‘The greenest Chelsea Yet’, says Sarah Raven

An advocate for increasing garden biodiversity and advocate for pollinators, Sarah Raven discusses how green ambitions can support thriving plots.

Sarah Raven carrying a bunch of Tulip 'Spring Green' NB
Photograph by © Jonathan Buckley

Gardening expert and author, Sarah Raven will be exhibiting at this years RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Her exhibit has been has been largely inspired by Sarah Raven’s own home, Perch Hill, as she celebrates 30 years of calling the Sussex Farm her home.

Raven said: “I’m excited to be back at Chelsea again this year and particularly to be part of a show with green issues at the fore. Having been an organic flower and veg grower for 30 years, it’s wonderful to see that Chelsea is encouraging everyone to adopt a careful and responsible gardening approach. We’ve put a lot of thought into the life cycle of our exhibit. The mini cutting garden has beautiful plants to pick, none of which have seen anything other than the pure water collected in our rainwater tanks. The garden shed around which the flowers are planted is also made from recycled timber and materials we sourced locally. I hate seeing things go to waste, so paying close attention to what can be repurposed and recycled was essential in the creative planning process.”

The Sarah Raven exhibit aims to encourage gardeners to embrace biodiversity in their outside spaces. Visitors will see how a vibrant garden display full of abundant colour can be created using carefully selected pollinator-friendly plants.

“We’ve consciously chosen to showcase pollinator-friendly plants at Chelsea, such as Cerinthe majus, Calendula, and Anethum graveolens. These are truly stunning varieties, capturing the bright and bold essence of spring gardens, while also boasting many biodiverse qualities. I’m looking forward to exploring the other gardens at Chelsea and seeing how others create garden environments that encourage biodiversity and protect the planet.”, explained Raven.

Sustainability high on Raven’s agenda, the display has also been consciously created to have a second life after the show. All of Sarah’s plants at Chelsea will return to Perch Hill, where they will be replanted or nurtured in the brand-new greenhouse.