Lincolnshire grower invited back to world's greatest flower show at Chelsea
An amateur cosmos grower from Lincolnshire has been invited back to the Chelsea flower show taking place in May 2026.
Jonathan Sheppard, of Brant Broughton manages the National Plant Collection of Cosmos Bipinnatus – commonly known as the Mexican Aster – and attended the prestigious show at Chelsea in May this year.
Jonathan said: “It’s an honour in itself just to be accepted to the flower show, so to be able to take my cosmos back in 2026 after becoming the first person in history to win a gold medal for cosmos is quite the honour.
"Next year's display is once again going to focus on sustainability, including growing in peat free compost, pesticide free, and using solely stored rainwater.
”To get around 75 plants to the show in Mid May I will start sowing in January and probably will have to have 3,000 to 4,000 plants growing before I select the final few that eventually make it.
"It’s a huge amount of work for one person that goes on for several months, that the public just don’t see, but it means you can then talk to gardeners and show them that they can grow similar plants in their own garden, bringing them joy, while encouraging pollinators wherever they flower.”