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Zoe Claymore credit clivenichols.com

Discover the Devon roots behind RHS Chelsea’s British Rainforest Garden – and help raise funds for Stone Lane Gardens

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Award-winning garden designer Zoe Claymore is hosting a special fundraising talk this October in support of Devon’s Stone Lane Gardens.

Zoe’s British Rainforest Garden, created for The Wildlife Trusts, sponsored by grant-giving charity Project Giving Back and supported by insurer Aviva, wowed visitors at RHS Chelsea this May, winning the coveted People’s Choice Award. She will be sharing the inspiration behind the design, revealing how Devon’s lush, rain-fed woodlands and her own family heritage shaped the look and feel of the garden.

The event takes place on Saturday 11 October at Endecott House, Chagford, just a short distance from Stone Lane Gardens, the botanic garden co-founded by Zoe’s great uncle, Kenneth Ashburner. The gardens, which used to be known as the Mythic Garden, are home to the National Collection of Birch and Alder trees, some of which featured in Zoe’s Chelsea design.

British Rainforest Garden credit Clive Nicholls

In her talk, Zoe will explore how themes of heritage, landscape and sustainability came together in her rainforest garden, and she will offer practical advice for recreating elements of the design at home, including how to use birches from Stone Lane Gardens to achieve the look.

The talk will last around 45 minutes, followed by a Q&A. Tickets are £10 (advance) and £12 (on the door), information via the Stone Lane Gardens website, with all proceeds going to support Stone Lane Gardens. Attendees will also have the chance to enter a raffle to win a one-to-one design consultation with Zoe.

Event details: The Story Behind the Rainforest Garden at Chelsea
Date: Saturday 11 October
Time: 7pm
Venue: Endecott House, Chagford, Devon TQ13 8AJ
Tickets: Advance £10; £12 on the door

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For further information contact Emma Mason emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

Zoe Claymore is a garden and landscape designer based in southwest London but works across the UK. From her studio, she crafts bespoke outdoor places that resonate emotionally with her clients – while staying mindful of environmental responsibility. Named RHS Horticultural Hero 2023, a triple award-winner at RHS Hampton Court, and double Chelsea winner, she draws on personal, cultural, environmental, and artistic inspirations to shape her designs. A regular media contributor and public speaker, Zoe advocates for innovative, sustainable, and deeply personal landscaping solutions that stand the test of time. www.zoeclaymore.com

Stone Lane Gardens was the creation of Kenneth and June Ashburner, the owners of the grade 2* listed Stone Farm. Kenneth was an avid traveller and plant finder and in the early 1970s began planting the trees he had grown from seeds gathered on his travels and from other botanic gardens. Gradually the garden expanded as the Ashburners bought land, until it took the shape it is today. Originally called the Mythic Garden they started an annual summer sculpture exhibition, which this year is again curated by South West Sculptors showcasing the best outdoor art from West Country artists. Plant Heritage awarded the gardens its ‘National Collection’ status in recognition of the importance of the diversity and rarity of its trees, and ‘Scientific Status’ in acknowledgement of the great work Kenneth Ashburner had done to extend and promote knowledge of the species, work that continues today under the stewardship of Garden Manager, Paul Bartlett. In 2019 Stone Lane Gardens became an RHS Partner Garden and in 2024, Stone Lane Gardens proudly became an accredited BGCI Botanic Garden, an internationally recognised, very prestigious and unique world-wide accolade bestowed by the BGCI at Kew, London. https://stonelanegardens.com

The Wildlife Trusts British Rainforest Garden, sponsored by Project Giving Back (PGB) and supported by the UK’s leading insurer Aviva, was awarded a Silver Gilt and People’s Choice medals at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025. It aimed to inspire people to support the restoration of this threatened habitat and show how nature-friendly gardening can help British wildlife thrive. The Wildlife Trusts and Aviva have been working together since 2023 on a mission to bring rainforests back to the British Isles. The British Rainforest Garden told the story of this precious habitat that once blanketed a fifth of the country but now only covers about 1% of the land – and the work underway to recover it.

RHS Healer's Hollow credit Julie Skelton

Tradition of ‘plants for purpose’ and their benefits for modern-day health and wellbeing celebrated in Feature Garden, RHS Healer’s Hollow at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival

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The human connection to plants, and our deeper need for them beyond food and beauty, is enchantingly explored by designers Emily Grayshaw and Jude Yeo in their Feature Garden, RHS Healer’s Hollow, at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.

Rooted in the rich traditions of herbal medicine dating back hundreds of years, the garden blends folklore, healing and horticultural beauty. It also highlights the growing modern trend to reconnect with nature and recognise the vital role plants continue to play in supporting and protecting our health.

Set in a British woodland glade, a shepherd’s hut is nestled amongst native trees and verdant planting. Beautiful linens with hand-printed botanical drawings give an artistic nod to the cultivated herbaceous beds containing plants carefully selected for aiding skin, digestion, wellbeing and women’s health. Parsley helps with collagen production and skin elasticity, fennel relieves bloating and stomach pain, and peppermint serves as an natural analgesic for painful periods.

A boulder sits amongst the planting and is a simple mortar for preparing herbs to use in tinctures, oils and poultices, with a nearby waterfall and babbling brook adding to the calming ambience. As well as celebrating plants for purpose, the garden encourages visitors to reconnect with the British countryside and its native woodland species.

Designers Emily and Jude, who run Inspired Earth Design, were approached by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to design this garden after winning two gold medals at previous shows, and a best in show award.

Jude said: “We are honoured to be commissioned for such a prestigious project at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival this year.  We’ve loved the opportunity to be creative with our plant palette to explore the connection between plant folklore, and plants for medicinal and health purposes.  We can’t wait for our visitors to explore the myriad of health benefits that plants can offer.”

Emily added: “It has been an absolute joy exploring the topic of medicinal plants through the eyes of Gaia, a healing woman who lives in a beautiful shepherd hut in a glade in the woods.  The off grid feel of the garden emphasises that plants are the origin for so many of our modern medicines and that sharing of ancient knowledge is key to our development of the garden.”

After the show is over, elements from the garden will be relocated to Farncombe Community Garden near Godalming in Surrey, the brainchild of a determined group of local GPs who are keen to encourage social prescribing as part of a treatment plan.

To create the garden, Emily and Jude have assembled a talented team of artisans and fellow experts including:

  • Artist Georgia Lingwood has created the botanical artworks depicting key plants in the garden on signage and textiles.
  • Kayleigh Sinclair, Horticulture Team Coordinator at the RHS and founder of The Historical Herbologist, has advised on plants.
  • Hannam & Taylor has supplied a handcrafted shepherd’s hut.
  • Cobham Court Landscaping has built the garden, with support from Shade Landscapes, experts in creating naturalistic streams and waterfalls, and Aqua Design & Landscaping.
  • Boulders on the garden have been sourced from Caradon Stone, other stone and the bridge have been supplied by Allgreen, and materials for the water feature are from Aquascape. Paul Cheetham of Gecko Stonework has crafted the pathway using dry-stone walling offcuts.
  • Helping to plant the garden is Sarah Mayfield, a designer and lecturer who teaches horticulture to medicinal herbal students, as well as an incredible army of horticultural volunteers.
  • Plants are supplied by Hardy’s Plants and trees from Majestic Trees.

The RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival is taking place 1-6 July 2025, more information can be found athttps://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-hampton-court-palace-garden-festival.

Emily Grayshaw and Jude Yeo photo credit Julie Skelton

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For further information on the RHS Feature Garden contact the RHS Press Office on showspr@rhs.org.uk

Information on Inspired Earth Design contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

Notes for editors: Inspired Earth Design – Emily and Jude have been working together, in the horticulture industry, for over 20 years. They bring a wealth of practical knowledge and experience to the Inspired Earth Design studio having consolidated their design skills by gaining their professional garden design diplomas in 2021. Since then they have won two Gold medals at RHS Hampton Court and a best in show, and have completed a huge variety of private and commercial projects.inspiredearthdesign.co.uk | hello@inspiredearthdesign.co.uk |Instagram @inspiredearthdesign

Farncombe Community Garden – based near Godalming, thriving thanks to an expanding group of local volunteers. The idea came from GPs at the nearby practice who wanted to encourage patients and the community at large to interact with nature and each other to benefit their physical and mental health. Their vision is encompassed in the phrase ‘ growing community wellbeing’.

Hannam & Taylor – based near Windsor, its team of craftworkers build beautiful bespoke huts for clients. hannamtaylor.co.uk

Georgia Lingwood – an artist inspired by the natural world; its flora, fauna, and folktales. Working in pencil and watercolour she creates pieces depicting the plants, insects and animals that have captured her imagination, often selecting those with fascinating folkloric connections. georgialingwood.com

Cobham Court Landscaping – a Surrey-based business driven by a local, friendly team of talented professionals with award-winning skills. They’ve been transforming gardens in the local area for over 15 years. cobhamcourtlandscaping.co.uk

Sarah Mayfield – a garden designer, horticulturist, and lecturer with a focus on nature friendly gardens, Sarah teaches horticulture to medicinal herbal students, who learn how to grow and care for the plants they use in their practice. She was awarded The People’s Choice Award and Silver-Gilt medal at 2024 RHS Hampton Court for The Moonshadow Moths Garden, a resilient planting pocket inspired by moths and night pollinators. sarahmayfielddesigns.com

 

Allgreen – Masters in Stone providing natural stone surfaces and landscaping products to garden designers, architects and private clients worldwide. allgreen.uk

Caradon Stone – the only supplier of Caradon Cornish granite, a premier construction material prized for its durability and sustainable properties. caradonstone.co.uk

Shade Landscapes – a family business specialising in designing and building naturalistic ponds, streams, and water features that bring movement, wildlife, and tranquillity into your garden. shadelandscapes.com

Aqua Design & Landscaping – a Berkshire-based company specialising in bespoke water features. aquadesignlandscaping.co.uk

Aquascape – Aquascape connects people to water the way nature intended. From fire and water displays to Pondless® Waterfalls and ecosystem ponds, its products enhance landscapes and create inviting spaces for gatherings. With over 30 years of experience, Aquascape ensures reliable, high-quality products that bring beauty and nature to outdoor living spaces. aquascapeinc.com

Gecko Stonework – involved in construction and hard landscaping since 1988, having worked for and on behalf of many leading garden designers and architects.  Working with natural stone and organic materials, producing bespoke garden features to enhance any outdoor space. geckostonework.co.uk

Verdigris – contemporary copper metal bird baths. Verdigris UK designs and makes large contemporary bird baths which add a decorative and elegant element to your outside space or garden. Not just ornamental pieces but they also provide a vital source of water for garden birds. The company tries to make all its bird baths from reclaimed copper and steel, so they are built to last. verdigris.uk

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Designer and broadcaster Mark Lane helps create first ITV logo ident of 2021

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  • Nature-themed collaboration with London-based collage artist Sharon Walters
  • Work aims to amplify ‘forgotten voices’ of black women and disabled people
  • First horticulturalist to create prestigious ident
  • Filmed at Fullers Mill garden in Suffolk owned by horticultural charity Perennial
Mark Lane and Sharon Walters
Mark Lane and Sharon Walters

Millions of ITV viewers are getting a flower-powered telly treat during January with an important underlying message, thanks to a unique collaboration between broadcaster and garden/landscape designer Mark Lane, and collage artist Sharon Walters.

In an ITV-first, two creatives from different industries have been chosen to craft the logo ident shown between programmes on the channel.

Mark and Sharon teamed up late last year to create the collaborative biophilia-based ident which combines hand-crafted paper cut collage and landscape design. Inspired by the beneficial power of nature, plants in Mark’s Kent garden and Sharon’s love of plants and flowers, the pair reinvented the ITV logo using an intricate layered collage. Their creation was then enlarged (4m x 8m) and temporarily installed for filming in a silver birch woodland at Fullers Mill garden near Bury St Edmonds in Suffolk, owned by horticulture welfare charity Perennial.

The ident, which will be broadcast throughout January on ITV, aims to encourage viewers to pause, reflect and exhale whilst enjoying the simplistic, natural beauty of the work.  Entitled ‘Layered Exhaled Expressions’, the project also raises the issues of accessibility, identity and ethnic diversity, and the effects of climate change.

Mark, who is the UK’s first garden designer to be in a wheelchair, said: “Sharon and I are from communities often described as marginalised and through this collaboration we highlight ability in disability and the identity and power in blackness, and the diversity in both.

“Last year was awful for so many, and with our already complex modern lives submerged into unimaginable challenges, we wanted to create a collaborative work that would encourage people to slow down, relax and breathe.

“The concept was that paper would return to the woodland, illustrating renewal, sustainability and biodiversity, and displaying the journey from root, to tree, to final use. I also knew of the perfect spot for the ident installation, a stunning woodland at Fullers Mill. The natural world, flora and fauna, have an incredible ability to improve our mental and physical well-being and we hope our collaborative creation brings just a little of this biophilic power into people’s living rooms.”

Sharon said: “By first creating a hand-cut ITV logo stencil, I initially used a layering of images approach by cutting and gluing new sections until the design felt complete. This method proved difficult to transfer to the scale Mark and I envisaged, so I returned to the ITV template, this time creating a collage using real flowers and foliage. I had used this creative process previously in pieces for my ‘Seeing Ourselves’ series and it worked perfectly for the new ITV project.

“To recreate the design to a larger scale I photographed the work so it was ready for Mark to transfer to his landscape design CAD programme where large-scale pieces were planned and designed. This was a truly collaborative approach at every stage, and Mark and I have become great friends throughout this process.”

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About Mark Lane – Mark is the UK’s first garden/landscape designer to be in a wheelchair. He is a regular presenter on BBC Morning Live, QVC and BBC TV Gardeners’ World and also fronts BBC TV coverage of the RHS shows. Mark graduated from University College London in Art History with B.A. (Hons). Mark had a meteoric rise in publishing becoming the Publishing Director for the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Managing Editor for the leading international Arts publisher Thames & Hudson. In 2001 Mark was in a car accident and had to have operations on his spine, which were complicated by him being born with spina bifida. Following a long rehabilitation period at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Mark studied landscape design through an Open Learning course at KLC, Hampton Court. He passed with distinction and set up Mark Lane Designs Ltd, an award-winning landscape design practice (Landscape Designer of the Year 2020). Mark is also an Ambassador for 4 charities, Patron and a Trustee for 2 other charities, with a strong emphasis on social and therapeutic horticulture, gardening and health and wellbeing. A prolific writer, Mark’s new book ‘Royal Gardens of the World’ has just been published by Hachette (UK).

Visit: https://www.marklanedesigns.com or www.marklane.tv or follow Mark on Twitter: @MarkLaneTV

About Sharon Walters – Sharon  is an artist, freelance educator, and museum professional. She graduated from Central St Martins in 2011 with a BA in Fine Art, holds a Post Graduate Teaching and Learning Certificate in post-16 citizenship education from the Institute of Education, and a BA in Social Science from University West London. Since January 2018 Sharon has been working on a mixed media collage series entitled ‘Seeing Ourselves’, now with over 250 pieces in the collection she has exhibited in a number of public spaces including the Mall Galleries, NOW gallery in Greenwich and the New Ashgate Gallery in Surrey. In December 2019 Sharon won the Reach Art prize for excellence in the arts, diversity, and social inclusion. ‘Seeing Ourselves’ explores identity, beauty standards, representation, and natural Afro hair. Her limited- edition prints and bespoke collages have been acquired by collectors globally, and she has delivered collage workshops for clients including the National Trust. Sharon makes hand-assembled collages almost daily to be present, reflective, and mindful. Each collage gives her permission to ‘take up space’ even in places where she so often does not see herself represented. By exploring diverse narratives through partnerships and providing platforms for under-represented voices to be heard, Sharon has had several collaborations with artists, organisations and groups which have developed both her art practice and community outreach work. The fluidity between the two has developed over the years through working with people in various settings. The ‘Seeing Ourselves’ series continues with a number of new and innovative collaborations in the forthcoming months.