RHS Young Designer garden to be built at a community hospital after the show

A garden designer from Marlow has been picked from hundreds of applications across the country to build her first show garden titled ‘The Covid Recovery Garden’ at Tatton Park in July. After the show, the garden will be relocated in its entirety to Brookside Clinic, a spine and brain rehabilitation hospital in Aylesbury.

Rachel Platt (25) has become one of five garden designers under the age of 28 to compete for this year’s RHS Young Designer of the Year. The competition aims to highlight emerging talent and give aspiring designers the opportunity to launch their career and gain exposure at such a prestigious event.

Lex Falleyn, show manager for RHS Tatton Park, said: “We are really excited to see the ideas of these five young designers come to life at RHS Tatton Park this year. It’s impressive to see how they have used their garden designs to highlight global issues affecting people and the planet. We hope they inspire the next generation of gardeners to come and see the show and to try horticulture as a hobby or a future career.”

Hoping to win gold and ‘Best in Show’ this year, Rachel’s Garden aims to provide a restorative sanctuary at a hospital for those suffering from long-covid, the shape of which is inspired by Caduceus, the staff of Hermes, often used as a medical symbol. Visitors to the show can expect to see a selection of air purifying and remedial plants which benefit lung health as well as a sculpture inspired by the spike protein anatomy of COVID-19, a large transparent arbour and a rain garden which is fed by a steel rill.

We are still looking for funding to cover the sculptural pieces and the planting and are therefore reaching out to local businesses for the opportunity to be involved in such an amazing cause in exchange for exposure. You will receive recognition on all signs and brochures; media exposure from press to tv and radio and marketing opportunities including tickets and hospitality packages. If you are interested, please get in contact with Rachel.

“Ever since my parents took me to my first RHS show, it has always been a dream of mine to design a garden at such a prestigious flower show. I want to thank Tatton Asset Management for their generous support and the following landscape related companies: Caledonian Stone, Aqua Cut, Deepdale Trees, Core Landscaping Products, Vande Moortel, Ultrascape and Platipus for their continued support and fabulous products. Lastly, I want to thank my landscaper Everest Garden Landscape, consulted by Gareth Wilson. Show gardens are very much a team effort and I wouldn’t be here without you, so thank you.” Rachel Platt, owner of Rachel Platt Garden Design.

RHS Flower Show Tatton Park runs from 20-24 July and tickets can be purchased at www.rhs.org.uk/tatton