Garden gnomes decorated by Cate Blanchett and Sir Brian May are set to make their debut at the Chelsea Flower Show.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has lifted its long-standing ban on the quirky ornaments for only the second time in the event’s history, allowing them to join the blooms.
The unique gnomes, personalised by figures such as Alan Titchmarsh, Dame Mary Berry, Tom Allen, Dame Joanna Lumley, and Bill Bailey, will be available for the public to bid on.
An online auction runs from Friday until Sunday 24 May.
Proceeds from the auction will benefit the RHS’s Campaign For School Gardening.
The initiative provides schoolchildren with access to gardening, fostering learning through plant cultivation, developing practical skills, building confidence, and enhancing their environmental understanding, the charity said.
Visitors to the show can also spot some of the cheerful characters within the RHS And The King’s Foundation Curious Garden.
Designed with input from King Charles, Sir David Beckham, and Mr Titchmarsh, the display aims to spark gardening curiosity.
The gnomes’ presence echoes a tradition at Highgrove Garden, the King’s Gloucestershire residence, where a gnome often resides in The Stumpery.
It is only the second time the RHS has lifted its Chelsea gnome ban, after first allowing them in 2013 to celebrate the centenary of the show.
“We are delighted to lift the ban on gnomes for such an important cause,” RHS director general Clare Matterson said.
“RHS Chelsea is our biggest charitable fundraiser, and this auction will enable us to support thousands of children to discover the joy and benefits of gardening.
“My heartfelt thanks go to all our celebrity contributors, whose colourful gnomes will not only brighten the show but also help inspire a lifelong connection with gardening for young people.”
The RHS unveiled its celebrity gnomes as it announced the Chelsea Flower Show sold out before opening its doors to the public for the first time since before Covid, which forced the cancellation of the event at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, in 2020, and a move to an autumn slot in 2021.
Ms Matterson said the news the show was already sold out was “great for gardening”.
The 150,000 tickets help raise millions of pounds for community gardening programmes across the UK and science research to inform efforts to tackle climate change, the charity said.
Visitors to the show will see gardens representing the country’s “forgotten forests” – planted ancient woodlands, one inspired by the new Eden Project site in Morecombe, one on helping homeowners cope with flooding and another on communities coming together, among a host of show gardens and displays.