Hospice UK to bring garden to RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025

Catherine Bosworth, Director of Income Generation and Grants at Hospice UK, said: “Gardens play such a vital role in our wellbeing, throughout our lives. Anyone who has benefitted from a hospice garden will know the immense, restorative power of horticulture for people who are approaching the end of life – and their loved ones, too.

“Above all else, hospice gardens are about people and compassion. Tom’s garden design captures that so beautifully. It’s a space that’s about letting people focus on living, right until the end.

“We are so grateful to Project Giving Back for this transformational opportunity. And we are so pleased, on behalf of the UK’s 200 hospices - and indeed the many thousands of volunteer hospice gardeners - to bring the Hospice UK Garden of Compassion to RHS Chelsea next year. We can’t wait to see you there.”

Tom Hoblyn said: “Having designed hospice gardens in the past, I know first-hand just how valuable they are. 

“What is beautiful is also hugely beneficial – for a patient’s mind, body and spirit, and of course for their family and friends as they tackle life’s most difficult journey.

The Hospice UK Garden of Compassion will feature a harmonious blend of natural materials and carefully selected plants that evoke the essence of the Mediterranean landscape. Beyond the monumental boulders, a variety of pathways will encourage exploration and connection, creating a tranquil journey through each distinct space. Each 'room' will serve a unique purpose, allowing users to engage with the garden in a personal and meaningful way.

The garden will be fully accessible, with the ability for both a wheelchair and a hospice bed to be wheeled right through; patients at end of life often express a wish to enjoy the outdoors in their final days.

Following the show, the garden will be relocated to St Cuthbert’s Hospice in Durham, a location which has inspired Hoblyn’s design.

John Egglestone, a volunteer gardener at St Cuthbert’s for the past 13 years, said: “In my first few weeks of volunteering at St Cuthbert’s Hospice, I met a patient on the veranda which overlooks the space where the garden will be replanted. He’d been helped outside to enjoy the view and said to me: ‘you know what mate, I know I’ve not got long left and I just want to spend my last days looking at these gardens.' Those words have stayed with me."

Jeff McWaters, from Spennymoor in Durham, has been attending the Living Well Centre at St Cuthbert’s Hospice since February 2023. He has Huntington’s Disease which was diagnosed many years ago - there is currently no cure or any way to stop it from getting worse. 

Jeff said: “It’s fantastic to hear that the hospice is getting this garden from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show next year. I love watching it on the telly and look forward to when they give the gold. I hope this garden gets one!

“I’m always asking the garden volunteers what each plant is. I used to have my own allotment and greenhouse but had to give it up as I couldn’t handle it anymore. Gardening has lovely memories, like growing baby cucumbers for my granddaughter’s lunchbox.

“I’ve done a few groups in the hospice gardens and made hanging baskets and bird feeders, that kind of thing. It’s nice to meet people and do different activities. I didn’t do anything before coming here and now I do something every week. It takes my mind off things a bit and gets me out the house. I’ll look forward to looking around the new garden when it comes.”

Tom Hoblyn’s design will highlight the sensory experience, showcasing an array of colourful Mediterranean plants, some of which have never been seen before at RHS Chelsea. Collected on his plant-hunting trips, these unique specimens will create visual harmony and support local biodiversity. 

The garden has been designed to ensure that there is always something in bloom, uplifting spirits and offering moments of joy.

Thoughtfully placed seating areas will encourage users to pause, reflect, and connect with nature, while the gentle sound of water from the sculpted water bowls will enhance the garden’s calming atmosphere. This space is intended to provide comfort and solace, offering families and staff a respite from the challenges they face. 

The Hospice UK Garden of Compassion is generously supported by Project Giving Back, which is a unique grant making charity that provides funding for gardens for good causes. Project Giving Back will fund 10 gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show 2025.

Hattie Ghaui, CEO of Project Giving Back, said: “The Hospice UK Garden of Compassion will touch the hearts of so many people at the show in 2025, and will go on to be incredibly beneficial for the patients and their families at St Cuthbert’s Hospice in Durham. The final weeks of a loved one’s life are so important to family and friends for years to come, and having a tranquil, welcoming garden in which to enjoy those final moments is a wonderful legacy we are proud to be supporting.”

Project Giving Back aims to boost UK-based good causes by giving them an opportunity to raise awareness of their work at the high-profile RHS Chelsea Flower Show, as well as supporting the relocation of the gardens to permanent homes after the show where they can continue to benefit the charities and their communities.