Crocus returns to RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 with Tom Stuart-Smith for 12th collaboration
After a year in ‘retirement’, Crocus is set to return to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2026, reuniting with Tom Stuart-Smith for their 12th collaboration.
The garden, created for Tate Britain, will be match-funded by the Clore Duffield Foundation and Project Giving Back. Crocus and Tom will also be working alongside Dave Root of Kelways, who will be supplying the herbaceous plants.
This project marks the 39th garden built by Crocus at Chelsea. Over the years, Crocus has achieved an exceptional 35 Gold Medals and 13 Best in Show awards.
“The Crocus team are excited to be back at Chelsea after a year away,” said Mark Fane, Co-founder of Crocus. “Last year I said that I’d retired from building gardens at Chelsea and enjoyed my year off in 2025, but you don't say no to Tom! It will be great to be back on Main Avenue with our regular team.”
Tom Stuart-Smith said:
“The Tate Britain Garden will be an evocation of a part of the larger Clore Garden at Tate Britain which we have designed and which is opening in Autumn 2026. The design takes a section of the garden at Tate Britain and reconfigures it to suit the constraints of the flower show, inspired by East Asian woodlands and which uses a number of more tender and drought- tolerant species.
The planting reflects Tate Britain's sustainability goals and uses long-lived plants which increase biodiversity. A gentle curving path made from York stone, reclaimed from the existing Tate Britain Garden, leads to a circular seating area, where the benches are also made from repurposed material from the garden. A tranquil water feature, based on microscopic images of fungal structures, is made with a series of small, shallow bronze dishes, inset into the paving and connected by rills."
"Surrounded by vibrant, complex planting, the space suggests the reimagining of the Clore Garden at Tate Britain as a creative, richly diverse social space.
In early 2026 a sculpture for the garden by a leading British artist will be revealed.”
Reflecting on the year in general, Mark Fane added:
“2025 has been an excellent year for Crocus. It has been a record sales year - our best ever apart from during COVID. Our Trustpilot score has remained ‘Excellent’ throughout, which is a testament to the performance of the entire team. It’s particularly encouraging given how tough it has been for many. It also marks a strong recovery from 2024, which was a challenging year for both Crocus and the wider industry.”
In 2025, Crocus became the first online nursery to achieve Plant Healthy accreditation, demonstrating its commitment to biosecurity and best horticultural practice. It was also the company’s fourth consecutive year publishing its Sustainability Report, reaffirming its dedication to environmental responsibility and transparency.
About Crocus
Founded in 2000, Crocus is the country’s most trusted online gardening brand with almost 70,000 customers rating it as ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot. Renowned for its partnership with many of Britain’s leading Garden Designers and its long-standing success at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Crocus combines horticultural expertise with a passion for design, sustainability, and excellence.
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