Visitors to the horticultural event of the year are likely to see more punchy colours, a push on ornamental fruit and veg and a continuing growth in native and naturalistic planting, experts are predicting.

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is always a showcase for the most inspirational, out-of-this-world designs, but what can we take from the garden catwalk to the average domestic setting?

“There’s always a danger that the show gardens become such grand statement pieces that you feel as though there’s very little access in terms of the materials and the ideas you can take,” says award-winning garden designer Chris Beardshaw, who this year is not only helping create the Bradstone Fusion Garden, an urban show garden, but is also a judge at Chelsea.

“However, there seems to be a number of clear directions. There’s a huge move towards native plants and naturalistic planting. It takes a while, when you think that Chelsea is at the high end of the fashion market, for things to become mainstream.”

Hot plants at Chelsea may include a clutch of interesting alpines such as meconopsis (blue poppies), along with quality herbaceous plants such as peonies and almost black bearded irises, while topiarised plants (watch out for the Laurent Perrier garden) will also be popular.

“Large topiarised plants are becoming more available and people are spending less on collections of plants and more on individual ones,” Beardshaw observes.

Bunny Guinness, winner of six gold medals at the show and designer of the 2011 M&G garden, a modern take on a traditional kitchen garden, predicts that fruit and veg will be brought into the spotlight in domestic gardens.

In the show garden she’s designed, cabbages and beans mingle with clematis and roses, while lavender and other herbs ensure the garden smells sweet and fragrant. Large terracotta pots containing lemon, apple and quince fruit trees are placed throughout the garden.

Raised beds should catch on because they’re easier to tend and much more productive, she says.

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, The Royal Hospital, London from May 24 to 28. To book tickets, visit rhs.org.uk/ chelsea, or call 0844 3387528. RHS show information: 020 76491885 or rhs.org.uk/chelsea.