Meet the designer of the Hospitalfields Arts Garden in the Show category at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025
Dr Nigel Dunnett BSc (Hons), MSc PhD FLI is Professor of Planting Design and Urban Horticulture in the Department of Landscape at the University of Sheffield. His work revolves around the integration of ecology and horticulture to achieve low-input but high-impact landscapes that are dynamic, diverse, and tuned to nature. Since 2016 Dr Dunnett has been an RHS Ambassador in the field of urban greening.
As well as his academic and design work Nigel has written several books, and in December 2022 he was named as one of the top three most influential people in the UK landscape industry. Nigel has designed five main avenue RHS Chelsea Flower Show gardens between 2010 and 2020. Current projects include Kings College Hospital Critical Care Roof Garden, London – the world’s first hospital garden that offers full life-support to patients outdoors and Maggie’s Centre garden.
See the Hospitalfield Arts Garden
Nigel says: “My parents gave me a very small patch of ground to grow some radishes and lettuces and showed me how to take cuttings when I was about five. Since that time, I always knew that I wanted to do something related to plants. By the time it came to decide what to study at college, I already felt I had taught myself a lot about gardens and horticulture, through reading, visiting, and doing, and so I decided to study botany to get a scientific training. At the same time, I became increasingly fascinated by nature and natural plant communities and began to feel that the beauty and feelings of uplift and joy I found in wonderful natural environments was much greater than anything I ever felt in a garden. So, I began to explore how to create that natural feeling within a garden setting.
“I would say my gardens capture the excitement and exhilaration of experiencing amazing natural landscapes, but in a designed setting. They are absolutely plant-led and ecologically tuned, and combine a scientific understanding of natural processes, expressed through the eyes of an artist. With my RHS Chelsea Gardens I have always wanted to bring ideas and concepts at the forefront of ecological design thinking to a wider audience.”
Nigel Dunnett gardens at RHS Chelsea
2009 – The Future Nature Garden – Silver-gilt
2011 – RBC New Wild Garden Silver-gilt
2012 – RBS Blue Water Garden – Silver-gilt
2013 – RBC Blue Water Roof Garden – Gold
2017 – Greening Grey Britain Garden – RHS Feature Garden
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