The RHS Chelsea judges set a strict criteria for the garden designers. Only one garden each year can win best in show, and the competition is fierce.

In this article

The selection process The judging criteria

Medals Special awards

Preparation for the shows actually begins the previous summer, when the designers submit a brief to the RHS about their planned garden. Show gardens are expensive to create and the designer usually seeks support from a sponsor. The brief is crucial, as the final garden will be judged on how well the designer has managed to fulfil their original proposal. All garden exhibitors are asked to complete a technical brief that outlines the:

• theme and purpose
• soil conditions
• aspect
• hard landscaping
• special features

The weekend before the flower show begins, as the designers complete their gardens, a team of assessors will make notes on each garden, for the judging panel. The gardens have to be finished by 8am on the Monday morning, when a panel of eight judge the gardens and award medals. The results aren't officially released until Tuesday morning.

The gardens are judged on the following criteria:

• Brief - scope, realization, practicability - is the garden true to the original proposal? A garden with a simple theme can still be a gold winner if the execution is good, but innovative gardens are more likely to score better in this category.
• Overall impression - impact, originality, visual impact.
• Overall design - unity, balance, scale. Invention and creativity may also be rewarded.
• Construction - quality, finish, special features. Has the garden been well constructed? It's important to get the balance right and overuse of hard landscaping can count against the designer.
• Planting - design, colour, texture, association, relevance to the overall design, quality and finish. Plants must be horticulturally accurate and perfect specimens. Planting accounts for the largest number of points and is a crucial factor when judging.

In theory, everyone can win something at Chelsea and Hampton Court. There are 21 judging groups which apply to all the different sections of exhibitors, from show gardens through to plants, fruit and vegetable displays, floral arrangers and floral exhibitors.

There are more than 100 judges who decide who wins the four grades of medal from Gold, through to Silver-Gilt, Silver and Bronze. Scoring for an RHS flower show gold is to get 75%; silver gilt 65%; silver 55%; bronze 45%. There are special awards too (see below). The floral designers also have their own section to shine in, with trophies for the floristry exhibits by professionals and the best arrangements by amateurs.

RHS President's Award awarded by RHS president Sir Richard Carew Pole for his favourite display in the Great Pavilion.

• Best Show Garden Award
• Best Courtyard Garden Award
• Best Chic Garden Award
• Best City Garden Award
• RHS Junior Display Trophy (best exhibit of a college)
• RHS Floral Arrangement Trophies (for best floral art displays by amateur flower arrangers)
• RHS Floristry Trophies (for best floral exhibits by professional/commercial flower arrangers)
• Show Certificates of Merit (for sundries stands - awarded for presentation not products)
• Certificates for junior displays

Every exhibitor is entitled to speak to a judge about the medal they have been awarded and ask for critical feedback about their garden.