RHS Chelsea 2025

I’m delighted to partner with The Wildlife Trusts once again—this time to create a show garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025, inspired by the temperate rainforests of Britain.

Sponsored by Project Giving Back and supported by Aviva, this garden draws inspiration from the lush, misty woodlands that once blanketed the west coast of the British Isles. It celebrates these threatened habitats, the unique plants they nurture, and the ambitious 100-year nationwide restoration programme spearheaded by The Wildlife Trusts and Aviva to bring them back.

Once covering a fifth of Britain, these magical rainforests now cling to just 1% of our land. Having spent many happy childhood holidays exploring these rich ecosystems, I feel deeply honoured to champion their protection and renewal through this project.

Behind the Design

This garden is designed for a domestic setting, inspired by both my childhood adventures in Devon’s temperate rainforests—particularly the leaning trees and flowing water near my grandparents' home in Lydford. Further inspiration came from a visit to the Devon Wildlife Trust’s Dart Valley Reserve last year. This reserve is next to one of the first sites to benefit from The Wildlife Trusts’ temperate rainforest restoration project Bowden Pillars.

The backdrop of the exhibit features a striking fern and moss wall, inspired by the lush, intricate tapestries of ferns, mosses, and cascading ivy I discovered near streams in this area. I may have slightly fallen in love with the fern wall, which inspired it, which sits on the edge of the Bowden Pillars restoration site.

A raised wooden, wheelchair-accessible boardwalk, inspired by those in Wildlife Trust reserves, meanders across mossy, damp ground, offering immersive views while minimising soil disturbance within the design. A key part of the show garden criteria was to ensure 80% or more of the garden was planted.

At the heart of the garden design though - as in these natural environments - though is moving water: a stream. Here I have modelled it after the Dart River path. It falls down the back wall, then flows under the boardwalk. Gathering in a tranquil pool in the corner of the garden, it provides a source of enjoyment for humans and wildlife alike.

The garden also features native trees like a leaning silver birch, symbolising resilience and the beauty of imperfection. The planting palette is inspired by the species I found in the Dart Valley, alongside British woodland classics like bluebells, cow parsley, and foxgloves.

Championing Conservation Through Collaboration

The Wildlife Trusts’: British Rainforest Garden embodies the shared mission of The Wildlife Trusts and Aviva to restore Britain’s temperate rainforests—a partnership that began in 2023. Plants have been responsibly sourced, using peat-free compost. They are also loans from two Plant Heritage National Collections including Stone Lane Gardens in Devon.

Located in the All About Plants category, this garden interprets the unique flora of Britain’s temperate rainforests in a more domestic setting and invites visitors to reconnect with this extraordinary habitat. The garden will be built by Frogheath Landscapes with additional planting support and care from Gardens Revived.

Join us and The Wildlife Trusts at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025 to experience the beauty of the British Rainforest Garden firsthand. At our show garden you can learn about The Wildlife Trusts’ programme and how you can help protect and restore this remarkable natural treasure.

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