A garden which has been awarded the Best in Category Award and a Gold Medal at world-renowned RHS Chelsea Flower Show this week will be relocating to Bangor University’s Treborth Botanic Garden just a stone’s throw away from the Menai Strait over the summer.
Eryri (Snowdonia) based garden design practice, Studio Bristow, is showcasing a magical and biodiverse ‘All About Plants’ garden at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, in collaboration with climate change charity, Size of Wales. The garden is supported by Project Giving Back, a unique grant-giving charity that supports gardens for good causes at RHS Chelsea. The design aims to bring to the fore the rich biodiversity of plant life in tropical forests, whilst commenting on the devastating consequences of deforestation.
The eagerly-anticipated Size of Wales Garden demonstrates Studio Bristow's commitment to both innovative garden design and environmental stewardship. They’ve partnered with Size of Wales, a climate change charity working with indigenous and local people worldwide to protect at least 2 million hectares of tropical forests (an area the size of Wales) and grow millions of trees. Together, they endeavour to raise awareness about the critical issue of deforestation and its impact on global biodiversity.
We are thrilled to present a garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year alongside Size of Wales and sponsored by the hugely respected Project Giving Back. This project goes beyond showcasing our design abilities; it's a heartfelt effort to draw attention to the vital role tropical forests play in maintaining the planet's biodiversity. My father worked for over a decade for an anti-deforestation charity in sub-Saharan Africa, and I was thus partially raised in the Sudan, so these issues have always been close to me. The collaboration aims to inspire visitors and spark conversations about the urgent need for the application of conservation and sustainable practices.
The Size of Wales Garden immerses visitors in a rich landscape representative of tropical forests, but featuring a range of plant species that thrive in our own vital ecosystems, here in the UK. This challenges the viewer to recognise that their beloved home landscapes are also under threat.
Nicola Pulman, Director of Size of Wales, added “Tropical forests are biodiversity hotspots, a single hectare may contain over 300 species of tree and they are home to millions of humans. Last year, 4 million hectares of precious tropical forests were destroyed across the planet, twice the size of Wales. We are inviting you on our RHS Chelsea journey, where together we can ensure a future with forests.”
313 plant species have been used in the planting, reflecting the number of tree species that can occur in just one hectare of tropical forest. Slender spires of columnar trees soar skywards, as alpine miniatures mound among the rocks, sprinkled throughout with a range of yellow flowers – the colour of hope. A couple of small roofs nestle at the top of gangly posts, calling to mind the precariousness of our current existence. A fungus fence gives a platform to the mostly hidden kingdom of fungi, so vital to the health of every forest in the world.
Each element of the garden has been thoughtfully curated to emphasise the beauty and fragility of our forests, inviting visitors to contemplate the repercussions of deforestation on both a local and global scale.
Natalie Chivers, Curator at Treborth Botanic Garden, is returning to RHS Chelsea for the sixth time, this year with a team of Bangor University students and Treborth Botanic Garden volunteers to assist Studio Bristow with the intricate planting of the garden, as well as help relocate the garden to the grounds of Treborth after the show in early June.
