It was a huge pleasure to represent the Horatio’s Garden arts programme and artists in residence at the charity’s Main Avenue show garden at RHS Chelsea 2023.
As one of the spinal injury charity’s designers and art workshop hosts, I was invited to take part in garden events by painting ‘plain air’ in the show garden itself. While visitors and charity sponsors took in the beauty of the planting and cutting edge garden designs in the garden, it gave me an opportunity to record a little of the plants in the evening light and to chat about the charity which builds and looks after beautiful garden spaces for spinal units across the British Isles.
Added to the excitement of the event was the presentation of Best in Show to Horatio’s Garden and the garden designers, Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bug of Harris Bug Studio.
Horatio’s Garden nurtures wellbeing after spinal injury in vibrant sanctuaries in NHS spinal centres. This show garden was the first garden on Chelsea’s famous main avenue that has mobility needs at its heart and it is being relocated to the Princess Royal Spinal Cord Injuries Centre in Sheffield in 2024. It will be the eighth of the charity’s gardens at NHS spinal centres.
As you can understand, I felt as slight sense of trepidation in representing the charity in their show garden, with such a large audience. To prepare and ensure I didn’t make a mess of my part I did lots of plein air painting, or outdoor painting, and packed and unpacked my travelling wooden easel and palette many times.
However, once set up in the garden the light was so beautiful and visiting garden enthusiasts so friendly that the event was a joy. I’d do it again at the drop of a hat!
