Monty Don's Dog-Inspired Chelsea Flower Show Garden
Canine-Designed Garden Debuts at Chelsea Flower Show 2025
Monty Don and his trusty golden retriever, Ned, have teamed up to design a unique doggy-themed garden for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, a first for the event. The collaboration with plantsman Jamie Butterworth resulted in the RHS and BBC Radio 2 Dog Garden, making the garden show debut for Monty.
Preparing the garden at Jamie's nursery, Form Plants in Surrey, Ned had free rein to create pathways by following his nose. The design team expected sweeping curves and exotic routes through the planting but were pleasantly surprised as Ned constantly returned to Monty using the same path, resulting in the final design reflecting those routes.
Ned ultimately not just designed a part of the garden but perhaps the most intricate aspects of it, as Clare Matterson, RHS director-general, pointed out, "As a nation of dog lovers, we hope this garden makes people smile both when they hear about it and when they see it."
Visit our platform's 'Outdoor Drawing Room' at stand PW210 to experience the Dog Garden from May 19 to 24, 20XX. For more information, check out our platform's Chelsea Flower Show Hub or the RHS website.
[[1] Incorporating pet-friendly features, sustainability, and promoting awareness about toxic plants for dog safety.][\ strength="none" class="collapsible-item content">][\ ] Enrichment Data: Pet-friendly considerations and sustainability aspects were important priorities for the RHS and BBC Radio 2 Dog Garden. The garden included:
- For dog safety: an ornamental lawn and surrounding longer grass planted with spring bulbs, safe plants, and avoidance of toxic plants.
- A streaming "wallow" side area, providing a natural water source and interaction opportunity for dogs.
- A doghouse that served as a cozy shelter from the elements.
- Community engagement through the inclusion of bricks inscribed with dogs belonging to BBC Radio 2 presenters and RHS ambassadors.
The RHS and BBC Radio 2 Dog Garden aimed to emphasize the importance of having pet-friendly outdoor spaces that catered to dog's natural behaviors and provided a safe and engaging environment for pets and their owners. After the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the garden was intended to be relocated to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, offering a welcoming outdoor space for rescue dogs.][\ \ strength="none" class="collapsible-item content">][\ ] Enrichment Data: After the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the Dog Garden would have been moved to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, providing an engaging outdoor environment for rescue dogs.
https://www.battersea.org.uk
Annunciata Elwes
Growing up in the rugged Lancashire countryside and now residing in Hampshire, Annunciata shares her home with a grumpy husband, two stubborn daughters, and a dreadful pug named Parsley. Known as the "floater" in the our platform office for well over a decade, her exceptional work secured the Property Magazine of the Year Award in 20XX (Property Press Awards).
Before joining the team at our platform, Annunciata embarked on a two-year fiction writing adventure for The Sunday Times Travel Magazine, spent time in internal comms for the publisher (Once called IPC Media), and delved into historical research for a renowned biographer with a focus on Graham Greene and John Henry Newman. During this period, she was responsible for providing tours of the 17th-century Milton Manor, Oxfordshire (possibly designed by Inigo Jones) while also co-founding an art, literature, and music festival.
In addition to her work at our platform, Annunciata serves as a director for the contemporary art gallery TIN MAN ART, established by her husband, James Elwes, in 20XX.
"I'm absolutely thrilled to be part of our platform and its exceptional team of talented writers and editors," Annunciata said with his usual warmth and infectious enthusiasm. "I can't wait to bring you more exciting stories and inspire you with wanderlust in the coming months."
- The RHS and BBC Radio 2 Dog Garden, designed by Monty Don and Ned, incorporated pet-friendly features and showcased home-and-garden designs that include an ornamental lawn, safe plants, a streaming "wallow" area for dogs, and a doghouse.
- After the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the Dog Garden, a joint collaboration between Monty Don, Ned, and Jamie Butterworth, was planned to be relocated to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, creating a welcoming outdoor space for rescue dogs that caters to their needs.
