Robert James Workshop at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 will be remembered as our grandest showcase to date – doubling the size of our exhibition stand from the previous year.
With an expanded footprint came a more immersive, literary-inspired experience, where delighted visitors could discover the large cast of storybook characters, woven with intention throughout the stone and curated foliage.
The planting palette was, by design, much simpler this year: generous greens and whites running throughout the stand, with flashes of purple appearing in just the right places, catching details in the sculptures and helping tie the whole scene together.
Planting, stonework and the making of a Chelsea stand
Chelsea may last for less than a week, but the work begins long before the gates open. This year’s stand took around two and a half weeks to construct, followed by the 5-day show, then the all-too-familiar race to take everything down again within a few days!
As always, we were fortunate to have a brilliant and capable team around us. Tony Benger Landscaping supplied the wonderful planting, bringing organic contrast and structure to the display. Raf, meanwhile, created the beautiful stonework, providing a grounded, natural aesthetic that made our bronze pieces feel right at home.
We are also hugely grateful to our wider team of helpers, whose patience, energy and spirited humour carried us through the business of bringing a grand, theatrical Chelsea stand to life.
Five gold stars at Chelsea
We were delighted to be awarded five gold stars at this year’s show – for the sixth occasion! Chelsea is always full of remarkable craftsmanship and imagination, so receiving such a recognition means a great deal to everyone involved with the stand.
The real joy, however, came from watching visitors step onto the stand for the first time; as if opening a garden gate into an enchanting world beyond, recognising larger-than-life characters that they know so well, from books they perhaps hadn’t thought about for a lifetime.
The pleasure was found in conversation about books, gardens, childhood memories, and the more practical side of things – scale, water features, placement, and how a sculpture might fit into someone’s own garden at home.
A shared walkway with Capital Garden Products
Another highlight was the joint walk-through created with our next-door neighbours, Capital Garden Products. Two stone walls and a gate joined the two stands, creating a shared route between the displays.
We also held a small after-hours tea party on the stand. After the long build, early mornings, and inescapable high energy of the show, gathering everyone for tea and conversation was a very welcome break – sitting out among the beautiful plant life, stonework, and sculptures.
New characters in the Chelsea garden
There were plenty of new but decidedly familiar additions to this year’s showcase. Beatrix Potter’s characters have a natural affinity with gardens, and Benjamin Bunny was a welcome, hugely popular debut in the range – his instantly recognisable purple jacket sitting beautifully amongst the planting and stoneware.
Meanwhile, Kanga and Roo, and wise old Wol from Winnie the Pooh attracted plenty of attention; the perfect natural companions for Winnie-the-Pooh, Christopher Robin, Piglet, Tigger and Eeyore in the A.A. Milne collection. Wol’s beautifully polished bronze beak and claw details radiant in the afternoon sun.
Also debuting at Chelsea, The Curlew with Quill made a lasting impression – capturing the slender elegance of a bird long associated with poetry, folklore, moorland, estuary, and the unmistakable character of the British countryside.
Of course, photographs of a new sculpture, or even viewed within a workshop or gallery setting, are one thing. Seeing it outdoors, among real planting, with real visitors' responses, is quite another. For anyone considering a sculpture for their own garden, this is why meeting the collection in person is especially valuable.
Preparing for Chelsea 2027
No sooner has the stand come down than thoughts begin to turn towards next May. The nature of Chelsea is that each year brings new characters, new practical challenges, and new ideas for how the collection might be shown.
If you caught us at Chelsea and would like to continue a conversation about a sculpture, water feature or commission, we would be very pleased to hear from you. A brochure request or gallery appointment is often the simplest next step…
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