RHS Chelsea Flower Show x Armadillo Sun

In 2026, I was asked to design the planting scheme for the Armadillo Sun trade stand at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

While Caroline and the team at Armadillo Sun have exhibited at Chelsea for several years, they had never quite achieved the elusive 5-star award for their stand. The planting therefore needed not only to look exceptional, but also to elevate the overall atmosphere and presentation of the space.

Creating a planting scheme for RHS Chelsea brings a very particular challenge. The plants need to look their absolute best for one specific week in May, performing immediately while still feeling believable as part of a real garden setting.

At the same time, the planting needed to support, rather than overwhelm, the contemporary outdoor furniture displayed on the stand.

This scheme was designed to bring a relaxed contemporary cottage-garden feel to the space, combining soft movement, layered textures and a rich seasonal palette.

The intention was to soften the structure of the stand, complement the furniture and create an inviting garden setting that felt both abundant and cohesive.

The Planting Palette

The scheme brings together a carefully balanced mix of structural shrubs, perennials and ornamental grasses to create rhythm and flow throughout the stand. The planting focuses on:

  • Layered planting to create the feeling of generous, lush borders

  • Interesting textures, shapes and forms to complement the fabrics and furniture on display

  • Soft naturalistic movement through grasses and relaxed planting forms

  • Planting designed to feel familiar and achievable, allowing visitors to easily imagine the furniture within their own gardens  A gentle palette of greens, whites and blues, lifted with subtle accents of orange.

Featured Plants

A selection of the key plants used within the scheme includes:

Alchemilla mollis

Erigeron karvinskianus

Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’

Nepeta ‘Junior Walker’

Salvia ‘Prentis’

Salvia ‘Melen’

Thalictrum Ankium

Trachleospermum jasminoides

Anemone sylvestris

Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’

Calamagrostis ‘Overdam’

About Sally Hart Garden Design

Sally Hart Garden Design creates bespoke gardens that are both beautiful and functional, helping clients make the most of their outdoor space through thoughtful design and carefully considered planting.

This is the fourth RHS show I have been involved with, and the first where I have been fully responsible for the planting design.

Based in Guildford, Surrey, I work across Surrey, London and the Home Counties.