My first garden show as a professional garden photographer - RHS Malvern Spring Show 2026

“Press overflow parking is through the gate and into the field behind you”, said the friendly steward that directed me in other the RHS Malvern spring 2026 show . I’d arrived a little later than intended (though still before 8am) due to the rush hour traffic around Malvern. But luckily the journey from Birmingham hadn’t been too bad. Whilst we were a little beyond sunrise, the weather was a little overcast so the light was beautiful and soft, making great conditions for capturing natural colours and details in the planting.

I had a couple of goals for the day, it being my first time attending with a press access: one was to meet some of the designers of the Blooming Borders category, showcasing up and coming designers; the second was to capture the Floral Tablescaping exhibit of Ashley Edwards. Ashley runs Ashtree Floral Designs in Balsall Heath, Birmingham and we’d worked together in December 2025 at one of her wreath making workshops.

Shortly after arriving, having hastily remembered to return to my car to put on my boots, I made my way on site to scope out the show gardens.

It’s a privilege to be on the show grounds before the public, there’s a sense of peace and calm around the exhibits, albeit there are staff and exhibitors scurrying around making last minute adjustments and generally zhuzh-ing things up ahead of opening time.

I was firstly taken by Megann Dodd’s poignant border ‘Finding Balance’. As a garden photographer, colour contrast usually captures my attention, so I particularly liked the contrasting blue’s and soft orange-peachy tones in the planting which, represented the disorientation and loss of balance caused by Acoustic Neuroma (a condition Megann’s mum suffered). The structure created by the Juniper mixed well with the softer, yet resilient planting of Iris and geums.

Next up I enjoyed Paul Nicholson’s Reflective Memories border. I’m definitely one for sitting and enjoying a brew which Paul’s border positively encourages. In a small border, every plant has to earn it’s place and Acer griseum has all bases covered. The leaf shape reminded me more of an oak than a usual palmate acer and the peeling bark adds year round colour and interest. It was also commented upon how well the forget-me-nots were weaved daintily amongst the rest of the planting, as well as tying in nicely with the theme of remembrance.

The third border that really caught my attention was Laura Ashton-Philips’ - Stumped. I was astounded by the realism of the traditional hedgerow and how it blended seamlessly into the wildlife friendly, forest edge style planting. The mossy tree stumps, taken from Laura’s own garden. Naturally weathered and moss covered, these blended in seamlessly with the native planting and made the border feel very well established in the environment.

After checking out the remaining borders (and grabbing a quick coffee to power me through the rest of the day) I headed over to the floral tablescaping area. This is a new category for RHS Malvern in 2026 and I was pleased to know Ashley who was participating. Ashley is already an award winning wedding floral artist but this was her first RHS show entry.

Floral tablescaping uses floral art to elevate the dining experience, using creative combinations of flowers and foliage to tell a story or evoke a mood.

Ashley was understandably a little nervous, but she needn’t have been. I was fortunate to be around when she received her coveted RHS Gold medal, and then was a awarded the Best floral tablescape prize. The surprise on her face is palpable but I’d assured her before hand that her design was my favourite. I thought her design and execution was fantastic, using a mix of bulbs, foliage and florals to bring to life the season. I adored the hand wound root like structures that weaved through the design. The intention was for it to look as though things were growing up through the table, rather than having been placed upon it. And I think Ashley achieved this, also using form and perspective to lead the viewers eye through her tables cape. It was a great honour to have some of my photos featured alongside this article in Flora Magazine.

By the time I’d caught up with and congratulated Ashley the sun was fully up and the cloud burning off, not a great time to be photographing outdoors. So I took myself off to the festival of house plants to see the indoor gardens. As an owner of more than a few peace Lillies myself, I enjoyed seeing the diverse array of plants on display so sought some inspiration.

The hydroponic system featured in Canna’s ‘The Science of Sustenance’ kitchen was wonderfully set off by the neon signage. The central citrus tree in the kitchen island unit, grown entirely indoors from seed was quite the centrepiece. This was a high end design intended to show what could be achieved in modern kitchen designs. Oh, to have the space for a hydroponic system.

Next up I enjoyed the warm wood tones of ‘the scholar’s jungle’, created by Botanic York, which beautifully complemented the diverse array of planting. Again, my photographers eye was drawn to contrast, this time in the texture of the leafs - from the fine fern fronds to the sharp spikes of the Sansevieria. I loved the narrative surrounding this ‘garden’, bringing green into the workspace for wellbeing and stress relief, as well as displaying how how indoor plant can thrive in peat-free planting medium. In reality, this design felt achievable in most homes with enough time and inclination.

Lastly, I enjoyed seeing the Grow Tropicals ‘Biophilic Design’ feature garden, an evolution from their 2025 RHS Urban Show exhibit called ‘Happy Houseplants’. The dark aesthetic really made the greens of the tropical plants on display pop out. Whilst perhaps taking things to an extreme (that sink, anyone?), they show how humans can live in harmony with plants within their homes.

Overall I had an enjoyable and productive working trip to RHS Malvern as Garden Photographer. I’ll definitely be back in future years as it’s a wonderful start to the garden show season with some of the friendliest and most talented designers within easy reach of my home in the midlands. And how can you overlook the incredible backdrop of the Malvern Hills?

I am available for commission by any designers looking to document their designs coming to life at future shows, I can offer a range of coverage packages depending on what you need and size of your show garden, so please don’t hesitate to Contact Me first to discuss how we can collaborate.