Celebrities and royals have been given a sneak preview of this year's Chelsea Flower Show, where stars including Queen guitarist Sir Brian May, comedian Bill Bailey, and TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh have decorated gnomes for a charity auction. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has lifted its ban on gnomes for only the second time in the show's history, allowing the ornaments to appear in displays such as the RHS and King's Foundation Curious Garden.
Sir Brian May named his gnome 'Billy Badass' and adorned it with a guitar. He expressed pride in his creation, saying, 'I'm rather proud of him really. I don't really want to let him go.' He also questioned the previous ban, noting that Romans used gnomes as guardians. Comedian Tom Allen dressed his gnome in a suit and tie, while Titchmarsh matched his gnome to his own blue suit.
The gnomes are being auctioned to raise funds for the RHS Campaign for School Gardening, which aims to help children access gardening. RHS director general Clare Matterson said, 'Every penny will go to support the RHS Campaign for School Gardening so we can get children up and down this country enjoying the benefits, the joy, the health, the learning of gardening.' By Monday morning, Sir Brian's gnome had already attracted a bid of £650.
This year's show gardens feature diverse themes, including a garden championing urban 'edgelands' with a huge Mother Nature figure carved from a fallen tree, a Tate Britain-inspired garden with a Barbara Hepworth sculpture, and a Parkinson's UK garden with an accessible path and a 'hand rill' water feature. Other celebrities spotted at the preview included Dame Joanna Lumley, Alexandra Burke, and Piers Morgan.
