Brantwood’s Lakeside Wisteria is Chelsea Bound

Brantwood’s Lakeside Wisteria is Chelsea Bound

Brantwood’s Plant Heritage National Plant Collection of Wisteria (Dispersed) species and cultivars in partnership with Cumbria Wisteria (Fiona Butcher) is to be show-cased at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May this year.

Challenging the traditional image of wisteria as a plant for warmer climes, Brantwood’s exhibition will combine the rugged beauty of the Lake District fells with the allure of wisteria growing amongst the rocks, ferns and moss typical of Cumbria. This is the theme for the exhibition and all its associated materials from the moss to the stone walls will be sourced from Brantwood.

Evidently a first for Chelsea as well as a first for Brantwood, this exhibition marks a bold statement for Horticulture in the North West of England. It will highlight the diverse range of wisteria species and cultivars that succeed in an environment that is wild and un-predictable. Wisteria is frequently trained against South-facing stone walls or grown over huge arches and other formal structures which allows for their cascading habit to be admired. However, Brantwood does things a little differently, and will show that these elegant climbers are more than a match for the Lakeland fells.

The Chelsea Flower Show is the most prestigious event on the horticultural calendar and the exposure for Brantwood and the local area of Coniston will be huge. It is expected that the exposure will put the Lake District first and foremost on the regional tourism map in turn boosting visitor numbers. We hope to inspire anyone who gardens in the North West to push the boundaries of what can be grown and achieved no matter the size of their plot and will be continuing Ruskin’s legacy of radical experimental gardening.

Dates for RHS Chelsea Flower Show are 19th-23rd May 2026