Journey Beyond, the South Australian Tourism Commission and Tourism Western Australia have partnered to bring an Australian garden to the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London this May 2026 (19 – 23 May) designed by award winning Garden Designer Max Parker-Smith.
Celebrating the Indian Pacific, one of the world’s epic rail journeys, the ‘Journey Beyond the Tracks: From Adelaide to Perth’ garden will convey the diversity of Australian landscapes along the train route connecting the nature cities of Adelaide in South Australia and Perth in Western Australia.
Nurseries in Spain and the UK are growing the plants for the garden, the culmination of a huge search to identify places where Max could source the plants that he was so inspired by when he travelled from Adelaide to Perth on the Indian Pacific train journey last year.
Max is particularly excited to be using the 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 will feature in Max’s design.
The ‘Journey Beyond the Tracks: From Adelaide to Perth’ garden will be rich in storytelling that blends travel, horticulture, and Australian innovation; celebrating tourism, sustainability and regional identity through the design.
The garden also 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.*
Max Parker-Smith says:
“I see ‘Journey Beyond the Tracks: From Adelaide to Perth’ garden as a compelling platform to celebrate the diverse landscapes of South Australia and Western Australia. By incorporating distinctive materials and the warm, earthy hues of the outback, alongside a thoughtfully curated selection of native inspired planting, the garden aims to evoke the spirit and identity of both states.
Inspired by the Indian Pacific, the iconic rail journey that links Adelaide and Perth over two nights, this design reflects the ever-changing scenery from world-renowned wine regions to vast arid plains. It’s a moving tapestry of contrasts, and I feel privileged to bring this unique journey to life through landscape.”
At the heart of the garden sits a striking central structure, echoing the form and interior of an Indian Pacific train carriage. 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.
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 22million people. 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 and $414 million to Western Australia’s visitor economy.
Chris Tallent, Journey Beyond CEO says:
“We’re delighted to be collaborating with Max Parker-Smith who creates emotionally rich landscapes that connect people deeply to place through his garden designs.
Featuring Australian flora, this garden offers a unique opportunity to share the Indian Pacific’s 55‑year legacy of transcontinental journeys on an international stage. It also celebrates the enduring romance of rail travel as one of the best ways to experience Australia, while shining a spotlight on the extraordinary natural beauty of South Australia and Western Australia.
Minister for Tourism, South Australia, Emily Bourke says: “The RHS Chelsea Flower Show has global recognition and presents an excellent opportunity for us to partner with Journey Beyond and Tourism Western Australia to celebrate the Indian Pacific, inspiring UK travellers to book this epic rail adventure.
Our involvement in the project also allows us to share the incredible story of Adelaide and South Australia – our commitment to sustainability, the city’s proximity to world-class wineries and our national parks filled with unique wildlife, and our welcoming locals who value living well.”
Minister for Tourism, Western Australia, Reece Whitby says: “We are proud to showcase Western Australia’s unique natural beauty at the iconic RHS Chelsea Flower Show, as part of the WA Government’s economic diversification agenda to strengthen the tourism sector and support local jobs and businesses.
“Alongside our partners at Journey Beyond and the South Australian Tourism Commission, we aim to provide attendees with a taste of our vibrant home and hope to capture the imagination of the UK public to encourage them to plan a trip to Western Australia to explore all the beautiful nature-based experiences our dream state has to offer.
“As the closest Australian gateway to the UK, we look forward to welcoming more visitors to Western Australia soon.”
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show runs from 19-23 May 2026.
For more information visit RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 – Journey Beyond Rail
Notes to Editors:
* For the stand-alone press release about the rehoming of the Australian garden visit https://media.journeybeyond.com.au/press-rooms/rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2026/#news
For more information about the RHS Chelsea Flower Show click here
For images and video content: https://media.journeybeyond.com.au/press-rooms/rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2026/
For more information about Max Parker-Smith visit Bio — Maximillian design
For more information about Journey Beyond and the Indian Pacific: Journey Beyond, Indian Pacific
For more information about Adelaide and South Australia: South Australia | Things to do, Events, Accommodation & More | So…
For more information about Perth and Western Australia: Welcome to Western Australia – Tourism Western Australia
For more information on London’s Royal Parks visit The Royal Parks | London’s Royal Parks
For more information on Longleat in Wiltshire visit https://www.longleat.co.uk/
For more images and further information about the partnership please contact:
Emma Humphreys, UK PR for the South Australian Tourism Commission – [email protected] / 07912020853
Julia Newbound, UK PR for Tourism Western Australia – [email protected]
Kylie Bawden, UK PR for Journey Beyond – [email protected]
Cheree McEwin, Group Manager, PR & Communications Journey Beyond – [email protected]
