The
RHS Pollywiggle Garden will be designed by Norfolk based design duo Joe and Laura Carey and is inspired by the restorations of north Norfolk’s unique pingo pools and the successful reintroduction of the endangered northern pool frog.
Britain’s rarest frog, once thought to be extinct due to habitat loss and confusion with the non-native pool frog from southern Europe, has made a comeback in recent years with reintroduction efforts and the restorations of Norfolk’s pingo pools. These unique pools, formed at the end of the ice age, provide wetland habitats rich in biodiversity but have also been threatened by water extraction and expanding farmland.
In the face of climate change and habitat loss, the
RHS Pollywiggle Garden, built by Neil Askew Landscapes, is packed with ideas on how gardeners can help create more spaces where water loving wildlife can thrive in hot weather. Lush, naturalistic planting peppered with moisture loving trees, grasses, and perennials surround a beautifully formed pond, creating habitat for tadpoles, frogs, and newts whilst still maintaining a carefully curated aesthetic. A boardwalk leads visitors through areas of wet ground, demonstrating how water can be embraced as an asset in gardens.
The garden’s designers, Joe and Laura Carey, said: “This is a garden close to our hearts. We’ve so enjoyed seeing our own children out in nature spotting frogs, so we wanted to create a garden that inspires people to protect these often-overlooked creatures with a design that demonstrates that eco-gardens can still be aesthetically pleasing. The garden is packed with ideas for gardeners to try at home to create spaces that support our local wildlife whilst still being attractive spaces for us to enjoy.”
Sarah Wilson-Frost, RHS Horticulturist said: “Water is such a precious commodity in our gardens with some areas of the UK having lost nearly 90% of their wetlands, which has had a real detrimental effect on wildlife. We, as a nation of gardeners, have the ability to help out our amphibian life. Even if by including just a small wetland area, across many green spaces, can have a huge benefit for amphibians and other wildlife.”
The
RHS Pollywiggle Garden joins the
RHS Royal Legacy Garden and an exciting line up of gardens, features, and floral creations yet to be announced at the first RHS Sandringham Flower Show in July. After the Show, the garden will live on at Pensthorpe Nature Reserve, Norfolk, where it will become an interactive wildlife education garden.
RHS Sandringham Flower Show runs from 22 - 26 July 2026 and tickets are available online at
www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-sandringham-flower-show
