This year at the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show garden designers, gardeners, horticulturists and more, came together once again to create 39 gardens and 80 nursery, florist and Discovery exhibits!
The views were spectacular, as always, with emphasis on sustainability, re-wilding, connection, great design and of course incredible floristry work. It was an artistic, fashionable and educational day and the show was packed with visitors, celebrities and royalty alike!
With beautiful sights at every turn there is no part of the show that went unappreciated, however, the most exciting aspect of RHS Chelsea 2022 for us this year was The Mind Garden, designed by Andy Sturgeon, sponsored by Mind and Project Giving Back.
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“The Mind Garden inspires us to connect with each other for our mental health. When we’re struggling with our mental health, sharing what we’re going through can change everything, which is why The Mind Garden is designed to be a place for people to connect, be themselves and open up.”
rhs.org.uk
The Mind Garden has been funded by Project Giving Back, with plants grown and the garden built by Crocus, featuring special guest artists, Guy Valentine who designed the clay rendered walls, Johnny Woodford who created the oak carved benches, and Thea Thompson Ceramics who created the water chutes.
-mind.org.uk
The garden now serves as an eco-therapy area for people with mental health problems at a local Mind.
We know that gardening and being outdoors can improve physical health, but it also has huge benefits for our mental health as it helps to reduce stress and reconnect with nature.
If you want to learn more about gardening and want to get involved Oxfordshire Mind runs a Wallingford Peer Support and Allotment Group, which you can access by contacting our Information Service and enquiring.
We also offer our Walking for Wellbeing services which offers peer support and gives you an opportunity to reconnect with the outdoors.
Mind and Mind Localities staff went alongside volunteers, including Mark a volunteer from the Wallingford Allotment, to the RHS Chelsea show on Saturday 28th May to help work in the garden and enjoy the different displays.
Middle Left to Right: A bee enjoying the display, Mark (volunteer) in the Mind garden, water gently pouring from ceramic spouts.
Bottom Left to Right: Mind volunteer interacting with the crowd, sculptural walls surrounded by colourful meadow planting, the crowd at RHS Chelsea
If you want to learn more about the Mind Garden you can watch a video from the designer Andy and Mind Volunteers and take a look at the plant list here on the Mind website.