Houseplant Studios at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026

Love your houseplants? Need to know what’s trending? Chelsea Flower Show’s popular Houseplant Studios were the place to head for everything new and innovative in the world of indoor gardening.

Now a permanent feature at the event, the plants are displayed in attractive wooden summer houses in a leafy corner of the showground. The six studios are practically gardens in their own right, as they take over not just the interior but the exterior too, allowing visitors to get the full houseplant experience.

There was a wide range of settings and styles to enjoy. An elegant conservatory filled with flowering climbers, designed for creativity and mindful contemplation; next to it, a composers cabin, complete with grand piano, set in a landscape inspired by West Cornwall. In contrast to both of those was ‘An Ode to Endurance’ envisioning an arid, harsh landscape filled with curious and fascinating succulents.

At the other extreme and absolutely unmissable was ‘Aphrodite’s Hothouse’ conceived as ‘the ultimate pleasure garden’ whose vibrant pink colour, suggestive styling and lush foliage was certainly raising a few eyebrows!

Something for everyone indeed. But even though there was such a contrast across all six and on the surface, they were all very different, the overarching thread that linked them all could be neatly summed up in two words; big and bold.

From oversized ferns, giant Anthuriums, huge Alocasia, towering banana trees and cacti straight from a Western film set, there was nothing shy or retiring about the plants on show.

This was even reflected in the RHS Plant of the Year, where new Anthurium ‘Michelle’ was on the shortlist. Large, velvety leaves with striking white veins and hints of deep burgundy, this was a stand-out tropical, typifying the trend for impressive foliage houseplants.

How can you get the look in your shop?

Large houseplants can be a challenge to display, but you only need two or three to make an impact. Not everyone will want a six foot palm, but one specimen plant, surrounded by smaller versions of the same, will save on space while still giving the customer whose looking for a statement plant the right idea.

Big and bold? Which plants to stock

Distinctive Foliage

Alocasia

Aphelandra

Codiaeum

Dieffenbachia

Maranta

Sansevieria

Syngonium

Glossy and Green

Anthurium

Aspidistra

Asplenium

Chamaedorea

Fatsia

Musa

Philodendron

---

Su Whale is a florist and freelance writer with over Thirty years' experience in the floristry industry. She is the author and publisher of three best-selling books: Cut Flowers, 4th edition (2020) Cut Foliage, 2nd Edition, (2021) and Houseplants (2019), all bookshelf essentials for the professional florist.