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Giant moon and UFO take over west London for Chelsea in Bloom
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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. 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." 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." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk Pack your team with players whose teams have something to play for on the final day of the season, writes Thomas Woods. Heat health alerts have been issued in what is being forecast as London's first heatwave of the year. The Wiener Holocaust Library exhibition examines how forced labour became central to the Nazi war economy. How much can you remember from the last week? Trading Standards officers say the network operated in Surrey, London and Essex.