Countdown to RHS Sandringham – new gardens and features

Introduction

With just a month to go until the RHS Sandringham Flower Show opens its gates in Norfolk, the Royal Horticultural Society has unveiled the Show Gardens and Features visitors can expect when the event runs from 22 to 26 July 2026. The programme leans heavily on British heritage, sustainable planting and a few surprises aimed squarely at younger visitors, giving UK gardeners plenty of fresh ideas to take home to their own plots.

What This Means for UK Gardeners

The 2026 line-up is built around themes that translate directly into the average back garden or allotment. Several gardens champion native plants, locally sourced materials and resilient species chosen with climate change in mind — all subjects increasingly relevant to UK growers dealing with hotter summers, wetter winters and pressure on traditional habitats. A focus on traditional orchards, hedgerows and edible understorey planting also offers a practical blueprint for gardeners looking to grow more food in smaller, sustainable spaces.

Key Points

• The RHS Head Gardeners Show Feature, designed by Dave Green, will celebrate head gardeners from across the RHS Partner Gardens network, with displays representing British landscapes from Cornwall to Cumbria and Kent to Somerset.
• Mindful Chef's Gathering, designed by Sophie Godber, reimagines a traditional English orchard for a smaller suburban garden, combining apple, plum and nut trees with wildlife-friendly features and a natural pond.
• The Junior Growers Competition invites children and families to bring home-grown fruit and vegetables to the Summer Fruit and Vegetable marquee for daily judging by Sandringham's gardeners.
• The RHS Crafted from Nature Garden, by Laura Strand and Sam Stark-Kemp, draws on Norfolk's natural materials, including reed from the Norfolk Broads reimagined as contemporary garden walls.
• The Tree Listening Project by Alex Metcalf lets visitors hear water moving through a tree's xylem, while 'Future Wood' by Barcham Trees showcases climate-resilient species suited to UK gardens in the coming decades.

Further Reading

For more on planning a visit to the show, see the official RHS Sandringham Flower Show page. GardenWizz also covers related topics in our guides to growing fruit trees in small gardens, choosing climate-resilient plants for UK conditions, and creating wildlife-friendly garden habitats.

IMAGE_SCENE: a Norfolk showground with marquees and naturalistic show gardens in full summer bloom, visitors walking between colourful planted borders under bright English sunshine

Source: https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-sandringham-flower-show/news/2026/two-new-gardens-announced