei Lightweight Garden Jacket
Arit Anderson and Carien van Boxtel in Niwaki Camo Caps, planting the final plant in People’s Choice Award-winning Parkinson’s garden.
Sean Anthony Pritchard arriving in style in a Niwaki Camo London Taxi
Now, we can’t claim to have done much more than offer a little financial and promotional support, alongside some tools and workwear, but we did have a small hand in a couple of top-notch show gardens this year, and it would be remiss of us not to give them a shout-out and say thank you for putting our gear to such good use.
If you read our Road to Chelsea dispatches, you’ll know we’re talking about Harry Holding, who, together with Alex Michaelis, designed the Give Me Sunshine Garden for Eden Project, and Ashleigh Aylett, who designed the Forgotten Forests Garden for the Woodland Trust.
Behind every great garden designer … Harry and Charlotte Holding
We first met Harry down in Cornwall at the Eden Project, seeing some of the plants that ultimately made it to Chelsea in their early stages, and learning more about the garden’s Morecambe Bay-inspired planting scheme. It was nothing short of a miracle to see how well those unpromising-looking plants had developed in such a short space of time, and how cleverly Harry and his team had woven them together into such a cohesive whole.
It was quite windy on the Sunday before Chelsea when we first caught a glimpse of the finished garden, allowing us to appreciate the way these coastal plants dance and mesmerise in a good breeze: just as well, as they’ll soon be heading up to the Cumbrian coast – a location not unfamiliar with gusty sea winds – to bring the new Eden Project Morecambe public realm to life.
Harry and Alex were awarded a Silver-Gilt medal (effectively a Gold with a mark or two deducted for something or other that we couldn’t identify), and there was a constant buzz around the space from celebs, bees and general visitors all wanting a piece of the magic.
Cockle shells and Asphodeline lutea in the Bring Me Sunshine Garden
In the run-up to the show, Ashleigh very kindly took Niwaki on a tour of a Woodland Trust woodland in Hampshire, where we squatted, scrambled and slip-slid our way into the heart of the wood to inspect grasses thriving at a stream’s edge in ancient woodland, and to hunt for elusive Paris quadrifolia. This extraordinary attention to detail was translated into a miraculous space at Chelsea which, although small and situated on a busy corner, somehow managed faithfully to evoke the quiet heart of the wood. It’s all in the details, we decided, and the judges agreed, awarding Ashleigh a Gold medal as well as the “Best All About Plants Garden” award.
Multi-stemmed Acer campestre and a host of other native woodland species in the underplanting in Ashleigh’s garden.
Jake and Ashleigh talk trees
Midori, Jake and Shintaro
Of course, it wouldn’t be Chelsea without catching up with a few of our favourite gardeners and even enjoying a bit of celeb spotting. HRH put his head down and cruised right past the Niwaki stand, but real garden royalty, Fergus Garrett VMH of Great Dixter fame, came by for a chat, and we were delighted to bump into Midori Shintani and Shintaro Sasagawa, last seen by Niwaki in Tokachi Millennium Forest when we were researching the first Niwaki Field Report, who were helping out with Angus Thompson’s The Asthma + Lung UK Breathing Space Garden.
The Tripod Ladders from our stand kept going walkies, helping various gardens stay watered, pruned etc. – nothing beats a Niwaki Tripod Ladder for stability and portability – and the stand itself was awarded FIVE stars for the first time by the fearsome RHS trade stand inspectors (thank you!).
Niwaki Jake was papped by Vogue in his very fine Niwaki Camo Happi – now sold out but soon to be re-stocked – and everywhere we looked you could spot a Niwaki Cap or a Chelsea Tote (free with every purchase online while stocks last). To the best of our knowledge, nobody was hospitalised with Chelsea tickle from the London plane tree trichomes.
All in all, another great year. Now time for a lie down in a dark room. See you next time!
Mr and Mrs Fergus Garrett
