RHS and King’s Foundation Feature Garden to take centre stage

RHS and King’s Foundation Feature Garden to take centre stage

to finalise, finesse and rubber stamp the plans for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show feature garden, which celebrates and encourages people to get curious about gardening and spending time in nature.

His Majesty The King, Royal Founding President of The King’s Foundation and Royal Patron of the RHS, was joined by King’s Foundation ambassador Sir David Beckham, King’s Foundation and RHS Ambassador Alan Titchmarsh CBE and Frances Tophill, the garden designer, for a special meeting at Highgrove to discuss the plants and plans for the garden. The group are united by a love for gardening and the outdoors, and the hope that a new generation will consider careers in horticulture.

Garden trainees and apprentices from both RHS Wisley and Highgrove Gardens are also involved in the Curious Garden project and will be onsite planting at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. As part of the meeting at Highgrove, The King heard from the garden trainees about their excitement around the project, who are also taking part in exchanges to each other’s gardens.

At last week’s meeting, it was agreed that the Curious Garden will host a beehive, inspired by The King and Sir David’s enthusiasm for beekeeping and producing natural honey. Other design elements already announced for the garden include an easel created by Snowdon School of Furniture Graduate Eleanor Pickin, who met those involved in the garden design at the Highgrove furniture workshops, seven raised beds to nod to Sir David’s iconic football shirt number, as well as roses by David Austin Roses for The King, Sir David and Alan Titchmarsh.

Following the meeting, Sir David, King’s Foundation Ambassador, said: “Both The King’s Foundation and the RHS do such great work in protecting and promoting green spaces across the UK. I want to help encourage a new generation to appreciate the benefits of nature and get involved in gardening. It’s been fun to be a part of creating the Curious Garden and I’m excited for people to see it at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.”

Alan Titchmarsh CBE, King’s Foundation and RHS Ambassador, said: “As a long-time supporter of both the RHS and The King’s Foundation, I am delighted to lend my horticultural expertise to the Curious Garden. Curiosity is really the beginning of any gardening journey – and certainly that’s how I began my career – so I hope this work inspires a new generation of gardeners to explore their talents through the incredible training and work experience schemes available via the RHS and The King’s Foundation.”

Frances Tophill, garden design for the Curious Garden, said: “As my first Chelsea Garden for the RHS, I am thrilled to be working on such a special design. It has been inspiring to spend time at Highgrove and learn more about His Majesty’s approach to gardening and how he incorporates his Harmony philosophy into all of the work that takes place there – which we have brought to the designs for the garden. I can’t wait to share the Curious Garden with the world!”

The RHS is the UK’s Gardening Charity, founded in1804, today the charity helps millions of people across the country garden and grow for health, happiness and the environment. With a mission to promote the Science, Art and Practice of Horticulture, the charity runs national grass roots school gardening and community gardening campaigns and conducts vital science research to help mitigate some of the biggest environmental challenges facing us today.

The King’s Foundation is His Majesty’s nature and sustainability charity. The organisation offers education programmes for young people in traditional, sustainable skills and outdoor learning, as well as managing and developing gardens on behalf of His Majesty, including those at Highgrove, Dumfries House and the Castle of Mey.

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