The Whittard of Chelsea Garden
RHS
Chelsea Flower Show with landscape garden designer,
Ollie
Pike
Born
in Chelsea in 1886, Whittard of Chelsea has always celebrated the simple, peaceful pleasure of a
perfectly made cup of tea.
As we mark 140
years, we are delighted to return to
where our story began.
To mark this milestone, we are collaborating with RHS Gold Medal winner and Best in Show recipient Ollie Pike to create our very first garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May 2026. Inspired by a small Chelsea courtyard, the garden will offer a tranquil retreat. A sanctuary where nature, tea, and a sense of wonder come together, inviting visitors to pause, reflect, and savour the moment.
The Garden
The garden transforms a small Chelsea courtyard into a calm retreat. Here, nature, tea and a sense of wonder come together to create the perfect sanctuary - a place to pause, reflect, and savour the moment.
The simple act of pouring tea holds deep significance. In many cultures, it is even considered an art form. The beauty and sound of the pour have inspired the garden's design. A network of copper pipes winds gently through the space, echoing this ritual in graceful streams of water, enriching the garden with a soothing, meditative atmosphere.
Imagine a small London courtyard owned by an eccentric, maverick tea enthusiast. An eclectic collection of containers, each marked with its own colourful patina has been reclaimed and repurposed into characterful planters. Together, they form a cosy seating area, enclosed by nature. Rich in fragrance and colour, the planting includes many of the ingredients found in Whittard's infusions.
Almost every element in the garden is reclaimed or recycled. Just like Whittard of Chelsea, the garden celebrates the art of transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. Following the show, we will donate the garden to a community centre, allowing others to continue enjoying this beautiful space.
Meet Ollie Pike
Ollie was selected as an RHS Young Designer of the Year Finalist in 2023, scooped the Best In Show award at RHS Tatton Park Flower Show in 2024 and was a finalist in the D&AD Award for Spatial Design in 2025.
How did you first get in to garden design?
I
also grew up in rural parts of the West Country, exploring the countryside,
making dens, playing in woodlands etc. My passion for making combined with
my
love of nature lead me to studying Landscape Architecture at the University
of
Sheffield. I graduated and went on to work for various well-known landscape
and
garden design companies before setting up my own design studio in
2023.
You
won Best in Show at RHS Tatton Park Flower Show in 2024 - How did that
feel?
It
was a great feeling! Show Gardens are a huge effort, not just the 2 weeks
you
get to build the garden, but the many months, sometimes years before in
preparation. Seeing people's reaction to a garden and the profound affect it
has
on people is a hugely rewarding feeling.
How
would you describe your signature approach to garden
design?
Sensitive
and light touch, crafted, and responding to a narrative or history.
How
do you go about starting a garden design?
It's
all dependent on the project and brief. Generally, it will be an instant
sketch
after seeing a site or being given an idea - my brain is very visual. If a
site
or brief is more tricky then research, history and narrative come
first.
Shop Teas
Discover our collection of beautifully blended teas, crafted with fragrant botanicals, vibrant herbs and delicate florals. Each cup is a celebration of natural flavour and gentle indulgence, created to soothe, inspire and bring a little moment of wonder to your day.
Coming soon, a new summer range inspired by the sun-drenched corners of a British garden. Expect vibrant, seasonal blends that capture the freshness of new growth, the gentle sweetness of ripening fruits and the uplifint scent of aromatic herbs.
