Drawing on the spirit of Mediterranean landscapes, the Hospice UK Garden is a demonstration of how thoughtfully designed spaces can play a crucial role in providing comfort and calm at the end of life.
“Gardens play such a vital role in our wellbeing, throughout our lives. Anyone who has benefitted from a hospice garden will know the immense, restorative power of horticulture for people who are approaching the end of life – and their loved ones, too. Above all else, hospice gardens are about people and compassion. Tom’s garden design captures that so beautifully. It’s a space that’s about letting people focus on living, right until the end,” said Catherine Bosworth, Director of Income Generation and Grants at Hospice UK.
Designed by the landscape designer, Tom Hoblyn, the garden is inspired by the Olive Houses in Mallorca, where purple-hued ‘houses’ are built around monumental, craggy boulders and embedded into the surrounding stone. The layout mirrors the Olive Houses’ concept of interconnected rooms, offering everything from secluded corners for quiet moments to more open spaces for more communal use. Sculptural benches and water bowls draw visitors in, adding to the garden’s sense of tranquillity and reflection.
Evoking the essence of the Mediterranean landscape, the planting includes soft silvers and olive greens from foliage and grasses, with vibrant blues, burnt oranges, and warm yellows. Plants have been selected for visual appeal, drought-tolerance and sensory impact – which is important for hospice users. Key plants include; Arbutus andrachne, Luma apiculate, Hunnemannia fumariifolia, Delphinium peregrinum and Ficus ‘Crystal Ice’.
“I originally planned for 2023 to be my last RHS Chelsea Flower Show, ready to hand over to a younger generation. However, after working on a delayed garden for Haven House Children’s Hospice, I saw firsthand how vital hospices are and got to know the families and staff. So, when Hospice UK approached me, I couldn’t say no – it was the right moment to combine my passion for design with a cause I deeply care about. This is an exciting chance to demonstrate ideas I firmly believe in and push boundaries,” said Hoblyn.
Supported by Project Giving Back, the Hospice UK Garden of Compassion will be built by Mark Whyman Landscapes. Following the show, the garden will be relocated to St Cuthbert’s Hospice in Durham, a location which has inspired Hoblyn’s design.
The designer
Hoblyn is a British landscape designer and horticulturist, with a strong passion for plants. His projects include London town houses, country houses and estates, healing gardens and rewilding projects. In his work, he is focussed on the ‘garden for purpose’ philosophy, designing spaces that foster biodiversity, support wellbeing and work in harmony with their surroundings. Hoblyn is also known for his knowledge and use of rare and hard-to-find plants, often grown at his son’s nursery, Rymer Trees.
He has won three gold, four silver gilt and two silver medals at RHS Chelsea and RHS Hampton Court. Hoblyn has also won the People’s Choice Award for the 2012 RHS Chelsea Arthritis Research Garden, and a nomination for The People’s Choice of The Decade Award in 2020. In 2024, he was made a Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers.
See RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025 for all show news and updates.