Away from the Show Gardens on Main Street, Sanctuary Gardens offer more inspiration, and often on a more achievable scale. A garden celebrating the 200th anniversary of the National Gallery, a family-friendly space that can recover from heavy rains, and a sensory haven that supports the mental health of children undergoing cancer treatment, will all make the 2024 list.
Helen Olney’s Burma Spirit of Partnership skincare initiative garden won a gold medal at this year’s show, as did Chelsea debutant Giulio Giorgi for his world-class children’s cancer garden.
The story of a global dermatology partnership supporting Burmese medical staff treating adults and children with skin diseases is told throughout Helen Olney’s naturalistic garden design. Inside the space, a traditional Burmese stilt house built from recycled wood offers stunning views of a cascading waterfall, while other areas of the garden have been renovated and covered with leaves, an iconic illustration of the broken environment in which this charity operates. Read our exclusive interview with Helen Olney.
A family garden that can recover from heavy rains, Naomi Slade and Ed Barsley’s design helps reduce the risk of flooding by dense planting that slows water flow and marshes that create runoff that funnels rainwater into the pond. features where water can seep over long distances — smart and sophisticated solutions to challenging weather conditions.
Bright greens, striking reds and bright oranges make up the color palette of Kazuyuki Ishihara’s family garden, where a theme of happiness is explored through acer berries, velvety irises, moss and waterfalls. Practical family life with the beauty of the natural world.
Celebrating the National Gallery’s 200th anniversary, Catherine Macdonald has drawn inspiration from some of the gallery’s most coveted collections of important works of art. The ‘art in nature’ planting scheme permeates around sculptural metal domes and water features reminiscent of the Pointillism and Impressionism movements. Read our exclusive interview with Catherine MacDonald.
This remarkable curved and immersive design invites guests to engage in therapy in one-on-one and group sessions in a peaceful and comfortable space, with winding water streams that both irrigate the plants and promote relaxation.
Giulio Giorgi has created a sensory haven to support the mental health of children undergoing cancer treatment and their families. A beautiful meadow, raised circular beds made from perforated clay blocks and soft plants provide a joyful, hopeful and tactile escape into nature. Read our exclusive interview with Giulio Giorgi.
