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Time Out
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Take a look: SA's Cape Floral Kingdom wins Chelsea Gold
There are flower shows, and then there's the RHS Chelsea Flower Show - the crown jewel of British horticultural society, complete with all the bells, whistles and fascinators to make it blooming brilliant. It's such a spectacle, with the show previously ranking as one of the world's top travel experiences - and it makes South Africa's top RHS honours this year all the more meaningful as it puts one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet firmly in the global spotlight. To date, South Africa has won a total of 39 gold medals at this long-standing event. Acclaimed horticulturist Leon Kluge, whose design also won gold last year, states this year's winning display was the biggest yet, 'with up to 25,000 stems of fynbos cut flowers'. RHS President Keith Weed CBE presented Kluge and his team the Lawrence Medal, awarded to the best floral exhibit over all the RHS shows throughout the calendar year - and the first time South Africa has received this award. 'Inspired by South Africa's two mighty oceans, the Indian and Atlantic, which have given rise to a multitude of habitats from the fynbos of the Cape to the more subtropical lushness of KZN,' adds Kluge. Kluge also praised the 'generous support' of the display's sponsors, including the farmers and farmworkers who helped bring it to life and the Grootbos Foundation, Hazendal Wine Estate, and Southern Sun. 'We celebrate this Gold together, and may it encourage us to protect and conserve our beautiful natural heritage!' The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is on until Sunday, 24 May. Needless to say, you'll find a swathe of more amazing garden designs and gorgeous floral displays. See all the 2025 winners here. Guests can also indulge in exclusive shopping at the event, which includes a piece of the Karoo inspired by the Cape Winelands' very own Babylonstoren, which is exhibiting at the event for the first time.
News24
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
SA garden wins gold at Chelsea Flower Show
For the second year in a row, a Leon Kluge-designed garden representing South Africa's beauty has won a gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London. Kluge and his team won for their entry inspired by the meeting of two oceans - the Atlantic and the Indian - and all the flora in between. The well-respected horticulturalist took to Instagram on Tuesday cradling the team's award. 'Well, it's gold again for South Africa here at the Chelsea Flower show,' a beaming Kluge said at their stand at the prestigious event. 'It was a bit nerve-wracking this morning not knowing what [medal] was going to wait for us at the stand. We are very relieved and very excited about the gold, putting South Africa's flora right at the top of the world stage.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cape Flora SA (@capeflorasa) He thanked their sponsors, Hazendal Wine Estate and Grootbos Private Nature Reserve and Cape Flora South Africa as we as all the messages of support from back home. Much preparation went into preparing this year's garden at what is known as the 'Olympics' of the flower world, with at least 25 000 stems of beautiful flowers and fynbos being cut ahead of their display. The end result was beautiful hues of yellows, purples and pinks showcasing South Africa's unique biodiversity. This is the second gold for South Africa after it stole the show at last year's event, when the same team won gold with a perfect score for a garden inspired by the windswept slopes of the Cape mountains. The team was also awarded 'Best Exhibit in the Pavilion' and the 'Best New Design' in 2024. South Africa's Babylonstoren also had a Karoo Succulent Garden displayed at the show this year for the first time. READ | Babylonstoren flies a piece of the Karoo to London to wow at Chelsea Flower Show The team worked in partnership with its sister estate, The Newt in Somerset in the UK, to bring a little piece of the Karoo to the world. The Newt in Somerset has been the headline sponsor of the event for the past four years, and the succulent garden served as a showstopper for the attending visitors. Babylonstoren's master botanist Dr Ernst van Jaarsveld told News24 that Karoo succulents could teach many things to the world, and was well-suited to represent South Africa's resilience. The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is open from Tuesday to Saturday this May.
