Displays often have to be reimagined – dense planting schemes can be spread out to fill larger spaces, and the promise of a new garden can breathe life into a much wider area.
Core Arts, a mental health charity in London which runs creative education classes for people referred by the NHS, including art, music and gardening, was already in discussions to take over an area of grass, brambles and wildflowers behind the church next to its building in Hackney.
Nemone Mercer, Core Landscapes project director, said receiving their garden, designed by Andy Smith-Williams, had been “totally transformative” in kickstarting the outdoor space with plants, trees and hard landscaping.
“I’m sure the garden would have happened without Chelsea, but it wouldn’t have happened then, and we wouldn’t have had that energy and momentum Chelsea gave us,” she said.
The garden now provides a space for people to learn skills, experiment with different ways of growing and adapting to climate change, and to help boost confidence and social connections.
