Chelsea 2026 - Update 2
As the year comes to a close, we can look back to Chelsea 2025 and the 11 gardens that we supplied, which was a record number of gardens for Kelways. For 2026 we are supplying 6 gardens for some of the world’s most renowned garden designers, but even more plants in total!
The nursery team led by Lucy, have been working so hard for the past 4 months to ensure that as many plants as possible are potted and “chelsified” before the shortest day on 21st December.
They have done a remarkable job, and every tunnel and structure is now crammed full of gorgeous plants, tucked away and snug for the worst of the winter weather.
After Christmas, and as the daylength gradually lengthens we see new signs of life and green leafy shoots each day.
Watering is slowly increased, and the team resume trimming, shaping and spacing as the plants increase in size.
We are growing an expansive list of different species for Chelsea 2026, over 600 in fact. Each one of which has its own way of growing and natural flowering time.
However, each one of those species has to be re-programmed by us to flower and peak for the third week of May, regardless!
Many species are very amicable and just require a bit of coaxing, yet others require every trick in the book to either delay or accelerate this process.
It is generally easier to speed plants up than it is to slow them down, particularly in an early spring. Some plants challenge our resourses and experience to the limit!
Even with more than 20 years of experience for growing plants for more than 120 Chelsea Show Gardens, there are always some species that we have never tried before, and others that have failed previously, but we are begged to try again by our clients when it is the “only thing that will work in that special corner”
We will keep you regularly updated with progress on the nursery, in particular with the magic that goes on behind closed doors in our propagation department headed by our amazing propagator Sue!
We have one very special project for Chelsea that is yet to be formally announced. However it will be possibly our greatest growing challenge….Ever!
Stay tuned for our next update.
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Posted by Liam Murphy
24th December 2025
