23-05-2025
EXCLUSIVE I'm a Chelsea Flower Show gold medal winner and these are the world's most beautiful gardens
Gardener Tom Massey is basking in a golden glow after scooping a gold medal at Chelsea Flower Show this week.
The London landscaper, who grew up close to Richmond Park in the capital's south west, scooped his second coveted gold medal in a row after exhibiting at the country's most famous flower show.
Alongside co-designer Je Ahn, the pair created the AI-enabled Avanade Intelligent Garden, which has been one of the most talked about horticultural showcases at this year's event.
BBC presenter Adam Frost praised the garden for its diversity during a tour, saying: 'He's built in layers - so the trees, the shrubs, and then we're down to the herbaceous plants, but within that, there's a huge amount of edibles.'
Tom told MailOnline Travel that he's been inspired by visits to some of the world's most spectacular green spaces - and says green-fingered fans should make time to see beautiful gardens when on holiday.
He said: 'Travelling to visit gardens is one of the most enriching ways to connect with a place - offering a window into local culture, climate, and ecology through the lens of landscape design.
'Gardens tell stories about how people live with nature, and each one reveals something unique about its environment and community.'
Here, the Chelsea Flower Show gold-medal winner picks his favourite gardens around the world...
The High Line, New York City, USA
An elevated linear park built on a former freight rail line, the High Line is a global model for regenerative urban space.
Designed by James Corner Field Operations with Piet Oudolf's planting, it showcases native and climate-resilient species in a bold, immersive landscape.
Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Once a contaminated gasworks site, Westergasfabriek was transformed into a thriving cultural and ecological park.
It features innovative water purification systems, wildflower meadows, and sustainable architecture, demonstrating how degraded land can be beautifully restored.
The Superkilen, Copenhagen, Denmark
A radical example of sustainable placemaking, Superkilen blends climate-resilient design with social inclusion.
Recycled materials, drought-tolerant planting, and community-sourced elements from around the world make it a living celebration of diversity and urban resilience.
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London
Born from the 2012 Games, this park is a benchmark for ecological urban design. Swales, wetlands, and wild planting manage stormwater naturally, while new woodlands and meadows increase biodiversity and provide long-term public benefit.
Gardens by the Bay (Bay East), Singapore
Beyond the famous Supertrees, Bay East offers a quieter, more ecologically focused experience.
It integrates native wetland planting, stormwater harvesting, and passive cooling design, showing how cities in hot climates can reimagine public space sustainably.
Naoshima Island, Japan
Not a garden in the conventional sense, but a deeply considered landscape where art, architecture, and nature coexist.
Naoshima invites slow, sensory engagement with place, and its sensitive design ethos aligns with the values of sustainable and immersive garden design.
Castlefield Viaduct, Manchester
A National Trust project transforming a disused railway viaduct into an elevated urban park.
Castlefield Viaduct champions nature-led regeneration, using planters filled with native and pollinator-friendly plants while trialling new approaches to green infrastructure in cities.
My WaterAid show garden from RHS Chelsea 2024 will be relocated here in Spring 2026 as part of a phase 2 extension.
