CONTACTLondon Square’s Partnership with Royal Hospital Chelsea continues as we celebrate the anniversary of winning Gold for our garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
With excitement building up for this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the Chelsea Pensioners are celebrating their own gold medal winning garden coming into full bloom – one year on from being the star attraction at last year’s show.
Following the success of the London Square Chelsea Pensioners Garden - winning a coveted gold medal, and with visits by The Queen and David Beckham, the Chelsea garden was moved to the Prince of Wales Courtyard in the grounds of the Grade I and Grade II* listed Royal Hospital Chelsea. It is now a permanent feature for the Chelsea Pensioners to enjoy with their friends, family and visiting veterans.
Every element of the garden, from 2,000 plants to the slabs of York stone paving, were transported just 300 metres from its plot at the Chelsea Flower Show to its new home.
Multi-award winning garden designer Dave Green and the Chelsea Pensioners, who spent a year working on the project, together with property company London Square and the Royal Hospital Chelsea team held a reunion on the garden today to celebrate the difference the garden has made to the lives of the Chelsea Pensioners.
Dave Green planted a collection of shrubs featuring hydrangea, donated by London Square to mark the anniversary and the third year of the property company’s partnership as the inaugural corporate patron of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
David Richmond, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Hospital Chelsea said: “A year on, I am delighted to see that the London Square Chelsea Pensioners garden has grown into a living representation of connection, camaraderie, and community. For many of our Chelsea Pensioners, both the process of creating it alongside David Green and the joy of spending time in the garden over the past year has been immensely rewarding. It is fantastic to see it grow as a treasured part of our community and we are pleased to have it here at the Royal Hospital Chelsea as we continue to support those who have served.”
Jo McDonagh, Managing Director, London Square North, said: “The garden continues to be a magical spot and it occupies a very special place in the hearts of everyone at London Square who was involved with the project. The design is exceptional and has achieved its aim of giving the Chelsea Pensioners a very special place of their own. Wherever we build homes, we create landscaped gardens to bring people together. It is so rewarding to see a thriving and much-loved example of the power of green space.”
Designer Dave Green, who has designed a wildlife habitat garden for the RHS for this year’s Chelsea, said: “It was wonderful to meet up with everyone and see our very special garden flourishing and held in so much affection by the Chelsea Pensioners. I have popped in from time to time throughout the year to check on it and spent some time with the volunteers who help to maintain it.”
Ric Glenn, Head of Grounds and Gardens at the Royal Hospital Chelsea says: “At the Royal Hospital Chelsea, our purpose is to ensure those who have served are always supported. One year later, the garden has grown into a much-loved space for Chelsea Pensioners to come together, find quiet moments of reflection and reconnect with the natural world and each other. For many of our veterans, gardening and time outdoors are an important activity and a great source of comfort, community, and wellbeing.”
Archie Ferguson, Chelsea Pensioner says: “We’re really looking forward to using the garden again this summer. Working with David Green was a privilege, and we became good friends with him. The garden has grown into a living part of our community."
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