Sarah Raven on ‘The Greenest Chelsea yet’: How green ambitions can support thriving plots
Sarah Raven is a major advocate for increasing biodiversity within gardens and has long sought to increase awareness of the importance of pollinators. In response to this Chelsea’s theme, Sarah’s focus is on minimising waste.
The Sarah Raven exhibition for Chelsea 2024 has been largely inspired by Sarah Raven’s own home, Perch Hill, as she celebrates 30 years of calling the Sussex Farm her home. Drawing on three decades of experience in that space, and with sustainability in mind, the display has also been consciously created to have a second life after the show.
Sarah said: “I’m excited to be back at Chelsea again this year and particularly to be part of a show with green issues at the fore. Having been an organic flower and veg grower for 30 years, it’s wonderful to see that Chelsea is encouraging everyone to adopt a careful and responsible gardening approach.
“We’ve put a lot of thought into the life cycle of our exhibit. The mini cutting garden has beautiful plants to pick, none of which have seen anything other than the pure water collected in our rainwater tanks. The garden shed around which the flowers are planted is also made from recycled timber and materials we sourced locally. I hate seeing things go to waste, so paying close attention to what can be repurposed and recycled was essential in the creative planning process.”
All of Sarah’s plants at Chelsea will return to Perch Hill, where they will be replanted or nurtured in the brand-new greenhouse, providing them with a new lease of life after the event.
The Sarah Raven exhibit also aims to encourage gardeners to embrace biodiversity in their outside spaces. Visitors will see how a vibrant garden display full of abundant colour can be created using carefully selected pollinator-friendly plants.
Sarah added: “We’ve consciously chosen to showcase pollinator-friendly plants at Chelsea, such as Cerinthe majus, Calendula, and Anethum graveolens. These are truly stunning varieties, capturing the bright and bold essence of spring gardens, while also boasting many biodiverse qualities. I’m looking forward to exploring the other gardens at Chelsea and seeing how others create garden environments that encourage biodiversity and protect the planet.”