Aeschynanthus
INTERIOR PLANTS
RHS Chelsea 2026 · Houseplant Studios
The Composer's Cabin
Garden designer Martha Krempel returns to the spotlight in 2026 with an evocative new feature garden in partnership with London St. Pancras Highspeed.
A First Look
A Contemplative Sanctuary
The Vision
The Composer’s Cabin is both intimate and expansive, a contemplative sanctuary that celebrates the relationship between creativity and the natural world. At its heart sits a Steinway grand model B Spirio R self-playing piano, a powerful symbol of artistic expression and known as ‘the perfect piano’.
The presence of such an instrument evokes the legacies of legendary composers such as Cole Porter and Irving Berlin, both of whom famously favoured Steinway pianos. Sergei Rachmaninoff would find inspiration here, perhaps even composing a piece like Lilacs amid the tranquil surroundings.
West Penwith, Cornwall
Landscape Inspiration
See Plant ListThe design for the exterior planting draws heavily from the landscapes of West Penwith, an area renowned for its peaty, Neolithic terrain. Krempel merges this rugged character with the softer, lush planting typical of Cornwall’s milder climate inside the cabin.
The result is a setting that feels both ancient and alive, grounded in history yet flourishing in the present.
Peatland Preservation
EnviroNmental Awareness
At the core of the installation is Krempel’s deep environmental awareness. The Composer’s Cabin not only celebrates beauty but also draws attention to peatland preservation.
A carefully constructed peatland bog and a planted roof of heathland species bring these two fragile and often overlooked environments to life for an urban audience as RHS Chelsea goes officially peat-free.
The Composer’s Cabin celebrates the power of peatlands, music and horticulture. Film shared with kind permission of South West Peatland Partnership and Here Now Films
Architectural Foliage
The Planting
Plant selection plays a crucial role in achieving the desired atmosphere. Indolent, architectural species are chosen to complement the forms of the cabin, both inside and out.
Ferns, Tetrapanax papyrifer, and Fatsia polycarpa lend a sculptural softness, helping to blur the boundaries between structure and nature. In contrast to the sentinel-like trees that defined Krempel’s Arcadia Balcony Garden, this new landscape is designed to merge seamlessly with its surroundings, creating a sense of unity and calm.
Plant List
Aeonium 'Kilimanjaro'
INTERIOR PLANTS
Aglaonema 'White Lance'
INTERIOR PLANTS
Asplenium 'Hurricane'
INTERIOR PLANTS
Begonia luxurians
INTERIOR PLANTS
Calathea lancifolia
INTERIOR PLANTS
Colocasia esculenta 'Jack's Giant'
INTERIOR PLANTS
Ficus binnendijkii 'Alii'
INTERIOR PLANTS
Howea forsteriana (Kentia Palm)
INTERIOR PLANTS
Monstera deliciosa
INTERIOR PLANTS
Philodendron pedatum
INTERIOR PLANTS
Philodendron pedatum
INTERIOR PLANTS
Philodendron scandens
INTERIOR PLANTS
Ramusatia vivapara
INTERIOR PLANTS
Scindapsus ‘Global Green’
INTERIOR PLANTS
Seneccio 'Blue Pickle'
INTERIOR PLANTS
Vanda orchid
INTERIOR PLANTS
Asplenium scolopendrum
ROOF
Asplenium trichomanes
ROOF
Blechnum spicant
ROOF
Calluna vulgaris
ROOF
White heather
ROOF
Erica tetralix
ROOF
Echinecea 'White Swan'
ROOF
Eriophorum angustifolium
ROOF
Leucanthrum
ROOF
Ulex europeaus (Gorse)
ROOF
Polystichum setiferum
ROOF
Cretaegus monogyna
BOG PEATED AREA
Eriophorum angustifolium
BOG PEATED AREA
Ulex europaeus (Gorse)
BOG PEATED AREA
Sphagnum moss
BOG PEATED AREA
Sundews
BOG PEATED AREA
Actinidia kolomicta
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Anthriscus sylvestris
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Aruncus “Horatio” (Goat's Beard)
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Begonia luxurians
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Blechnant spicant
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Digitalis purpurea
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Digitlais purpurea Alba
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Dryopteris filix-mas
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Dryopteris wallichiana
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Echiums
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Erigeron karvinskianus
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Euphorbia ‘Fireglow’
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Euphorbia myrsinities
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Euphorbia mellifera
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Hosta elegans
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Farfugium gigantium
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Fatsia polycarpa
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Geranium madarense
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Impatiens omeiana
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Lazula nivea
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Mellifera
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Mellica altissima purpurea
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Paraserianthes lophantha
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Orlaya
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Rodgersia podophylla
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Rodgersia aesculifolia
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Schizophragama hydrangeoides 'Snow Sensation'
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Schefflera delavayi
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Schefflera sp. nova
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Sorbus ulleungensis ‘Olympic Flame’
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Selenium wallichianum
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Taxodium distichium var. imbticatum ‘Nutans’
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Thomsonaria (Sorbus) caloneura
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
Tetrapanax papyrifer
EXTERIOR PERENNIALS & SEMI SUB TROPICAL
About Martha Krempel
The Designer
Krempel’s Arcadia Balcony Garden captivated visitors at RHS Chelsea in 2021. Its enchanting display transported visitors to another world, drawing on exotic Vietnamese plant species, sumptuous colour palettes, and intricate detailing.
In 2026, Krempel shifts her narrative. Her latest work, The Composer’s Cabin, promises to be a richly immersive experience that intertwines music, horticulture, and environmental stewardship.
Krempel is, at heart, a storyteller. Every element of the Composer’s Cabin contributes to a carefully orchestrated narrative, one that speaks of stillness, inspiration, and the quiet dialogue between art and environment.
The Bespoke Cabin
The cabin has been custom-built to Krempel’s design, constructed in redwood and stained in warm, rich tones. A distinctive window seat and a frontage of glazed doors and windows create a strong connection between the interior and the surrounding landscape.
Inside, exposed beams run from front to back, and the vertically clad walls are articulated by two horizontal timbers, adding structure and visual balance to the interior.
The pent roof has been reversed to draw the eye towards the heathland planting, while copper guttering edges the structure, harvesting rainwater to irrigate the bog planting and more tender species within. Extending from the building, a demi-pergola leads into a series of Corten steel hoops.
Amiri Harewood
Photocall and other performances
For the press preview, rising-star pianist Amiri Harewood is set to bring a world-class performance to The Composer’s Cabin. A Grand Prize winner of the Young Classical Artists Trust, the registered charity supporting exceptional young musicians as they establish international careers, Amiri is also a Classic FM Rising Star for 2025. He has performed at some of the country’s most prestigious venues, including the Royal Albert Hall, Wigmore Hall, Royal Festival Hall and 10 Downing Street.
For this inaugural performance at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Amiri has chosen Valses Poéticos by Enrique Granados. The piece captures something deeply evocative about moving through the natural world.
Each waltz shifts in character, playful and radiant one moment, tender and introspective the next, mirroring the way a garden gradually reveals itself as you wander through it. Breathing with colour, rhythm and atmosphere, the music feels perfectly attuned to a garden that celebrates the harmony between music and the living world.
Throughout show week, Steinway ambassadors will give impromptu piano performances to entertain and delight visitors to RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
With Special Thanks
Collaborators, sponsors and suppliers
Sutherland Furniture
Furnished by
Coming soon to the concourse at London St. Pancras International
From 1 June, an adapted version of The Composer’s Cabin will be installed on the St. Pancras concourse, bringing the garden to millions of travellers and extending its message beyond Chelsea.
The installation forms part of the RHS’s sustainability strategy and wider commitment to reusing show gardens and reaching new audiences.