For only the second time in its 113-year history, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has lifted its longstanding ban on garden gnomes at the Chelsea Flower Show, which opened this week at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London. The ban, in place since 1927, was temporarily suspended to feature gnomes as part of a fundraising initiative supporting the RHS Campaign for School Gardening.

King Charles, who co-designed the show’s centrepiece—the Curious Garden—alongside Sir David Beckham, Alan Titchmarsh, and Frances Tophill, expressed enthusiasm for the return of the garden ornaments. The King’s Foundation Curious Garden incorporates diverse elements reflecting the team’s interests, such as an artist’s easel honoring the King’s passion for painting, roses named after Charles and Beckham, and raised beds referencing Beckham’s sporting career. The garden includes four handmade gnomes crafted by students from The King’s Foundation, which fosters traditional arts and crafts, positioned prominently to spark curiosity about gardening.

The gnomes also appear in a broader auction to raise funds for encouraging children’s engagement with nature, with celebrity contributors including Sir Brian May, Bill Bailey, Dame Floella Benjamin, and Beckham himself. Beckham painted two gnomes—one sporting his iconic number seven hat—and added pink glitter to others he decorated for auction. By midday on the event’s second day, bids for Sir Brian May’s gnome "Billy Bad-Axe," featuring a guitar, had reached £650. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Campaign for School Gardening, aiming to expand youth involvement in horticulture.

Several participating figures have publicly advocated for the permanent reinstatement of garden gnomes at Chelsea. Comedian and musician Bill Bailey highlighted the gnome’s history as a “guardian of the garden” dating back to Roman times, emphasizing their symbolic role and arguing against their negative reputation. Alan Titchmarsh, who personally painted a gnome to resemble himself, shared similar views, suggesting gnomes add whimsy and enjoyment to gardens.

The decision to feature gnomes aligns with King Charles’s personal interest; he reportedly requested the ban’s suspension and is an admirer of garden ornaments, possessing gnomes at his Gloucestershire estate. The inclusion of wildflowers and traditionally “weedy” plants in the garden also reflects the King’s commitment to promoting biodiversity. Though Titchmarsh previously expressed skepticism about garden rewilding, he acknowledged the value of such practices after collaborating with Charles and his colleagues to encourage wildlife-friendly gardening, embracing nettles and other plants beneficial to butterflies.

The Chelsea Flower Show preview attracted other notable attendees, including the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and model Kate Moss, who was featured in a rose unveiling by Peter Beales Roses. The event continues through May 24, offering the public a chance to explore the gardens and participate in the charitable auction.