AI-Designed Gardens Debut at Chelsea Flower Show Amid Designer Debate

Matt Keightley’s AI‑designed garden and new Spacelift app are premiering at the Chelsea Flower Show, igniting a clash between traditional designers and tech advocates.

The Royal Horticultural Society’s flagship show, held each May in London’s Chelsea grounds, has long been a showcase for hand‑crafted planting and horticultural artistry. This year, the introduction of an AI‑generated exhibit has drawn sharp reactions from designers who fear automation could erode the profession’s core values.

Keightley, an award‑winning designer known for gardens created for Prince Harry and other high‑profile clients, used his Spacelift platform to produce a full‑scale garden that will sit alongside traditional entries. The app, which he says replicates the work of experienced designers and can generate spaces from scratch, underpins three distinct exhibits: a rural‑inspired garden built with reclaimed materials, a compact urban balcony garden, and a woodland‑themed wellbeing space that includes a sauna and cold shower.

Critics argue that successful garden design rests on creativity, collaboration, experience and human connection—qualities they say technology cannot replicate. Andrew Duff, chair of the Society of Garden and Landscape Designers, warned that while AI may aid visualisation, it lacks the insight, empathy and personal engagement that come from working directly with a skilled designer. Yvonne Price, another Chelsea exhibitor, called the AI garden’s presence a betrayal of the show’s reputation as the world’s leading venue for garden design.

Spacelift’s leadership counters that the app expands the market rather than replaces professionals. Alexandra Davison, head of PR and partnerships, said the tool targets UK homeowners who currently cannot afford a designer, giving them informed briefs that ultimately benefit the industry when they later hire experts. Duff’s guild plans to campaign for the value of human work, positioning AI as a supplementary tool akin to CAD rather than a substitute.

What to watch next is how quickly homeowners adopt Spacelift, whether the AI‑designed gardens receive medals or criticism from judges, and if the debate prompts new guidelines on technology’s role in future Chelsea shows.