The Marble & Granite Centre Ltd, one of the UK’s largest stone wholesalers, is to sponsor a unique garden at the 2016 RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The garden, designed by artists and stone carvers Martin Cook and Gary Breeze is named ‘Antithesis of Sarcophagi’. It features a 44ton granite cube set in a barren landscape, seemingly at first sight a ‘garden’ with neither flowers or plants. On closer inspection, Chelsea visitors will be able to peer through slits in the granite cube which reveal a beautiful, regenerating woodland garden.

Martin Cook previously won a prestigious Gold medal for his last RHS Chelsea exhibit – The Mindfulness Garden – back in 2013. The Marble & Granite Centre jointly sponsored this garden, and were so thrilled by its success that they were extremely keen to work with Martin again.

“I have long been a supporter of Martin and his work,” commented The Marble & Granite Centre managing director Stephen Pike. “Both Martin and Gary have a unique ability to take a natural material, already a beautiful thing, and turn it into something truly special. I’m looking forward to watching the garden develop and to sharing it with visitors to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2016.”

Martin commented on the garden’s design adding;”We’ve taken to referring to our garden as ‘granite not gladioli’. Our aim is to turn the traditional concept of a Chelsea garden on its head – in our garden, gratification is delayed rather than instantly rewarded, and closer inspection will most definitely reap rewards for show visitors.”

Antithesis of Sarcophagi will be exhibited in the Fresh Gardens section of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, which takes place from 24-28 May 2016.