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Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball
Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball

94: Chelsea Flower Show Exclusive!

May 20, 2026 • 47m

Summary

⏱️ 10 min read

Overview

In this special episode from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, hosts Joe and Zoe explore two remarkable gardens on build day. They speak with Frances Tophill about the King's Trust Curious Garden, a celebration of plants featuring David Beckham, the King, and Alan Titchmarsh. Then Arit Anderson shares the deeply personal story behind her Parkinson's Garden, designed with input from people living with the condition to create a joyful, accessible space that works across 24 hours.

Behind the Scenes at Chelsea on Build Day

The hosts arrive at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show during the chaotic build day, when all construction and finishing touches happen before the public arrives. They describe the atmosphere of calm mixed with activity, with crews in high-vis jackets making final adjustments after morning judging. This is a rare behind-the-scenes look at how these elaborate show gardens come together, offering listeners insight into the theatrical nature of Chelsea and the incredible skill involved in creating these temporary displays.

  • Build day is when all construction and finessing happens after judging but before public opening
  • The BBC provides extensive television coverage with Monty Don, Frances Tophill, Adam Frost, and Sophie Raworth
  • The Royal Pavilion behind them is enormous - could fit 500 London buses inside
  • Flower shows across the UK offer inspiration and expert growers eager to share knowledge
" It's like a theater isn't it? It's just this amazing carnival of creativity and skill all the plants people are involved in putting the garden together the designers the construction workers the landscapers the teams "

Frances Tophill's King's Trust Curious Garden

Frances Tophill discusses her first judged garden at Chelsea, designed for the King's Trust in collaboration with David Beckham, King Charles, and Alan Titchmarsh. The garden celebrates plants and encourages new gardeners through an immersive, walkable design mixing vegetables, herbs, and ornamentals in surprising combinations. Frances shares her unconventional path from making brass nipple jewelry to becoming a passionate horticulturist, and reveals that David Beckham provided the most plant-focused feedback of the celebrity collaborators.

  • This is Frances's first judged garden at Chelsea, though it's non-medal so less pressure
  • The brief was about celebrating plants and what they can do, encouraging new gardeners
  • David Beckham gave surprisingly planty feedback, requesting nepeta, lavender, and vegetables
  • The wide paths allow three people to walk comfortably side by side
  • Linseed is one of the most important plants despite being barely noticeable - used for linen, linseed oil, and waterproofing
  • The garden incorporates millinery crafts from King's Foundation students using ancient Maris Widgeon wheat
" David Beckham is a very passionate gardener people might not believe it but actually he is... the most planty feedback was from David Beckham. He was like can we have nepita six hill giants my favorite plants lavender he wanted garlic he was very plant focused "
" I wanted to go more art way... I ended up making jewelry but I don't really wear much jewelry. What I actually did for my final piece was just I cast all my friends nipples and made them out of brass like stuck brass nipples on everything "
" When you gardened one of the main things that I loved when I first said it was like I remember singing the whole Greece soundtrack when we were digging the most enormous hole "
" Being in nature without talking and just listening... it's so good for us "

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