“Journey Beyond the Tracks: from Adelaide to Perth” Wins Silver-Gilt Medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026

The ‘Journey Beyond the Tracks: From Adelaide to Perth’ garden has been awarded a Silver-Gilt medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London.

Designed by Max Parker-Smith, this stunning small show garden, sponsored by Journey Beyond, the South Australian Tourism Commission and Tourism Western Australia, celebrates the nature cities of Adelaide and Perth, which book-end the epic Indian Pacific train route which is a key inspiration for the design. It is a garden rich in storytelling which blends travel, horticulture, innovation and sustainability.

The garden cleverly conveys the diversity of Australian landscapes within South Australia, Western Australia and the Nullarbor Plain, which connects the two states and the Indian Pacific train travels through.

Parker-Smith worked with nurseries in Spain and the UK to grow the plants for the garden, following an inspirational research trip to Australia in 2025 where he spent time in Adelaide and regional South Australia before taking the Indian Pacific train to Perth, where he explored the city and some of Western Australia’s national parks.

Parker-Smith was particularly excited to use Jurassic-like grass trees, Xanthorrhea glauca, in his design; along with Boronia Crenulata (Aniseed Boronia), the Banksia robur (swamp banksia), the Eucalyptus gunnii Azura, and the Adenanthos sericeus (woollybush) known for its soft velvety foliage. Anigozanthos, commonly known as Kangaroo Paw, is another striking and vibrant Australian native plant which features in the garden. 

The garden speaks to the themes of climate resilient planting and conservation; with the plants being re-homed to Kensington Gardens in London as part of a partnership with The Royal Parks focused on creating climate-resilient parks for future generations, and the hard landscaping being rehomed to Longleat to create an Australian garden space to complement the estate’s existing Koala Creek experience, which is home to the only population of southern koalas in Europe. Koalas which came originally from Cleland in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia.

Tourism Minister Emily Bourke said; "South Australia’s involvement in this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and the exciting Silver-Gilt medal win, has provided a unique platform to share our stories; encouraging potential visitors to find out more about the National Park City of Adelaide, our world-class wineries and unique tourism offerings.”

“I have no doubt the thousands of visitors seeing the award-winning display will be inspired to add the two states to their holiday itineraries and we want to commend Max Parker-Smith and his team for bringing this adventure to life so beautifully.”

Max Parker-Smith said; "Designing the ‘Journey Beyond the Tracks: From Adelaide to Perth’ garden has been such an adventure, and I’m honoured to have been awarded a Silver-Gilt medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.”

“I have a strong affinity with Australia, having had my light-bulb career moment on a working holiday there a few years ago. It was in Australia that I decided to follow my passion for horticulture and study garden design; so it is wonderfully circuitous to be working with Journey Beyond, the South Australian Tourism Commission, and Tourism Western Australia on this Chelsea garden project.”

“I was so inspired by my trip on the Indian Pacific last year and by the time I spent in Adelaide and Perth and in the regional areas beyond the cities. That itinerary is an absolute must for garden lovers who want to see stunning native plants in their natural habitats on an epic adventure which combines luxury travel with some of the best bits of Australia.”

Visitors to the ‘Journey Beyond the Tracks: From Adelaide to Perth’ garden will be struck by the central structure, echoing the form and interior of an Indian Pacific train carriage, which sits in the heart of the design. One side captures the expansive shrub plains of the Western Australian outback, featuring tiered sand beds and resilient native plantings. In contrast, the opposite side reflects Adelaide’s identity as a National Park City, showcasing its green urban vision with trees, natural water corridors, and layered vegetation.

Sustainable materials are used throughout, including reclaimed timber, ochre-toned eco-concrete, natural stone, aggregate, and low-carbon metals grounding the garden in both environmental responsibility and regional character.

“It has been a privilege to work with garden designer, Max Parker-Smith, whose passion for Australia and for garden designs which inspire an emotional response has been evident from the very beginning of our partnership,” said Journey Beyond CEO Chris Tallent.

“We are delighted with the Silver-Gilt medal for our garden which brings the Indian Pacific train journey to life, celebrating this epic rail route and the nature cities of Adelaide and Perth. We look forward to welcoming those inspired by our RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden onto the Indian Pacific in the future.” 

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show attracts over 140,000 visitors over five days and the BBC coverage of the show reaches an average audience of over 22 million. 88% of the visitors to the show earn above the national average household income in the UK and the number one interest by market segment for RHS members is Travel, providing RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden sponsors in the tourism sector a unique opportunity. Latest tourism data for the year-ending December 2025, shows visitors from the UK contribute $154 million to South Australia's visitor economy. 

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show runs from 19-23 May 2026.