Show Gardens at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show represent the pinnacle of excellence in horticulture and design. Project Giving Back welcomes applications from designers who have previous show garden experience either at RHS Chelsea or at another RHS flower show, depending on size of garden applied for. Working with a UK registered charity, the garden should tell a strong and engaging story about the cause.
Applications for 2026 funding in this category are now closed and we will be reviewing submissions and communicating our decisions by mid-November 2024.
Since we first encouraged applications for garden funding in 2021, we have received over 400 expressions of interest from designers and charities keen to showcase their work at RHS Chelsea. Due to the volume of applications, and the competitive nature of our process, we have only been able to fund 10% of the gardens that have applied to date. With this in mind, we will make our 2026 show garden selection by initially revisiting applications from previous years.
Designers must be keen to collaborate with a UK registered charity to create a garden that not only showcases excellent design but also tells a compelling story about a cause to help raise awareness and fulfil its objectives.
We encourage designers and charities to form a partnership before applying for funding from Project Giving Back. However, if you are yet to form a partnership between a designer and a good cause and would like to arrange a guidance call with the Project Giving Back team, please get in touch.
The size of garden allocated usually depends on the experience and aspirations of the team and can range in size from a smaller 10mx12m site to the larger 10mx20m sites on Main Avenue.
All PGB funded show gardens will follow the usual RHS application process and being accepted for funding by PGB does not mean automatic acceptance by the RHS. Gardens supported by Project Giving Back will be acknowledged as such on show signage, in the RHS Show Guide and on the RHS website.
For the smaller show gardens that we fund, RHS Chelsea Flower Show experience is not essential, while it is for the largest show gardens that we fund. Applications for this category are now closed and we will be reviewing submissions and contacting applicants by mid-November 2024..
We encourage designers and charities to form a partnership before applying for funding from Project Giving Back. However, if you are yet to form a partnership between a designer and a good cause and would like to arrange a guidance call with the Project Giving Back team, please get in touch.
Project Giving Back has announced that it will fund five more gardens to raise awareness of UK-based causes at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025, bringing the total number of gardens it is supporting this year to ten. These include all four gardens in the All About Plants category, as well as one additional show garden designed by Nigel Dunnett.
Grant-making charity Project Giving Back (PGB) will fund a further cohort of gardens for UK charities at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025, all of which will be permanently relocated after the show to continue to benefit the good causes that have inspired them.
Project Giving Back supports gardens for good causes at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and while the deadline (Friday 4th October 2024) for the 2026 Show Garden funding applications has now passed, we’re pleased to announce that we will be extending the deadline for the 2026 All About Plants funding category to Monday 4th November 2024.
Project Giving Back supports gardens for good causes at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and we are excited to announce that we are open to applications for funding for all categories listed on our website for 2026.
All About Plants is the only scheme that is for the specific benefit of horticultural charities. Applicants
Open to expressions of interest
Deadline for expressions of interest
Applicants screened and long-list ready for review by PGB panel
Long list of applicants invited to submit written brief + moodboards for Monday 28th November
Shortlist of applicants informed and given a grant to evolve application into formal presentation including concept sketch, masterplan, planting plan, budget breakdown and storytelling strategy for the good cause
Shortlisted applicants meet and present to PGB selection panel
PGB funding choices selected and informed
PGB Workshop at The Garden Museum
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024 applications open
RHS selection panel decisions (exact date TBC)
PGB funding contracts and payment schedules in place
Open to expressions of interest
Deadline for expressions of interest
Applicants screened and long-list ready for review by PGB panel
Long list of applicants invited to submit written brief + moodboards by Monday 28th November
Shortlist of applicants informed and given a grant to evolve application into formal presentation including concept sketch, masterplan, planting plan, budget breakdown and storytelling strategy for the good cause
Shortlisted applicants meet and present to PGB selection panel
PGB funding choices selected and informed
PGB Workshop at The Garden Museum
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024 applications open
RHS selection panel decisions (exact date TBC)
PGB funding contracts and payment schedules in place
Project Giving Back is not an alternative to the RHS selection process. Our aim is to identify interesting designers, nurseries and horticultural groups and encourage them to apply for PGB funding in partnership with a good cause. If you are successful in being selected by Project Giving Back, you will still need to apply to the RHS in the usual way and PGB funding is not a guarantee of space allocation at the show.
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show attracts a huge amount of media interest. If your garden is selected by the RHS for the show, the good cause and designer will have the chance to promote their story to the media and work with the RHS press office to maximise media opportunities. They will be invited to organise a photo call on the garden on press day and take advantage of the many other media opportunities available at the show. Any press activity should be coordinated in conversation with the RHS press office. Charities are encouraged to find interesting and creative ways to get their message across and the story behind the garden is often of interest to a wide variety of media.
The charitable organisation benefitting from the garden funded by PGB will be responsible for all PR and marketing in the lead up to and during the show. The RHS Press Office team will provide support throughout the process, with additional guidance from the PGB team. However, the PGB funding will not cover PR & marketing costs and so this should be considered when applying for funding.
Project Giving Back has announced that it will fund five more gardens to raise awareness of UK-based causes at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025, bringing the total number of gardens it is supporting this year to ten. These include all four gardens in the All About Plants category, as well as one additional show garden designed by Nigel Dunnett.
Grant-making charity Project Giving Back (PGB) will fund a further cohort of gardens for UK charities at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025, all of which will be permanently relocated after the show to continue to benefit the good causes that have inspired them.
Project Giving Back supports gardens for good causes at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and while the deadline (Friday 4th October 2024) for the 2026 Show Garden funding applications has now passed, we’re pleased to announce that we will be extending the deadline for the 2026 All About Plants funding category to Monday 4th November 2024.
Project Giving Back supports gardens for good causes at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and we are excited to announce that we are open to applications for funding for all categories listed on our website for 2026.