Studio to Showground: Crafting Gardens for Chelsea

Discover how garden ideas move from sketch book to real soil.

Designer Catherine MacDonald lifts the curtain on the creative process of garden design, exploring favourite projects, planting passions and the experience of creating gardens for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Catherine MacDonald is a British landscape designer, who has led the design studio at Landform Consultants Ltd for over 15 years, overseeing all design schemes for the company.

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 will be Catherine’s 20th year at the show, having worked on over 50 exhibits, in one form or another, planning for other designers, project managing show garden projects for Landform or been the designer herself.

‘The 2026 Boodles Garden’ is her third year designing a garden for sponsor, Boodles.

As a designer she’s been awarded eight RHS medals, including three Gold at RHS Chelsea: for Boodles in 2025, two for non-alcoholic drinks company Seedlip. At RHS Hampton Court; three Golds, two Best in Categories and a People’s Choice Award.

Catherine is an RHS Judge, has worked on numerous RHS Show Garden Selection Panels and, alongside Mark Gregory, has mentored RHS Young Designers for the last six years.

Recent prominent design work includes small, intricate courtyard gardens for a city Passive House, a rural garden with challenging levels and the design and planning schemes for HM King Charles at Sandringham Estate and Windsor Castle.