South Africa brings home the Gold at the Chelsea Flower Show

30 April

General

South Africa Wins Gold at the Chelsea Flower Show

Team South Africa has won Gold at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the second year running.. International landscape designer and botanist, Leon Kluge, and artist gardener, Tristan Woudberg, led a team of passionate volunteers to glory with a monumental floral display of South Africa’s finest. This year’s display was inspired by the convergence of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, which gives rise to a multitude of habitats from the pristine and delicate fynbos of the Cape Floral Kingdom to the lush subtropical greenery you’ll find in KwaZulu-Natal. 

The winning display showcased a beach giving way to a dramatic canyon carved through a mountain of proteas, revealing cliffs and cascading waterfalls that plunged into an iconic amber-hued ravine below. The scene celebrated the cliff-dwelling flora and the renowned fynbos of the Cape.

As proud sponsors, we are delighted to announce this significant accomplishment. Other sponsors include Hazendal Wine Estate, the Rupert Nature Foundation and Southern Sun, without whom the magnitude of our display would not have been possible. On site, representatives from the Grootbos Foundation and Grootbos Private Nature Reserve included Chris Lochner, Bulelani Bashe and guides Amy Williams and Shivula Khosa. 

Chelsea Flowers is Coming to Stanford

We are delighted to announce that this year’s winning display will be coming to Stanford once again in spring. Chelsea Flowers in Stanford will offer locals the opportunity to see a replica of this magnificent exhibition. Guests will have the opportunity to meet Leon, Tristan and the Grootbos team and view our collection of botanical art from the Grootbos Florilegium. 

Stanford in Bloom is a village-wide festival celebrating the arrival of spring. All funds generated from the Chelsea Flowers in Stanford show will be donated to Grootbos Foundation, a registered NPC which supports ongoing fynbos landscape conservation and youth and career development programmes in the surrounding communities.

Details of the event

Date: 10 - 24 September 2025

Time: Admittance any time between 9 am and 5 pm

Tickets: R200 per person for a day pass. 

To book your ticket, click here. 

Moments in Bloom

From a special delivery of Disa uniflora, gifted to the team from the Netherlands, and regular nighttime visits from a local fox, this year’s display brought many stand-out moments. Take a look at some of the videos and stories shared across social media during this time.

• Watch Video - It's Gold - Leon Kluge announces South Africa has won the gold medal.
• Watch Video - The Main Video - Watch the main video created by Sven Musica.
• Watch Video - A Visit from the Fox - It seems the public aren't the only fans of the display.
• Watch Video - The Build Up - Watch as the team prepares for the show.
• Watch Video - RHS Highlights - Watch the Highlights from the 2025 show.
• Read The Story - Tristan's Legacy - Tristan Woudberg shares his experience at the show this year. 

South Africa brings home the Lawrence Medal

In addition to the gold medal for this year's display, South Africa was awarded the Lawrence Medal. This prestigious award is given to the best floral exhibit at all the RHS flower shows throughout the calendar year of 2024. It was awarded by the RHS President Keith Weed CBE.