Sightsavers sensory garden chosen for RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026

Sightsavers has been chosen to present an innovative sensory garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London in May 2026.

Sightsavers’ garden has been designed by creative consultancy Barker Langham, a long-term partner of Sightsavers, and Ostara Garden Design, in partnership with the Belonging Forum, a non-profit organisation that aims to combat social isolation.

The garden is inspired by Sightsavers’ work to protect sight, eliminate diseases and promote disability rights. It will be inclusive and accessible, featuring flowers, trees, grasses and design elements that engage the five senses.

Sensory plants such as lilac, thyme and quaking grass will be displayed in brick containers decorated with colourful, hand-painted designs by Sightsavers staff and celebrity supporters. The heart of the garden will feature a wheelchair turning circle and a raised circular steel structure that collects rainwater.

Visitors will also experience an innovative soundscape developed by composer and sound artist Dr Helen Anahita Wilson, which uses the bioelectric signals of plants generated through growth and photosynthesis to create sound. People with visual impairments at the show will be able to listen to an audio description of the garden via the NaviLens app.

Kim Samuel, founder and chief architect of the Belonging Forum, said: “Belonging is a birthright, and this inclusive and multi-sensory garden allows people to feel that truth with all their senses. When every person can participate fully, real connection becomes possible. This garden is a beautiful expression of that vision – a space that invites everyone to feel welcome, included and part of something shared.”

Peter Karn, creative director at Barker Langham, said: “We are proud to continue supporting Sightsavers by creating a garden that puts their incredible mission at the heart of the Chelsea Flower Show.

“Gardens are sensory spaces that have the power to nurture and heal. We feel by creating this garden we can demonstrate how everyday spaces and materials can be transformed for good and for the health and happiness of people.”

Janice Molyneux from Ostara Garden Design, which is collaborating with Barker Langham, said: “We are so happy to be part of a wonderful team designing a sensory garden inspired by Sightsavers – a space that celebrates everyone and invites people to see, touch and experience the world in new ways.”

After the show, the garden will be relocated to Chailey Heritage Foundation in Sussex. Chailey Heritage Foundation is a charity that runs an Ofsted ‘outstanding’ school for children and young people aged three to 19, who live with complex physical disabilities and associated health needs. The garden will be housed within a redeveloped area of the therapy farm at the school, which will also be open to the public.

The Sightsavers garden will be on show at Chelsea on 19-23 May 2026. Tickets are on sale now from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show website.