The rhs is sending Chelsea Flower Show gardens into new homes after the event, and Core Arts in Hackney received one that Nemone Mercer said was “was totally transformative.” The garden designed by Andy Smith-Williams helped turn an area behind the church next to the building into a working space for people who use the charity.
Mercer said the Chelsea plot gave Core Arts “that kickstart and energy and momentum” to move faster than it otherwise would have. The garden now gives people a place to learn skills, try different growing methods and adapt to climate change, while also offering what Mercer described as social connection and a wider sense of community.
Core Arts in Hackney
Core Arts had already been discussing taking over an area of grass, brambles and wildflowers behind the church next to its building when the Chelsea garden arrived. Mercer said: “I’m sure the garden would have happened without Chelsea, but it wouldn’t have happened then, and we wouldn’t have had that kickstart and energy and momentum Chelsea gave us,” and added: “As an individual person, getting their hands dirty and connecting one to one with nature is a way of slowing down and resting your nervous system.”
She said the setting also works as a social space. “When you’re doing that in a social environment you’re getting these social connections. And the third thing is knowing you’re part of a bigger community,” Mercer said. Core Arts is a mental health charity in London that runs creative education classes for people referred by the NHS.
Rhs relocation rule
The RHS has encouraged designers to make sure Chelsea creations find new homes, and since 2016 it has relocated its own feature gardens. From 2023, the requirement to relocate or repurpose gardens after the show was extended to all gardens. Gardens have gone to hospitals and health services, helped charity work, become community growing spaces or been turned into areas for nature.
That model has also reached other sites. Monty Don’s dog garden went to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home last year, while Project Giving Back has supported numerous charity gardens at Chelsea since 2022.
Palacerigg Country Park
The post-Chelsea home for the Down’s Syndrome Scotland garden, designed by Duncan Hall with Nick Burton in 2025, is Palacerigg Country Park in North Lanarkshire. It sits within Watch Us Grow’s existing garden, which works with people with learning disabilities including Down’s syndrome.
Hall said people with Down’s syndrome “tend to have in abundance” compassion, sensitivity, playfulness and fun, and he said the volunteers’ awareness-raising at Chelsea was “way above my expectations.” Lorna Nelson, a service user and support volunteer, said the garden has “has been brilliant, it’s been very therapeutic,” and added: “It was a real inspiration to be at Chelsea and just to see you don’t have to have a great bit of land, you can have a small space and make it beautiful,”
