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London Square Chelsea Pensioners Garden relocated to new home at the Royal Hospital Chelsea

A garden specially designed for the Chelsea Pensioners at the 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show has now been moved to its new permanent home in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea

The London Square Chelsea Pensioners Garden designed by Dave Green and supported by property company London Square, was awarded a prestigious Gold medal at the 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It was visited by the Queen, David Beckham and large crowds who flocked to see the Chelsea Pensioners in the exquisitely designed woodland space. 

Every element of the garden, from fragile ferns to the slabs of York stone paving, has been transported just 300 metres from its plot at the showground to its new permanent home in The Prince of Wales Courtyard in the grounds of the Grade I and Grade II* listed Royal Hospital, transforming the centre of the quadrangle. 

Queen Camilla was one of the famous faces seen enjoying the garden at RHS Chelsea in 2025
Moving the garden to its new home was the idea of London Square, inaugural corporate patrons of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. On discovering the passion many Chelsea Pensioners share for gardening, London Square proposed creating a garden designed specifically for the Chelsea Pensioners at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, which would then be relocated.

Designer Dave Green enjoying a joyful moment with the Chelsea Pensioners in the new garden
Designer Dave Green oversaw the move of over 2,000 plants, several large 6m/7m tall trees, along with 15 tonnes of York stone and British oak arches, from the showground to the Prince of Wales Courtyard, using an array of machinery including cranes, forklift trucks and diggers. Dave said: “Moving the garden started immediately after the final day of the flower show. We had already spent several weeks preparing the site in The Prince of Wales Courtyard.”

Dave spent a year working closely with the Chelsea Pensioners and London Square to create a garden shaped by their stories and past experiences as a place for meeting up or for quiet reflection, while aiming to reflect the 333-year heritage of the Royal Hospital as “a home for soldiers broken by age and war.” 

It is wonderful to see the garden begin a new chapter and provide the Chelsea Pensioners with their own space that is accessible, sustainable and sociable to help improve wellbeing and embrace their love of gardening and being outside.

Dave Green, Garden Designer
The crowning glory of this beautiful garden is the intricately carved games table
Now, in its new home, the garden is filled with striking trees, plants and shrubs, with a seating space sheltered under elegant oak arches. The centrepiece of the garden is a British oak dining table, designed and made by The King’s Foundation Snowdon School of Furniture workshops at Highgrove. The table is inset with a decorative brass map of the world, for the Pensioners to gather round and recall their service and travels and provide a talking point for families, friends and non-resident veterans who will be invited to visit the garden. 

Providing a splash of scarlet amongst the vibrant green planting is the seating upholstery and cushions for a British oak curving seat. The cushions were specially made by prisoners’ rehabilitation charity Fine Cell Work from recycled ceremonial Pensioners’ uniforms.  A plaque has been added to the garden to mark its journey from Gold medal-winning RHS Chelsea show garden to its new home.

Royal Hospital Chelsea Governor Sir Adrian Bradshaw, London Square Chief Executive Officer Adam Lawrence, Royal Hospital Chelsea CEO David Richmond and Garden Designer Dave Green, with the Chelsea Pensioners who were involved in the project since the design stage
London Square’s Chief Executive Officer Adam Lawrence said, “The Royal Hospital Chelsea’s work with the Pensioners and non-resident veterans is inspirational and our partnership with the Pensioners to create the garden for Chelsea has been a joyful and hugely rewarding experience. Designer Dave Green created a magical space and we are delighted to see the garden is now in its new home as a permanent feature. We believe that attractive, communal green spaces provide an important place for residents of all ages to come together – reflected in the new neighbourhoods we build in London.”

David Richmond, Chief Executive Officer, Royal Hospital Chelsea, said, “The Chelsea Pensioners were thrilled to see the garden they co-designed with Dave Green win Gold at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Now, with thanks to London Square it will find its permanent home here at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. The garden has activated a largely unused space which will now be enjoyed by Pensioners and their guests for many years to come.” 

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