Chelsea Flower Show 2026 is in full swing, with all the horticultural inspiration you could ever ask for. But one flower in particular stole the show – gentle geum.
Popping up in borders and in containers, geums (in particular, the orange-coloured varieties) were absolutely everywhere at this year’s event, adding flashes of striking colour to flowerbeds, as well as texture and movement with their wispy stems and waving flower heads.
When the Country Living team visited on press day, geums were peppered across the show, spotted in The Plant Heritage Missing Collector garden, The Seasalt painted balcony garden and The Angels' Share balcony garden, as well as in various plots from brands and floral sellers in the Great Pavilion.
Geums are great option for cottage-style gardens, thanks to their colourful saucer-shaped blooms and wiry stems that rise above other plants, adding drama and height to beds.
Geums enjoy a combination of gentle sun and partial shade, and thrive in well-drained soil (they don’t like soggy roots). Most are long-flowering, blooming anywhere from late spring and carry on flowering in late summer.
What's more, these hardy perennials tend to be dubbed ‘trouble-free’ for gardeners – as slugs don’t seem to take an interest in them.
Read on for three ways to use them in your garden, inspired by designs seen at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show…
3 ways to use geums in your garden
Plant with purple for a trending colour combination
Purple and orange as a planting colour combination was huge at RHS Malvern a few weeks ago – and it's clearly not going anywhere soon, as Chelsea Flower Show 2026 was flooded with it too.
In the Great Pavilion, numerous flower retailers paired geums with punchy purple flowers, such as salvias and chives.
Add to containers
Geums work well in pots, so are a lovely option if you have a smaller space – in fact they were featured in numerous balcony gardens at this year’s event.
According to Farmer Gracy: “If your geum is intended for a border, pot up into a 15-20cm diameter temporary pot using multipurpose compost.
"Ensure the full root system is submerged below the soil surface. The buds at the top of the root system should be level with the soil surface after planting.”
Fill mid-border gaps
The hardy perennial is happiest planted at the front to the middle of a flowerbed, so is great for adding mid-level height for a wild, cottage garden look.
Geums are best planted in clusters of three to five (rather than as solo plants), to create clouds of colour. Lupins, salvias, and geraniums pair particularly well with them. Just make sure your geums have moist, well-drained soil.
Orange geum edit
Geum 'Totally Tangerine'Avens
Lizzie is the multiplatform editor at Country Living, where you’ll find her writing about unique property market finds and dreamy UK staycation spots. Her specialisms include interiors, property, wildlife, travel, slow living and more. Previously, she’s written for Metro, Evening Standard, Ideal Home, Woman & Home and various other home and lifestyle titles. Lizzie studied English Literature at University of Liverpool, where she also was a writer and editor for her uni paper.
