Macmillan Cancer Support: The Nascent Shade Garden

The garden

This ornamental woodland garden features a small group of birch trees, interspersed with lime and stone sculptures and brass details. At first, these elements are intentionally spaced unevenly, reflecting the gaps and inequalities people experience in cancer care today. As visitors move through the garden, the spaces gradually close and the layout becomes more even. This transition symbolises Macmillan’s mission to close the gap between the best and worst cancer experiences, so everyone can get the care they need, wherever they live.

Inspired by the idea that society thrives when we plant trees for future generations, the garden highlights the lasting impact of gifts in wills. Visitors are invited to place a seed token into the water feature as a quiet moment of reflection and hope. Just as a tree provides shade for years to come, gifts in wills help Macmillan do whatever it takes to support everyone living with cancer today and transform cancer care for those diagnosed in the future.

The garden is inspired by the proverb: ‘A society grows strong when its people plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit.’ It is designed to highlight the power of legacy giving.

The planting

The garden’s planting begins with a palette of greens and whites, transitioning into soft pastels. The design features eight birch trees that symbolise the enduring impact of Macmillan’s supporters. The trees provide a gentle, dappled shade, creating a garden where a selection of shade loving plants, such as ferns, Thalictrum and Astrantia, can flourish. 

Key plants:

• Betula utilis subsp. jacquemontii

• Betula pendula

• Dryopteris filix-mas

• Astrantia ‘Buckland’

• Thalictrum delavayi ‘Album’

Plants supplied by: Kelways Plants

The designer – Elle Arnett

Elle has worked in the industry since 2022, when she graduated from the London College of Garden Design, with Distinction. Her design style, ‘Modern Heritage,’ blends traditional craftsmanship and purposeful materiality with a clean, modern sensibility. In every space she focuses on creating enduring structure that stands the test of time. By layering this foundation with soft, textural planting, she create gardens that are sculptural and immersive, bringing a gentle sense of timelessness to every outdoor space.

About the sponsor – Macmillan Cancer Support

The gardens provide a contemplative and interactive experience for Macmillan's supporters and the general public, allowing Macmillan representatives to spark conversations with visitors about their experience of Macmillan's services and whether leaving a gift in their will is something they have considered. Macmillan's presence at RHS Malvern Spring Festival 2023 allowed Macmillan staff to have 6400 meaningful interactions while its presence at RHS Wentworth Woodhouse 2025 allowed Macmillan staff to have approximately 7500 meaningful interactions, raising awareness of gifts in wills and Macmillan's services. 

The garden legacy

To be confirmed.