Silver Award for Hadlow College

Hadlow College in Kent has been awarded a Silver medal at the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show for its innovative garden inspired by the mathematical patterns found in nature.

Following a Bronze medal in 2024 and a Silver-Gilt medal in 2025, the College has continued its success at Chelsea with this year’s exhibit, The Magic Number.

The garden, which was built and supported by students, explores how mathematics features prominently in the natural world and our perception of beauty. The garden represents a small selection of mathematical concepts including the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci sequence, which appears flower petals, seed arrangements and branching trees.

The 7m x 5m garden has been in development since December, and was built in modular sections, before being transported to London and assembled on site ahead of the show. The final design features approximately 4,000 plants, including many grown by Hadlow College students, showcasing a diverse and carefully curated planting scheme. The exhibit is located within the Grand Pavilion.

Speaking of their success, Ian Fleming, Head Gardener at Hadlow College, said:
“We are incredibly proud to receive a Silver medal at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Just being part of Chelsea is an honour in itself, it’s the top of gardening. For our students, this has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the very highest level of horticulture and garden design. They have worked incredibly hard on every aspect of the garden, and the experience they have gained will be invaluable for their future careers and higher education. To be able to put on their CVs that they helped build an award-winning Chelsea Flower Show garden is something they will carry with them for years to come.”

The show attracts thousands of visitors each year. Famous visitors to the garden on press day included Jo Whiley, Alex Kingston and Rachel Riley.

Hadlow College courses cover a wide range of horticultural subjects including Garden Design, Gardening & Horticulture, Food Science & Genetic Engineering, Amenity Horticulture and Fresh Food Produce.

To find out more, visit the Hadlow College Open Evening on Wednesday 3 June. Pre-register at Hadlow College.