Gnome More Rules: A Day at Chelsea Flower Show With the Unbanned Garden Gnomes
Once branded “tacky,” the garden statues were officially banned from the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show in 1927. Today, they’re back, celebrity-designed and up for auction.
“What are you here to see?” I’m asked when picking up my press pass for London’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, a five-day event that takes place in the Royal Hospital Chelsea’s lush, expansive gardens. More than 150,000 people will descend on its 20 acres to explore the world’s most innovative garden designs, movements in horticulture, and artistic floristry; they’ll also drink almost 42,000 glasses of Pimm’s.
But for me, the question this year isn’t what I’ll see, but who. No, I’m not looking for royals at the King’s Foundation Curious Garden, but a family just as storied and anticipated at the Chelsea Flower Show: a crew of garden gnomes.
2026 marks only the second time since 1927 that the miniature mythical creatures have been allowed into the event. Gnomes were first banned from the exhibit tents, where the rules stated that “no statuary or other sundries may be exhibited… either alone, or as a part of an exhibit,” before being banned outright. The rule was last temporarily lifted in 2013, for the RHS Chelsea centenary.
The gnome prohibition has been relaxed once again for a fundraiser supporting RHS’s school gardening campaign, with a crew of gnomes painted by celebrities such as Cate Blanchett, Dame Mary Berry, and Sir Brian May up for auction. At time of writing, Berry’s gnome has clocked up a $900 bid, May’s $3,000, and Blanchett’s a cool $400. The auction ends this Sunday, May 24.
Cate Blanchett’s gnome enjoys the drink du jour at Chelsea—a classic Pimm’s.
Cate Blanchett’s gnome poses with the Kate Moss rose, developed by Norfolk-based Peter Beales Roses.
“We want people to be playful with their gardening, which is why we’re lifting the gnome ban for these celebrity gnomes,” said RHS director general Clare Matterson. Comedian Bill Bailey—another gnome artist—reminded gathered press that the name for gnomes derives from the Latin gnomus, meaning “earth dweller.” “The Romans had them as guardians of the garden, and to protect against malign spirits. So I think they have been much maligned,” he said. (For what it’s worth, at Highgrove, the King’s private residence in Gloucestershire, the gardens are full of gnomes. One mysterious figurine is said to change positions and locations all on his own.)
On Wednesday, Chelsea was in full bloom. Beyond the Flower Show grounds was a free flower festival with an “Out of this World” theme, and I noted a rendering of Saturn made from burnt orange ranunculus, a four-meter floral dragon and Pegasus, and an opulent display of roses framing the Cartier store. Upon arrival at the Flower Show proper, I picked up my press pass and made a beeline for the King’s Garden. A queue snaked around its perimeter, but the celebrity-cast gnomes were cloistered in a glass cabinet slightly out of public view, opposite an information stand and stall for champagne and seafood.
Blanchett’s felt quite chic, with its scarlet-red ruffled chapeau, cobalt-blue face, and green cape. It would seem to reflect Blanchett’s strong love of color and texture—though she herself has Margiela, Louis Vuitton, and Stella McCartney at her disposal. On the red carpet at Cannes Film Festival early this week, she opted for a floral gown from Sarah Burton’s fall 2026 show for Givenchy, with fringe details in striking shades of burnt orange and red.
On a brief spell outside of the gnome cabinet, Blanchett’s gnome sipped some Pimm’s; met the just-debuted, lemon-to-cream rose named after Kate Moss; and enjoyed Sarah Eberle’s garden, created for the Campaign to Protect Rural England, which won best in show.
Inside the garden, I also spotted a nameless gnome with a heavy set of gray bangs and a large fly agaric for a cap, hiding among the foliage—a nod to the garden-hopping Highgrove figure. Elsewhere, in and out of the tents, gnomes as small as a thimble balanced on shrubs, and a polite queue formed for one larger, intricately carved wooden creature. Gnomes were also painted for Sir David Beckham and the king himself.
I sink the last of my Pimm’s and loop around by the gnome cabinet one more time. Some of the figurines are missing—probably, like Blanchett’s, out doing their own press tours and hobnobbing with prospective auction bidders. They, too, have to make the most of Chelsea Flower Show—because who gnomes when they’ll be allowed back?
The gnome enjoys Sarah Eberle’s Campaign to Protect Rural England Garden, which won best in show at Chelsea Flower Show.
Bid on your favorite celebrity gnome as part of the RHS charity auction. The auction closes on Sunday, May 24.
