Skin cancer garden for RHS Tatton 2024

Running this year from 17-21 July, the Royal Horticultural Society’s annual flower show at Tatton Park is a great day out and celebration of the best in gardening. Among the attractions, the show gardens are always a favourite, and this summer award-wining garden design duo Carolyn Hardern and Jon Jarvis will be returning to Tatton with their ‘1804 Garden’, designed to promote awareness of melanoma skin cancer in the construction industry.

Research shows that, in the UK, working in the sun leads to around five melanoma cases and one death a week, and that construction workers diagnosed with melanoma have the highest number of deaths. Promoting the charities Band of Builders and Melanoma UK, Carolyn and Jon’s garden (the biggest in the show at just over 3002m) is so named because 1804 was the date that melanoma was first referred to in the medical world.

The garden is in the shape of an equilateral triangle, inspired by the yellow-and-black radiation symbol, a familiar sign in hospital cancer centres, with three curved blades emanating from a central point. Corresponding to this, three large raised steel planters are set between curved seating, with a number of elegant parasol trees giving partial shade. In the planters and other planted areas, a limited plant palette focuses on white blooms with punctuations of warm yellows.

At the heart of the garden, the circular water feature plays host to a dramatic open sphere made up of steel rings. The sphere is not completely bound by the rings – some, detached and levitating above the water surface, symbolise the eradication of cancerous cells and the process of healing.

The garden is bordered by a variety of trees and an abundance of wildflowers to attract insects and pollinators. Other features include a bug hotel. Visitors will be welcome to walk through the garden. The slate pathways are wheelchair-friendly.

The garden is costing in the region of £30k, and Carolyn and Jon offer sponsorship opportunities. After the show, the garden will be relocated to The Harbour, an NHS mental health hospital near Blackpool where it will be a tranquil and calming space for patients, visitors and staff.