Creating Our Gold Medal Pelargonium Display at BBC Gardeners' World Live 2026

Fresh from the excitement of RHS Chelsea Flower Show, there was barely time to catch our breath before we were loading the vans once again, carefully wrapping hundreds of Pelargoniums and heading back to Birmingham for BBC Gardeners' World Live 2026.

Every flower show is different, and that's one of the things we love most. Each gives us another opportunity to share our passion for Pelargoniums with thousands of visitors, introduce people to varieties they've never seen before, and hopefully inspire a few new collectors along the way.

A New Home for the Floral Marquee

Visitors returning to BBC Gardeners' World Live this year immediately noticed something different.

Following storm damage over the winter, the old exhibition hall that had traditionally housed the Floral Marquee had to be removed. In its place stood a brand-new marquee, creating a fresh home for the specialist nurseries and floral displays.

Although it was a change from previous years, the new marquee created a bright, airy space and quickly felt like home for exhibitors. It provided the perfect blank canvas to create something a little different.

Creating Our Pelargonium Courtyard

For this year's display, we wanted to move away from the traditional exhibition benches and instead create a courtyard garden that demonstrated just how versatile Pelargoniums can be.

Our stand featured a balcony overflowing with flowering plants, creating the impression of a Mediterranean courtyard bursting with colour. Below, visitors could wander around displays of heritage varieties, species, scented-leaved Pelargoniums, ivy-leaved forms, colourful foliage and modern hybrids, all arranged as they might appear in a real garden.

The balcony quickly became one of the most photographed parts of the stand and was exactly the effect we had hoped to achieve, encouraging visitors to imagine Pelargoniums cascading from balconies, spilling from containers and becoming the centrepiece of their own gardens.

Our aim has always been to challenge the common misconception that Pelargoniums are simply bedding plants. In reality, they are one of the most diverse groups of ornamental plants available, offering incredible foliage, fragrance, flowers and fascinating history.

Judging by the conversations we had throughout the week, plenty of visitors left seeing Pelargoniums in a completely different light.

Grown by Us, From Start to Finish

One of the things we're most proud of at Growing Crazy is that every plant on our stand was propagated and grown by us.

Months before the show opened, each cutting had been carefully nurtured in our Keder Greenhouses, where our collection is grown throughout the year. Every Growing Crazy Pelargonium begins its journey there, from a tiny cutting to a show-quality specimen.

Flower shows often showcase the finished result, but behind every exhibit are countless hours of propagation, potting, watering, feeding, grooming and planning. Seeing everything finally come together makes all those early mornings and late evenings worthwhile.

The Perfect Setting

To complete the courtyard feel, many of our plants were displayed in beautiful handcrafted Whichford Pottery pots.

Their timeless designs complemented both the heritage character of many of our Pelargoniums and the Mediterranean atmosphere we wanted to create. Together, the plants and pottery helped visitors imagine how these varieties could look in their own gardens, patios and courtyards.

A Gold Medal

Judging day is always nerve-racking, no matter how many shows you've done.

We were therefore absolutely delighted to discover that our display had been awarded a Gold Medal.

Receiving the award was a proud moment for our whole team and a wonderful reward for the months of preparation that go into producing a display like this.

Winning a Gold Medal is always special, but perhaps even more rewarding were the conversations that followed throughout the week.

Visitors shared memories of Pelargoniums grown by parents and grandparents, discovered species they'd never seen before, enjoyed the fragrances of our scented-leaved varieties and, of course, took plenty of plants home with them to start or add to their own collections.

The End of One Chapter

This year's BBC Gardeners' World Live was particularly poignant for me, as it marked the final show to be held at the NEC before the event moves to its new home at Packington Estate from next year.

It made me reflect on just how much this show has been part of my own horticultural journey. As a young teenager, I worked on a specialist nursery stand in the Floral Marquee at the very first BBC Gardeners' World Live to be held at the NEC. I could never have imagined then that, years later, I'd be returning with my own specialist nursery, exhibiting plants from our own Plant Heritage National Collections of Pelargoniums and celebrating a Gold Medal.

In many ways, it felt like the end of a very special chapter.

That made it all the more exciting to recently be invited, alongside Harry and Mum, to an exclusive preview evening at the show's beautiful new home, Packington Estate. We had the opportunity to learn more about the vision for the future, explore the stunning grounds and enjoy a wonderful evening (the canapés and bubbles certainly helped!).

Leaving the preview, it was impossible not to feel excited. While it will certainly be sad to say goodbye to the NEC after so many wonderful memories, the move to Packington Estate promises an exciting new chapter for exhibitors and visitors alike.

Thank You

Behind every flower show display is a huge amount of teamwork, and this one was no exception. From propagating the plants and building the stand to watering, answering questions and packing everything away at the end of the week, it simply wouldn't have been possible without the incredible support of family and friends.

We'd also like to thank Keder Greenhouses, where every one of our show plants was grown, and Whichford Pottery, whose beautiful handcrafted pots helped bring our courtyard garden to life.

Most importantly, thank you to everyone who visited our stand, shared your stories, asked questions, bought a plant or simply stopped to admire the display. Whether you were discovering Pelargoniums for the very first time or adding another treasure to an already overflowing collection, it was a pleasure to share our passion with you.

We returned home with a lighter van, a Gold Medal, plenty of happy memories and even more excitement for the future.

We can't wait to see you all again next year at the Packington Estate!