Show garden legacy: Royal Entomological Society Garden
Since 2023 all RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gardens must have a plan to relocate, reuse or repurpose. The Royal Entomological Society Garden designed by Tom Massey found a permanent home at Stratford Cross in East London
One year later, the garden is just as popular with families and insect lovers, promoting education around biodiversity, sustainability and entomology for all ages in its new home in Newham. Its relocation has been funded by Project Giving Back, Lendlease, SHIFT, and Royal Entomological Society supporters.
The garden in its new location
The garden supports educational courses for children and adult learners, particularly through its centerpiece laboratory, inspired by an insect eye and designed as a hub for education and interaction
Tom Massey showed the Princess of Wales and children from local schools around the garden at RHS Chelsea 2023
The garden not only offers an educational experience but also showcases the vital role of insects in urban environments. Featuring diverse plantings and habitats made from sustainable materials, the garden promotes
Stratford Cross is a fantastic example of how it’s possible to deliver a sustainable built environment that prioritises benefits for both people and nature.
Tom Massey, designer of the garden welcomed the relocation to a city “The vast majority of the UK’s population live in urban areas, so we must consider brownfield sites as important for biodiversity as more rural locations. Stratford Cross is a fantastic example of how it’s possible to deliver a sustainable built environment that prioritises benefits for both people and nature. It is great to see the garden come to life in its permanent home as a platform for The Royal Entomological Society to raise awareness of insects and their importance in the global environment and to welcome families and young people to enjoy the garden.”
