Project Giving Back gives charitable organisations in the UK the chance to exhibit with a show garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, to promote their cause while supporting the horticultural industry.
We’re supporting 12 gardens at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022 that celebrate and draw attention to the work of charitable organisations, community interest groups, and educational programmes in the UK.
From regional causes to national names, community projects to not-for-profit organisations, Project Giving Back aims to support and celebrate a diverse spread of good causes at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show each year.
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show attracts a huge amount of media coverage worldwide.
Find out moreWe understand the significance of exhibiting at RHS Chelsea so we’ve brought together some of the brightest and best in the horticultural world to help guide entrants.
Get to know usAlexandra is a Horticulturalist and was the RHS Chelsea Show Manager and then Head of Shows Development, from 2006 to 2014. During this time, she curated the horticultural content of the show overseeing hundreds of exhibits. She worked closely with designers, charities and sponsors to manage the complexities of exhibiting and help them realise their dreams.She is passionate about the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the opportunities it presents for designers and plantspeople to showcase their talents and the outstanding benefits it can provide for charities and sponsors. Alexandra is a Trustee of the Royal Windsor Rose and Horticultural Society.
Central to Arne's work as an international garden designer is his ability to identify and draw out the essence of a place, something that gives his gardens a particular quality of harmony and belonging. He has a collaborative approach to design and believes that to succeed, a garden must relate and respond to its surrounding landscape, its history and to the buildings within and around its confines, as well as to the needs of its owners. Arne is an RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal and Best in Show winning designer and is hailed by his profession as one of most important garden designers working today.
Mark is Chief Executive of Crocus and has worked with many of the top garden designers over the last 20 years, building over 30 Show Gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show and winning 29 Gold Medals and 11 Best in Shows. Between 2009 and 2019 he was a Trustee on the RHS Council as well as serving on the RHS Commercial Board, the Investment Board and the Nominations and Governance Board. He became a Vice-president of the RHS in 2019. He is currently the Chairman of the Garden Museum and a Trustee of the Chatsworth House Trust.
Rosie started her journalistic career at the Sunday Times. In 1992 she launched and edited the award-winning magazine Gardens Illustrated leaving to become Curator of Chelsea Physic Garden in 2001. During that time she served on the Council of the Linnean Society and the Royal Horticultural Society where she is now a Vice-President. Rosie is a founder trustee of London Gardens’ Network; chairman emeritus of RHS Woody Plant Committee and Trustee of Great Dixter Charitable Trust.
Yes. While experience of designing and / or building a show garden is beneficial, we are keen to encourage new talent and do not require Chelsea experience in some garden categories. Every design goes before the RHS selection panel who are likely to favour those who have exhibited at one of the other RHS shows like RHS Flower Show Tatton Park or RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. So, you have more chance of being accepted if you have designed a garden at one of the other RHS shows. However, please do not let this prevent you from applying - the category 'All About Plants' is designed to encourage interesting and creative talent and we are keen to hear from all interested designers.
The first step is to register your interest with Project Giving Back via our online form. We prefer designers and good causes to apply together, but will accept applications from either individually. If you are successfully selected at the first stage, we will invite you to submit a fully costed design plan and invite you to present your ideas via video call. The Project Giving Back Advisory Panel will make a final selection who will be invited to submit the design to the RHS selection panel.
Project Giving Back is not an alternative to the RHS selection process. Our aim is to identify interesting designers, nurseries and horticultural groups and encourage them to apply for PGB funding in partnership with a good cause. However, if you are successful in being selected by Project Giving Back, you will still need to apply to the RHS in the usual way and PGB funding is not a guarantee of space allocation at the show.
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Learn MoreWe are looking for volunteer mentors to work alongside our Project Director and advisory panel to give advice and support via webinars and blogs that will be shared on our website.
Get in touch to express an interest in becoming a PGB mentor.
Hattie Ghaui appointed CEO of Project Giving Back, which is now a registered charity.
Once our charities and garden designers have had their design accepted by the RHS, then it’s all systems go. There is a huge amount of organisation involved in creating a show garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. As former RHS Chelsea Flower Show Manager and RHS Head of Shows Development, our advisory panel member Alexandra Denman is perfectly placed to provide insight into the many things that go into bringing together a successful show garden.
It is thanks to the generosity of our Founders that Project Giving Back exists to give good causes the opportunity to have a presence at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Here our Project Director, Hattie Ghaui, explains more about how our gardens are funded.
When Project Giving Back was first conceived at the beginning of last year, Rosie Atkins was an obvious choice to be invited to get involved. Rosie began her career in journalism at the Sunday Times and 30 years ago launched Gardens Illustrated magazine. After ten years as editor, she left to become Curator of Chelsea Physic Garden. She has chaired various RHS committees and served on the boards of several charities. Here Rosie tells us what made her want to be part of Project Giving Back and why she thinks gardening and good causes are such a good fit.
Hattie Ghaui appointed CEO of Project Giving Back, which is now a registered charity.
Once our charities and garden designers have had their design accepted by the RHS, then it’s all systems go. There is a huge amount of organisation involved in creating a show garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. As former RHS Chelsea Flower Show Manager and RHS Head of Shows Development, our advisory panel member Alexandra Denman is perfectly placed to provide insight into the many things that go into bringing together a successful show garden.
It is thanks to the generosity of our Founders that Project Giving Back exists to give good causes the opportunity to have a presence at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Here our Project Director, Hattie Ghaui, explains more about how our gardens are funded.
When Project Giving Back was first conceived at the beginning of last year, Rosie Atkins was an obvious choice to be invited to get involved. Rosie began her career in journalism at the Sunday Times and 30 years ago launched Gardens Illustrated magazine. After ten years as editor, she left to become Curator of Chelsea Physic Garden. She has chaired various RHS committees and served on the boards of several charities. Here Rosie tells us what made her want to be part of Project Giving Back and why she thinks gardening and good causes are such a good fit.