Compete

**2026 Applications are now closed**

Creating a garden at an RHS Show is a fantastic way to showcase your skills whilst engaging with an enthusiastic audience. We are looking for original, bold ideas and designs; our open brief allows for maximum flexibility, enabling the creation of unique spaces that captivate and inspire, supporting innovation and the celebration of plants.

Our supportive team is on hand to guide you through the process, and grants are available in all categories.

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If you have any questions about designing a garden in the future, please contact Charlie Gwynne.

**2026 Applications are now closed**

If you are interested in applying for future years, please email Kate Dufton

The RHS Malvern Spring Festival 2026 invites submissions for the design and build of a high-profile Walkthrough Feature Garden.

This garden should be eye catching , immersive, and functional — offering a ‘WOW’ factor to visitors and serving as a flexible venue for small events and informal gatherings.

This garden will be a flagship installation and a key attraction of the festival, situated in a high-footfall location within the Showground.

**2026 Applications are now closed**

If you are interested in applying for future years, please email Charlie Gwynne

NEW to RHS Malvern: Blooming Borders is a planting design category offers opportunities for garden designers, plants people, horticulturalists and landscapers to kick-start, or further their careers in the horticultural industry whilst gaining exposure and experience exhibiting at an RHS Show.

Located at the entrance to the Show Garden area, the borders create a stunning, expansive planted walkway, becoming a captivating feature in the Festival’s highest footfall area. This collaborative space promises to leave a lasting impression on all who visit.

If you are interested in applying for future years, please email Charlie Gwynne

**2026 Applications are now closed**

In 2025, the RHS Malvern Spring Festival proudly introduced ‘Indoor Plant Gardens’ as an addition to the successful second year of Festival of Houseplants.

The category celebrates the diversity, joy, and adaptability of indoor gardening, showcasing indoor plants thriving in various settings.

We welcome applications from horticulturists, designers, and indoor garden specialists.

If you are interested in applying for future years, please email Charlie Gwynne

**2026 Applications are now closed**

NEW judged floristry category ‘Floral Tablescaping’.

A Feast of Flowers

Step inside our charming garden shed and transform it into a floral dining experience. This new RHS judged category invites floral designers, stylists, and creatives to style the interior of a garden shed, including benches and a dining table, to create a captivating tablescape where blooms take centre stage.

Your challenge is to set the space for dining, with flowers, foliage, and botanicals as the heroes of your design. Both fresh and dried plant materials are welcome – use them to tell a story, evoke a mood, and create a memorable experience for guests. Think seasonality, sustainability, and creative flair. This is your opportunity to showcase floristry as an art form, inspire visitors, and celebrate the joy of flowers at the table.

**2026 Applications are now closed**

For more information contact Melinda Goodhew.

**2026 applications are now open**

For more information or to discuss your application please contact Melinda Goodhew

**2026 applications are now closed*

For more information or to discuss your application please contact Melinda Goodhew

**2026 Applications are now closed**

The theme for 2026 is ‘Myths and Legends’. We invite young people to explore magical stories, cultural heritage and powerful symbolism through the design and creation of their garden space. Whether drawing on ancient folklore, mythology, heroic tales, or mythical creatures, the garden should tell a story and ignite the imagination of visitors.

You can be as creative as you like when designing your garden. You may decide to incorporate a tree, plant a living hedge, build a bug hotel…the possibilities are endless!

Before applying, please read the information pack.

To register your application, please complete this form by the deadline date of Friday 24th October 2025

For more information or to discuss your application please contact the Education Team

The 2026 School Garden Challenge is kindly supported by Syngenta Flowers and Bransford Webbs Plant Company.

**2026 trade stand applications are now open**

For more information, please contact Richard Austin.