A bold and immersive new garden experience, The Classroom Garden, is set to debut, inside the Great Pavilion at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026. The garden reimagines what a “classroom” can be, placing nature, creativity and young people’s voices at its core.
Blending education, storytelling and horticulture, The Classroom Garden transforms a traditional classroom setting into a living, breathing environment. School desks are interwoven with a flowing wildflower meadow, creating a striking visual contrast between structured learning and the freedom of nature. The space is designed to inspire families, educators and the horticultural industry to rethink how children engage with the natural world.
At the heart of the garden is a powerful audio installation featuring real voices from children across the UK, captured during Lee and Leigh’s school visits of local schools involved in this years RHS Chelsea Flower Show Young Reporters. These recordings share honest thoughts on gardening, nature and the future, giving young people a platform at one of the world’s most prestigious horticultural events.
Listen to this exclusive audio and go behind the scenes, from the first ideas to the final build, and discover what it really takes to bring the garden to life.
The Classroom Garden will also serve as a central hub for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Young Reporters, a new initiative celebrating children’s perspectives at the show. Young reporters will explore the gardens, interview gardens and exhibits and share their experiences, helping to bring Chelsea to a wider, younger audience. This initiative reinforces the garden’s mission: to connect the next generation with horticulture, not just as a hobby, but as a meaningful and accessible pathway for the future.
Lee Connelly, known as The Children’s Gardening Coach, has spent over 13 years helping children, families and educators reconnect with nature. His work goes far beyond gardening, using it as a powerful tool to build confidence, support wellbeing, spark creativity and bring people together.
Working across the UK and internationally, Lee has partnered with schools, brands and communities to create meaningful, hands-on experiences that inspire the next generation. His journey has seen him appear on CBBC’s Blue Peter and BBC Teach, host a Sunday Times–top-rated podcast, become a bestselling author, and contribute to conversations at the highest level, including within Parliament. He is also a designer at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, bringing children’s voices and education to one of the world’s most prestigious horticultural stages.
In recent years, Lee has expanded his work into creating immersive attractions that blend nature, art and storytelling. From projects across the UK to innovative experiences in Japan, his focus is on building spaces that ignite curiosity, encourage creativity and create lasting connections.
At the heart of everything Lee does is a simple belief: when children connect with nature, something powerful happens. And through his work, he continues to create opportunities for that connection to grow.
Leigh Johnstone, known as The Beardy Gardener, is an award winning garden designer, writer, and advocate for the role of gardening in supporting mental health. He rediscovered his passion for growing during the COVID-19 pandemic and now creates accessible garden spaces that encourage people of all abilities to connect with nature for their wellbeing.
Leigh works across community, education and private settings, designing gardens that prioritise social connection, calm spaces, and environmental learning.
He is active across gardening media, having appeared on BBC Gardeners’ World, BBC News, and BBC Radio, and has been featured in national and international publications including The New York Times and The Mirror and The Sun. He also shares practical gardening advice and personal insights at national events and through social media, radio and podcast appearances, helping others explore how nature can improve mental wellness.
Within the Classroom Garden, we’ve carefully selected a range of incredible plants to attract pollinators, something that sits at the heart of both gardening and education.
Pollinators, such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies, play a vital role in our gardens and our wider environment. They help plants to reproduce by transferring pollen between flowers, which allows fruits, vegetables and seeds to grow. Without them, many of the foods we eat and the plants we enjoy simply wouldn’t exist. They are essential to healthy ecosystems, biodiversity and the future of our natural world.
By creating spaces that welcome pollinators, we are not only supporting wildlife, but also giving children the chance to see nature in action and understand just how important it is. Below are all the plants featured within the Classroom Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
The Classroom Garden
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026
Designers: Lee Connelly (The Children’s Gardening Coach) and Leigh Johnstone (The Beardy Gardener)
