Reclaimed Brick Company Featured in RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 Gold Medal Garden

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show remains one of the most respected events in garden and landscape design, bringing together some of the world’s leading designers, growers and brands to create spaces that push creativity, craftsmanship and planting design to extraordinary levels.

Among the standout gardens at the 2026 show was The Whittard of Chelsea Garden, designed by Ollie Pike, which was awarded a coveted Gold Medal.

Reclaimed Brick Company was proud to supply the reclaimed Georgian handmade bricks used within the award-winning garden, where warm reclaimed brickwork sat alongside soft planting, flowing water and aged copper detailing to create a space that felt calm, grounded and beautifully established.

Inspired by the rituals of tea and moments of quiet reflection, the garden embraced a softer and more intimate atmosphere than many traditional show gardens. Rather than relying on dramatic structures or bold architectural statements, the design focused on texture, materiality and emotional warmth, creating a courtyard space that felt both timeless and deeply restorative.

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 Gold Medal garden featuring reclaimed Georgian handmade brickwork

A Garden Designed Around Atmosphere and Reflection

The Whittard of Chelsea Garden was created to celebrate pause, connection and the calming experience of shared outdoor spaces. From the moment visitors entered the garden, there was an immediate sense of stillness created through carefully layered planting, reflective water and the restrained use of reclaimed materials.

At the heart of the design sat the reclaimed Georgian handmade brickwork supplied by Reclaimed Brick Company. The aged texture and weathered tones within the brick walls introduced a sense of permanence and history that grounded the entire space.

Unlike newly manufactured materials, reclaimed handmade bricks carry natural variation developed through decades of age and exposure. Soft edges, tonal inconsistency and subtle imperfections helped the walls feel settled within the garden immediately, as though they had always belonged there.

As sunlight moved across the space throughout the day, the reclaimed brickwork responded beautifully, picking up warmth from the evening light and complementing the aged copper pipework woven throughout the garden.

The result was a space that felt understated, elegant and emotionally rich without becoming over-designed.

The Beauty of Reclaimed Georgian Handmade Brickwork

Reclaimed Georgian handmade bricks remain some of the most characterful and sought-after reclaimed materials within both architectural and landscape design.

Originally handmade using traditional methods, these bricks possess a depth, softness and individuality that is difficult to replicate with modern machine-made alternatives. Their weathered surfaces and subtle colour variation bring a level of natural texture that works particularly well within gardens and outdoor spaces.

Within The Whittard of Chelsea Garden, the reclaimed brickwork became more than simply a structural material. It acted as a quiet backdrop to the planting and water features, helping create a garden that felt relaxed, mature and naturally balanced.

There was a restraint to the design that allowed the materials to speak for themselves. The walls did not dominate the garden visually; instead, they helped frame and soften the surrounding space, allowing the planting and atmosphere to take centre stage.

This is often where reclaimed materials perform at their best. Rather than appearing overly polished or newly installed, they bring an immediate sense of authenticity and lived-in character.

Reclaimed Georgian handmade brick wall within RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden

Reclaimed Materials and Sustainable Garden Design

Sustainability continues to shape modern architecture and landscape design, and reclaimed materials are playing an increasingly important role within that conversation.

The Whittard of Chelsea Garden embraced reclaimed and repurposed elements throughout the design, demonstrating how older materials can be reimagined in contemporary spaces without losing their authenticity or heritage appeal.

Reusing reclaimed brickwork not only preserves the craftsmanship and character of historic materials, but also helps reduce demand for new manufacturing and unnecessary waste. In gardens such as this, reclaimed materials offer both environmental value and visual richness in equal measure.

What made this particular garden so successful was the way sustainability never felt forced or overly technical. Instead, the reclaimed materials simply felt natural within the setting, contributing to the atmosphere and softness of the overall scheme.

The combination of weathered brickwork, aged copper, reflective water and layered planting created a garden that felt connected to both heritage and contemporary outdoor living.

Craftsmanship, Texture and Material Warmth

One of the defining qualities of the garden was its use of texture.

Every surface within the space carried a tactile quality, from the aged brick walls to the oxidised copper detailing and soft natural planting. Together, these elements created subtle layers of contrast without ever feeling visually overwhelming.

The reclaimed brickwork played a particularly important role in this balance. The warm reds, soft pinks and weathered earthy tones within the handmade bricks introduced depth and visual warmth that complemented the surrounding greenery beautifully.

Close-up details revealed the individuality within each brick, with variations in colour, surface texture and age helping reinforce the handcrafted nature of the material.

In an environment like RHS Chelsea Flower Show, where every detail is carefully considered, these quieter material qualities often become some of the most memorable.

Close-up reclaimed Georgian handmade brick detail at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026

A Proud Chelsea Flower Show Project

Seeing Reclaimed Brick Company materials featured within a RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal-winning garden was a proud moment for everyone involved.

The project highlighted not only the enduring appeal of reclaimed handmade brickwork, but also the growing appreciation for authentic materials within contemporary garden and landscape design.

The Whittard of Chelsea Garden successfully balanced craftsmanship, sustainability, planting and atmosphere to create a space that felt calm, timeless and beautifully composed.

Congratulations once again to Ollie Pike and all those involved in bringing this exceptional Chelsea garden to life.

To explore more reclaimed handmade bricks and traditional reclaimed materials for garden, landscape and architectural projects, visit the Reclaimed Brick Company collections.