SHOW GARDEN RELOCATION
Sophie Parmenter Studio's creation captivated Chelsea and is now embarking on a new life in Scotland. Here, Sophie shares the story of designing a Chelsea garden and the challenges of relocating it to a new home.
"Designing a garden for RHS Chelsea has always been a dream project," Sophie reflects. "It is incredibly fun and immensely challenging. A big part of that has been the team, especially the collaboration with Dido Milne of CSK Architects. We have had lots of fun designing this garden. There have been challenges, but it has been a lovely project to work on."
The garden was funded by Project Giving Back and aimed to raise awareness of autism, specifically focusing on late diagnosis in women, girls, and non-binary people. "The conversations with the National Autistic Society started nearly two years ago. Their campaign 'Now I Know' looked at late diagnosis, often due to autistic masking," Sophie explains. "We wanted to design a garden that provided a platform for the charity to share their stories."
Creating a garden for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is unlike designing a typical garden: it is a careful balance of aesthetics and storytelling. As Sophie explains, "A show garden is there to inspire people and tell a story. For us, it was about creating a space that represented the concept of autistic masking. The garden had two distinct areas: a vibrant, colourful wetland meadow outer section that softened towards the heart of the garden, with a serene, woodland-like inner section, symbolising the duality of autistic masking.
"Plant choices were very much influenced by the garden’s relocation to Scotland. I have a fondness for slightly acidic soil and the beautiful plants that thrive in it, which is not always possible in southern England. Plants like shuttlecock ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris), bog myrtle (Myrica gale), white and purple Camassia, and a river of Japanese primrose (Primula japonica), were chosen not just for their beauty but also for their suitability to the Scottish climate.”
Relocating an entire garden from RHS Chelsea to Scotland is no small feat. The primary site for the garden’s relocation is one of the National Autistic Society’s supported living sites at Catrine Bank, alongside the River Ayr.
As plans for the relocation progressed, it became clear that adjustments would need to be implemented. “Shortly before Chelsea, various changes were made at the relocation site, and they decided to move the garden from the area it was going to be in, a walled garden, to an area which is outside of the main site," Sophie elaborated.
The new location's sandy, free-draining soil required a rethink of the planting scheme, with more suitable plants like Molinia grasses and Crocosmia being introduced. "It is lovely that it is now on a public footpath, so people can visit it, however, the shift in location required a complete redesign due to a different soil type”, Sophie notes, "We had to substitute some of the damper-loving plants for species better suited to these sandy conditions.
"Brian at Holmes Farm Plants near Irvine helped us swap some moisture loving plants for ones that thrive in drier soil. This is the joy of gardening – a community of people who love plants and are always ready to share and swap.”
"We have also been enormously helped by the team who have done the installation at Catrine Bank, a company called Stephen Ogilvie Garden Design." she said. Such partnerships ensure that the garden will not only survive but thrive in its new Scottish home.
As the garden takes root in its new Scottish home, Sophie reflects on the journey, "Seeing the garden dismantled and transported was strange, but it was always designed for its future home,” she says. "It will be wonderful to see the garden settling into its new environment and bringing people joy."
Sophie leaves Scottish gardeners with a piece of advice, “Think about your garden's story and choose plants that will thrive in your specific environment. Enjoy the process and remember that gardening is about community, sharing, and creating spaces that bring joy. Whether at Chelsea or in a quiet corner of Scotland, that is what it is all about.”
As Sophie's award-winning garden settles into its new Scottish home, it promises to bring beauty, inspiration, and awareness for years to come, a testament to the enduring power of thoughtful garden design.
Here the rest of Sophie's interview now on the Scotland Grows Show.
