Cornish Designer Unveils RHS Chelsea 2026 Garden for Lady Garden Foundation

Cornwall-based designer Darren Hawkes has revealed a preview of four striking architectural structures that will form the centrepiece of the Lady Garden Foundation ‘Silent No More’ Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May 2026.

Commissioned by the gynaecological cancer charity, Darren’s design features four 2.5 metre tall abstract structures that subtly echo the curves and protective qualities of the female anatomy. Together, they will create a womb-like environment intended to spark open conversations about the five gynaecological cancers.

Designed to Stop Visitors in Their Tracks

The Lady Garden Foundation approached Darren in 2024 with a clear brief to design a Show Garden for RHS Chelsea 2026 that would stop visitors in their tracks, invite curiosity and enable open, uninhibited conversations about gynaecological cancers.

One of the charity’s key objectives was to shine a spotlight on women’s gynaecological health in a way that felt safe, welcoming and emotionally supportive.

In response, Darren developed a design that blends abstract architectural forms with soft planting. Central to the concept are the four sculptural structures, inspired by Spanish artist Eduardo Chillida’s clay sculpture La Casa del Poeta III, known for its enclosing, interconnecting forms.

Darren said:
“The Lady Garden Foundation ‘Silent No More’ garden draws inspiration from the 20th-century Basque artist Eduardo Chillida. I was struck by the way his work questions enclosure and what it means to find sanctuary within a space. I hope the four central sculptural forms in the garden will literally stop visitors in their tracks when walking up Main Avenue at RHS Chelsea to encourage interaction, reflection and the protective environment to ignite the taboo conversations about gynaecological cancers.”

Crafted in Bedfordshire, Installed by Crane

The structures are being brought to life by Ruddy Joinery, a family-run bespoke joinery manufacturer operating workshops in Bedfordshire.

Each form is uniquely shaped, created from hundreds of precision-cut plywood pieces assembled using steel brackets. The gently overhanging tops will enclose the space below, offering shelter and privacy.

The four large structures will arrive at RHS Chelsea fully built in May 2026 and will be positioned using large cranes. Once installed, they will be rendered in terracotta clay. Trees and flowers will overhang the tops, reflecting what Darren describes as the protective nature of a womb.

Alan Ruddy, Managing Director of Ruddy Joinery, said:
“We are delighted to be supporting The Lady Garden Foundation. Female cancers touch husbands, fathers, parents and children, not just women. If we can help create a space for open conversation around this topic, we are proud to play a part.”

A Garden Designed as Sanctuary

Beyond the sculptural forms, the garden will feature a Mediterranean-inspired planting scheme in soft pinks, silver greys and glaucous foliage, designed to evoke calm and relaxation.

Five sculptures by artists Hannah Hartwell and Antony Bryant will be positioned along stone-limed paths as conversation starters. These paths will lead visitors into a sunken central area, where water will spill from a pool into deep rills extending to the garden’s boundaries.

Jenny Halpern Prince MBE, Co-Founder and CEO of the Lady Garden Foundation, said:
“On behalf of the Lady Garden Foundation, we are incredibly grateful to Ruddy Joinery for creating the show-stopping architectural structures for our RHS Chelsea Show Garden. Their vital support has enabled us to showcase a design that provides a safe, cocooned, and protective space where both men and women can access the language, knowledge, and empowerment to have vital conversations about symptoms, diagnosis and preventative actions for gynaecological cancers. This will help us change the dial on real women’s cancer survival rates across the UK in the future.”

Breaking the Silence

Founded in 2014, the Lady Garden Foundation was started by a group of women determined to make gynaecological cancers #silentnomore. The charity works to break taboos around gynaecological health, fund research and raise awareness of the five gynaecological cancers: cervical, ovarian, womb, vaginal and vulval.

Today, 60 women in the UK will receive a gynaecological cancer diagnosis and 21 will die from one of these cancers. The charity says the UK lags behind other countries in early diagnosis due to stigma, low awareness, misdiagnosis, procrastination and overlooked symptoms.

The Lady Garden Foundation ‘Silent No More’ Garden will be on show at RHS Chelsea from 18th to 23rd May 2026. You can read more on the charity’s website here.

After the show, the garden will be relocated to a community location on the island of Jersey as a permanent legacy. Additional plants will be donated to the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton, reflecting the link between the hospital and the charity.

More about Darren’s work can be found at www.darrenhawkes.com, and further details about Ruddy Joinery are available at www.ruddy.co.uk.