While floral stars at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show typically include classics like rambling roses and blowsy hydrangeas, a few surprising choices always crop up in the planting schemes.
For the 2026 show in May, one designer has swapped traditional plants for easy-to-grow dwarf fruits and vegetables in an edible balcony garden, with plenty of take-home inspiration.
Designed by Katerina Kantalis and sponsored by Viking, A Little Garden of Shared Knowledge celebrates growing produce in small spaces — from salads to pergolas laden with grapes.
"The garden will be filled with edibles, including lots of herbs and vegetables. Balconies can often be tricky spaces to design, but we want to show you how to grow edibles even in a tiny plot," Katerina tells Country Living from her London home. "We're showcasing dwarf vegetables, for example, as they can easily be grown in pots and containers (they have smaller root systems)."
Expect to see (and smell) container-friendly beans, peas, tomatoes, aubergines, cucumbers, plus a mixture of herbs, all grown for flavour and culinary uses. Nasturtiums, with their peppery taste, will trail from pots, while the low-growing perennial Grevillea 'Jean O'Neill' is an example of how to attract pollinators when space is limited.
A pergola covered with growing fruit will feature on the balcony. "We're going to have a grape vine growing up, and fingers crossed, a pomegranate tree right in the centre of the garden. I'm so excited."
For Katerina, this space is really a love letter to her childhood. "My gardening journey really started as a child when I would watch my parents grow vegetables," she tells us.
"My parents are Greek, but live in Australia. They would grow an abundance of fruits and vegetables, which helped me to learn. My dad was the king of tomatoes! I really kept that passion growing as I got older. I've always, always loved growing vegetables. It really is one of the best ways to learn about gardening. You nurture over time and then you get a reward at the end of it, and amazing things to eat."
We might see the finished product in May, but planting an edible garden for Chelsea is certainly no easy feat.
"We started sowing seeds in January and we're already ahead of the game due to the weather. We've had challenges with frost, but also high temperatures in February," explains Katerina, adding that timings are one of the biggest challenges. We won't decide on the final plants in April, as things in the garden change so much.
"We're cheating the system a little bit because you wouldn't normally see tomatoes growing in May. Unlike flowers and plants, vegetables are a little bit unpredictable in terms of their fruit production. We could literally end up growing hundreds!"
A main focus of the garden is showing visitors how easily they can recreate the space at home.
"We don't want the garden to be challenging for people visiting at Chelsea — we want people to visit and think it's something they can easily recreate. It's for people who have perhaps downsized but still love to garden, even if they have a balcony. It really is shared knowledge in the garden."
It might be small, but design is still fundamental to the space. "Gardens can so often be neglected – many people just plonk patios in the middle. I love to encourage people to move through their gardens. We go crazy for colour and decoration indoors, yet outside, it's literally just a patio," says Katrina.
"Think about how to use tiles and creative flooring outside. The balcony garden will have a lovely bespoke-made potting station, movable pots and planters, and tiles. It's not just about growing, but really showing people how to create a colourful, pretty garden."
See the A Little Garden of Shared Knowledge, sponsored by Viking, designed by Katerina Kantalis at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026. Book your tickets at rhs.org.uk.
20 gardening tools and essentials you can get delivered to your home right now
Moving mulch, compost or soil to your garden beds? A wheelbarrow is an essential to save your back. One-wheeled, two-handled options are great for manoeuvrability, but if you're limited in strength you may want to opt for a dual-wheeled one.
A fantastic spade that's RHS-approved, this stainless steel choice is rust-resistant and won't need regular sharpening, making it easy to maintain. Long-handle spades like this are great for digging large plots and transferring soil (not to mention being easier on your back). This is also a sustainable choice with the handle made from FSC-certified ash.
V&A William Morris Gardening Gloves
Add a splash of bold and beautiful colour to your garden activities with these stylish William Morris-print gloves. Not just for good looks, of course, they'll also protect you from thorns and brambles while you're working.
Keep your garden looking spic and span and free from leaves and debris with this top-notch DeWit rake, which makes clearing up much more pleasurable.
Sicilian lemon kneeler pillow
Protect your knees while getting in amongst the borders with this pretty kneeler. Or you might prefer strap-on knee pads so you don't have to keep moving it – BUY NOW, £14.99
Protect your clothes and get organised with a stylish gardening apron. Whether you're planting new flowerbeds, picking vegetables or potting around in the shed or greenhouse, this trusty apron will ensure clothes stay clean. What's more, all important tools, seeds and more can be stored close to hand in the front pocket.
Webb electric rotary mower ER40 15"
Opt for a more eco-friendly electric lawnmower as opposed to a petrol one.
Ensyure your hedges and borders looks super-smart with an easy-lift, lightweight, cable-free trimmer for quick and easy grooming.
RHS Burgon and Ball stainless steel digging fork
An efficient tool for turning soil, garden forks can dig into dense soil better than a spade. This one made from rust-proof stainless steel with forged tines for extra strength, is a high-quality digging fork that's endorsed by the RHS. Need we say more?
personalised Personalised Fork And Trowel Gardening Set For Gardener
This personalised fork and trowel set is the perfect gift for your gardening-loving friend.
Personalised Copper Plated Garden Pruner Secateurs
Plants taking over? Pruning shears, or secateurs as they're also known, help reign in plants that are getting out of control. They're also perfect for trimming flowers, like roses. Why not match yours to your hand trowel and fork for stylish trio?
This well-crafted garden hoe will make light work of clearing weeds from your flower beds, borders and veg plots. The extra-long handle will also protect you from back strain.
All gardens need a trusty watering can to keep flowers and plants thriving. This durable one is available in three sizes, so you can choose the one to suit your outdoor space. The 1.5L is perfect for herb pots on plant stands. The 5L for small gardens with plant pots and flowers. And the biggest, the 10L for vast rural flowerbeds and herb gardens.
Tackle a variety of different tasks around your garden with ease with the simple press of a button. This handy trimmer can be used to edge the borders of your lawn, and a wheel is fitted to the trimmer, making it easier to follow the edges around walls and fences. There's also a shrubbing mode, making it simple to tackle difficult-to-reach areas, like under benches and bushes.
Keep track of what you've planted with these stylish slate plant labels. The set comes complete with a square soapstone pencil, which allows you to interchange the labels with what's in season or current family favourites
Keep everything together in a clever storage box that also doubles up as a foldable seat. You'll enjoy gardening so much more if you're comfortable and everything is to hand. The removable bag fastens with press studs and includes spacious side compartments for hand tools, dibbers, pens, string, and other necessities, and a central section perfect for larger items or a spot of lunch.
Another handy cutting tool, loppers are basically long-handled pruning shears used to trim hard-to-reach areas and cut thicker branches.
RSPB Garden wildlife camera - new
Don't miss the incredible action going on in your own garden. A good wildlife camera will capture all the exciting activity. This one from RSPB can be used to view anything from birds on a feeder, bird tables and nest box entrances, to hedgehogs and other nocturnal wildlife. It can also even be used to keep an eye on the garden or house as a security camera.
Maintain an ideal growing environment with an easy-to-use soil tester kit. You can test the pH and nutrient profile of your soil, think soil acidity and levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash, to see if it needs extra help.
SPGOOD 50FT/15M Expanding Garden Hose Set with Splitter, Foam Water Bottle Expandable Garden Hose, 9 Futions Spray
Water is the foundation of your garden’s life and it’s important that your garden hose can reach and spray every area. If you buy one with an adjustable nozzle, it puts you in control of the water pressure and spray radius. You can also buy nozzles separately.
Lisa Joyner is the Deputy Daily Editor at House Beautiful UK and Country Living UK, where she's busy writing about home and interiors, gardening, dog breeds, pets, health and wellbeing, countryside news, small space inspiration, and the hottest properties on the market. Previously, she has written for Conde Nast Traveller, House & Garden and Marie Claire magazine. Lisa studied at University For The Creative Arts, where she completed a BA in Fashion Journalism.
