Morecambe Youth take Sunshine Garden to Chelsea
Eight young people from Eden Project’s hometown project in Morecambe are preparing to take centre stage at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 after helping co-create The Eden Project Bring Me Sunshine Garden — a tribute marking what would have been Eric Morecambe’s 100th birthday on 14 May.
The group will travel to London ahead of the world-famous show, which opens to the public from 19–21 May, to represent Morecambe and share the story behind the garden on a global platform.
Inspired by the warmth and optimism of Morecambe and Wise’s iconic “Bring Me Sunshine”, the garden celebrates nature, renewal and community spirit while offering a first glimpse of Eden Project Morecambe, due to open in winter 2028.
Created by award-winning garden designer Harry Holding and architect Alex Michaelis, the project placed young people from Morecambe at the centre of the design process through workshops exploring identity, place and hopes for the future.
Creative sessions on the shores of Morecambe Bay, led by Holding and artist Finbar Ward, encouraged participants to respond to the landscape through nature-inspired art, including clay work, rubbings and mould-making. Their contributions have been incorporated into a striking central sculpture that will become the focal point of the Chelsea garden.
Following the show, the garden will move permanently to Morecambe seafront as part of Eden Project Morecambe’s free 1.5-acre community gardens. Installation is expected to begin in summer 2026, with the gardens opening in spring 2027 ahead of the full destination launch in winter 2028.
Andy Jasper, CEO of Eden Project, said the moment was “a celebration of Morecambe – its spirit, its landscape and its people – brought to life through their ideas.”
The project, supported by grant-making charity Project Giving Back, also highlights pathways into green careers and sustainability. Features include edible planting, a solar-powered outdoor classroom and innovative materials such as crushed cockle shell and steel-laced limestone.
Among the young co-creators attending Chelsea:
- Amy described the garden as “a space visitors can enjoy, but also somewhere local people can use as a site of education and nourishment.”
- Kim said she hoped the project would help “people fall in love with the town again.”
- Ruby said the experience had encouraged her to continue exploring her interests in plants and nature.
Set on the site of a former seafront leisure complex, Eden Project Morecambe will feature two immersive shell-inspired structures: the tropical Realm of the Sun and the tidal-inspired Realm of the Moon, both designed to reflect the natural beauty and stories of Morecambe Bay.
At RHS Chelsea, the young ambassadors will share their experiences of co-designing the garden and showcase how Eden Project Morecambe is helping shape a new future for the town and the wider North West.