The moment that whispers of rebellion began to rustle through the swaying grasses, plants and trees at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, officials knew that they must act.

Organisers embarked immediately on a discreet inspection of the gardens and, to their dismay, discovered that the murmurings of revolt were all too true. Exhibitors were seeking to display garden gnomes.

While they may be a popular feature in some suburban and cottage gardens, garden gnomes are considered taboo by the country’s gardening elite — and they are banned from the Chelsea show.

What has surprised the officials, however, is that a member of the RHS’s own ruling council has been implicated in the affair.

Times Archive, 1924: The King and Queen at Chelsea

Their majesties were much interested in the Hon. Vicary Gibbs's wonderful display of forced vegetables

• The Spring Show, 1913

• Dresses at Chelsea, 1937

Related Links

• Why Chelsea matters

• Chelsea: Showing the way

• This year's hot plants

Jekka McVicar, a leading organic grower, member of the RHS ruling council and 13 times a gold medal winner at the show, has created a stunning display of medicinal and culinary herbs in the Grand Pavilion but hidden away behind the greenery next to a stream is a tiny gnome with a fishing rod.

A show spokeswoman insisted that the offending gnome be ejected. “It has got to go before judging begins at 8am on Monday. Gnomes are against the rules,” she said.

Mrs McVicar was embarrassed by the stir that she had caused but defended her gnome and suggested she would try to conceal him amid the foliage rather than remove him altogether. “I am a council member of the RHS because it is inspirational for gardeners — but there has to be an element of fun. Gardening can be too serious,” she said.

Her gnome, Borage, has been a lucky mascot for more than 15 years, although he had never before appeared at Chelsea. However, as this was her last appearance at the show, she wanted her gnome there. “I just think Borage is wonderfully good-taste. He’s not brightly coloured. He’s a subtle gnome, though definitely not an upper-class gnome.

“Borage will not be taken away, but he will not be spotted. He will be buried in the depth of the garden.”

David Domoney, a modern garden designer and one of the team on ITV’s This Morning programme, has two displays at Chelsea that are intended to shock. One is a garden designed for motorcyclists that features pixie bikers; the other is an aquarium display of marine plants that also features 15 red-bellied piranhas.

He has special permission from the RHS to include a Harley-Davidson in the bikers’ garden — a first in the show’s 87 years — but his pixie bikers are too much for the organisers.

One RHS insider said: “We’ve already been on a snoop and seen one in his garden. That will have to be removed. It doesn’t matter [that] it’s not exactly a gnome, it’s like one. People are being very naughty this year but we will find them out and get rid of them by morning.”

Mr Domoney was unrepentant. “I have seen the officials snooping around but this is a bikers’ garden and these are miniature bikers made from nails and spark plugs. They look like aliens or predators, not wimpish gnomes. They’ve spotted one but there is another. I’ve deliberately tried to conceal them. If they are confiscated, who is to say if there are others on standby? But I can’t talk about that.”

Despite the recession the event — which is to be visited by the Queen and other members of the Royal Family today — remains one of the most sought-after tickets of the English summer season. Only a few hundred of the 157,000 tickets were still available last night.

The harsh financial climate has reduced the number of prestigious show gardens, with sponsors such as Marks & Spencer unwilling to commit £100,000 to £250,000 for association with the show.

Similarly, even though tonight’s gala is a sellout, there are still some venues available later in the week for corporate hospitality events.

Times recommends

• Second homes: credit crunch casualty or money-spinner?
• How I built my own sliding house
• Top 10 incentives for house buyers