Chelsea celebrated the benefits of green spaces

Top designers proved the benefit of plants to the health of people, places and the planet at Chelsea in 2019

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show celebrated the multitude of benefits that gardening has for the health of people and the environment in 2019.

Across all garden categories, designers explored the positive powers of plants and tackled hard-hitting issues – from climate change, pollution and the fragility of ecosystems to improving the mental and physical health of people.

Boosting human health with plants 

One garden exploring the positive effects that plants have on human health was Kampo no Niha, designed by Kazuto Kashiwakura and Miko Sato.

This garden in the Space to Grow category was designed with a practitioner of Kampo – a system of Japanese herbal medicine –in mind and celebrated the route to health and happiness through plants.

Plants that feature in the garden were carefully selected for their health-giving, beneficial qualities, with some of them able to help with curing a fever, relieving aches and keeping the body warm. 

A peaceful retreat in an urban jungle

We all know how good it can feel to get away from the bustling city streets and this was explored by Chelsea first timer Andrew Duff in his design for the Savills and David Harber Garden.

The garden used trees, plants and grasses to illustrate a sustainable woodland clearing in a city garden. The garden had a host of sustainable features that can benefit the environment, including biodiverse large trees, an air-purifying wetland area, a green wall and permeable surfaces.

Raising awareness of a threatened ecosystem 

The tropical garden, created by Jonathon Snow, took inspiration from the rainforests of South America in a bid to raise awareness for this ever-shrinking ecosystem.

Set on a steep slope and surrounded by dramatic waterfalls, the Trailfinders Undiscovered Latin America Garden featured lush, tropical planting to invoke feelings of a land far away from the busy surroundings of the Chelsea show.

Often called the lungs of the world, rainforests are disappearing at an alarming rate, taking with them the huge wealth of fauna and flora that they support. The garden raised awareness of the fragile forest ecosystem, which is under threat from urbanisation, over-farming and logging, while showcasing how important forests are to the health of the earth. 

Therapeutic spaces for children and families 

Kate Gould’s garden at Chelsea was designed to provide an uplifting space for children with complex needs to relax or play with their families, friends and carers.

The garden was supported by Greenfingers Charity, an organisation dedicated to creating gardens for life-limited children and their families in the UK. 
 
Discover all of the 2019 Chelsea gardens