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Giant moon and UFO take over Chelsea streets

News imageBBC A floral installation depicts an astronaut figure facing a large model of the Moon, set among pastel-coloured flowers on a wet pavement in an outdoor urban space.BBC

Chelsea has been transformed into an "intergalactic wonderland" of floral displays as London's largest free flower festival returns for its 21st year.

Chelsea in Bloom, which began on Monday 18 May and lasts until Sunday 24 May, with more than 145 shops, restaurants, hotels and businesses across the west London neighbourhood taking part.

The 2026 theme is "Out of this World", with installations inspired by space travel, astrology and spiritual symbolism.

Highlights include an enormous floral globe on the King's Road created in honour of Sir David Attenborough's 100th birthday, and a UFO suspended over Pavilion Road.

News imageA large dragon sculpture made from red and orange flowers stands on a city street, with black wings and a long neck arching beneath trees and modern buildings in the background.

The trail features a zodiac-inspired constellation in Sloane Square, a lunar landscape and Saturn display at Duke of York Square, and a four-metre floral dragon and Pegasus on Sloane Street.

Produced by Cadogan in association with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the event runs alongside the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and is designed to extend it into the surrounding streets.

Ruth Davies, founder of floral design studio All for Love London, is behind one of the festival's standout installations: a four-metre astronaut and a six-metre moon on the King's Road.

"When we knew it was the space theme, the most iconic image that sprung to mind was an astronaut, so we thought how wonderful to make a four-metre astronaut out of roses and hydrangea."

News imageA tall, flower-covered column topped with a metallic UFO disc stands in a narrow street, surrounded by three small green alien figures and colourful bunting strung between brick buildings.

She added: "There was the recent moon mission, so it just felt so topical. We've surrounded the six-metre moon with lilac and blue delphiniums, festuca and purple alliums; that's what the Moon looks like in my little head.

"As you walk down the King's Road, you see a massive moon in the distance. It just has that shock factor - kids, any generation, absolutely love it as they turn the corner. Scale is important when you're out in a big space like this.

"We started conceptually last November and began the build in January, so it's five or six months of work, with the install over two days.

"I have the most amazing team - incredible artists who have worked so hard on the little details."

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