Wayward Plants celebrate a decade of reuse at RHS Chelsea

Since 2016, Wayward Plants has partnered with the RHS as the Official Reuse Partner. Each year, they rehome thousands of plants and trees from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. Together, they have rehomed over 100,000 plants and trees to more than 1,000 schools and community groups, diverting more than 500 tonnes of waste from landfill and inspiring a greener London.

RHS Chelsea 2026: Exhibition and installation

Wayward plants display for RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026

• A living garden of “wayward plants” grown entirely from salvaged and surplus show materials
• A reimagined shed donated by Malvern Garden Buildings and designed for deconstruction. Following the show, the structure will move to the new Wayward Plants Reuse Centre, where it will become a permanent community tool library
• Photographs, stories and maps tracing more than 1,000 plant rehoming journeys across schools and community gardens throughout London

Wayward Plants began 20 years ago through adoption events for unwanted plants, connecting people and plants through the exchange of stories. The partnership has shown what’s possible when reuse systems are built at scale. The launch of the Wayward Plants Reuse Centre marks the beginning of an even more ambitious new chapter.

Launching the Wayward Plants Reuse Centre

In 2026, they mark a major milestone with the launch of the Wayward Plants Reuse Centre at Cultivate Colindale, a vibrant 4,000m² hub for sustainability, creativity and community. This pioneering space will feature:

• A greenhouse complex and materials yard

• Community tree nursery and allotments

• Creative workshops and cultural programming

• A biodiverse meadow and outdoor classroom

This centre will serve nearly 2,000 community green space projects, building a circular economy for plants, trees and landscape materials.

Events planned to celebrate the project post-show:

• The Launch of the Wayward Plants Reuse Centre and Cultivate Colindale as part of the London Festival of Architecture (20 and 21 June), to include a large-scale Wayward Plant Adoption Event of 1,000 plants from RHS Chelsea Flower Show

• Exhibition expansion at the Wayward Plants Reuse Centre, celebrating 20 Years of Wayward Plants featuring artists and collaborators working at the intersection of ecology and reuse.

‘Adopt a plant’ at House of Wayward’s display

Get involved

Schools, community groups, volunteers and visitors are invited to take part. Adopt a Chelsea plant, volunteer at the Reuse Centre, sign up to receive rehomed plants, or share your plant story and join the movement.