As the RHS Chelsea Flower Show takes place this week, Monty Don's first ever Chelsea garden is opened to the public. Monty has been working alongside plantsman Jamie Butterworth on the RHS and BBC Radio 2's Dog Garden, and here he gives his five favourite elements to the garden, which has been designed with our four legged friends in mind.
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'There's no message we're trying to tell, it's just a joyous garden, which brings together my favourite plants and Monty's favourite plants,' says Jamie.
Read our full guide to the Dog Garden
The garden is a feature garden, which means it won't be judged at Chelsea, but many people will be looking to the space for inspiration on how to satisfy their own dog whilst also keeping a lovely garden.
Watch a tour of Monty Don's RHS and Radio 2 Dog Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show
The garden considers the needs of a dog – design cues include somewhere to shelter, to flop, some shade and water for wallowing. A deep border interwoven with subtly hidden meandering trails, uses grasses and flowers more resilient to wagging tails. Two intersecting narrow brick paths allow for more direct bounding to a central lawn - emphatically not pristine but weedy and worn in places – featuring an old apple tree.
Discover our guides to all the 2025 show gardens
- RHS and BBC Radio 2 Dog Garden
- Avanade Intelligent Garden
- The Glasshouse Garden
- Hospitalfield Arts Garden
- Hospice UK: Garden of Compassion
- King's Trust Garden
- Down's Syndrome Scotland Garden
- Tackle HIV Challenging Stigma Garden
- Boodles Raindance Garden
- Garden of the Future
- Children with Cancer UK 'A Place to Be...'
- The British Red Cross 'Here for Humanity' Garden
