Whittard of Chelsea marks 140 years at Chelsea
Whittard of Chelsea will celebrate its 140th anniversary with a debut garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026, designed by landscape designer Ollie Pike. The garden marks a return to the brand’s origins in Chelsea, where it was founded in 1886, and reflects its long-standing heritage of craft, curiosity and transformation.
The design reimagines the everyday ritual of tea as an extraordinary sensory experience. Set within a fictional Chelsea townhouse courtyard, the garden belongs to an imagined experimental tea enthusiast who blends, brews and retreats into a private sanctuary away from the city.
At the heart of the space is the ritual of tea itself, expressed through gentle water features that evoke the pouring of tea. These flowing elements create a calming soundtrack and visual rhythm, guiding visitors through a multi-sensory journey of sound, texture and atmosphere.
Sustainability is central to the design, with 95% of materials recycled or reclaimed. This includes Yorkstone paving salvaged from Sloane Square, reinforcing the garden’s deep connection to Chelsea and its layered urban history.
The planting palette is inspired by tea infusions and herbal traditions, featuring peppermint, lemon balm, roses, nettles and birch. These plants create a rich, aromatic landscape that reflects the diversity of global tea cultures while remaining grounded in natural simplicity.
The garden is designed as a place of pause and reflection, where visitors are encouraged to slow down, reconnect and experience ritual through nature. It blends heritage craft with modern sustainable thinking to create a restorative urban sanctuary.
Designer Ollie Pike, an award-winning landscape architect known for socially conscious and sustainable work, describes the garden as a space rooted in curiosity and calm. His design approach focuses on emotional connection, accessibility and creating meaningful human experiences through landscape.
Following its display at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026, the garden will be donated to a community space, ensuring its legacy continues beyond the event and remains accessible as a place of wellbeing and connection.