Art backdrop
For the backdrop, we teamed up with year 8 art students from Guildford County School to create the colourful mural on display at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show 2025. We gave the school a blank backdrop, and the students designed and painted their own ideas inspired by nature and wildlife.
Art can brighten up spaces, making them feel more welcoming and safer, especially in the darker winter months.
After the show the art backdrop will be relocated to Thames Young Mariners to be displayed on their grounds for visitors to enjoy.
Painted bollards
At the front of our gardens, we’ll display brightly painted bollards, placed next to standard black ones to highlight the contrast. This shows how simple touches of art can be added to our streets to make them more welcoming, colourful, and interesting.
They were designed by local artist Kathy Plank. After the show, the painted bollards will be moved to Cranleigh High Street to join others that have been on display since 2022, commissioned by Cranleigh Arts.
Fence birds
As part of the garden, we wanted to showcase how materials can be reused and recycled on both a large and small scale. We collected recyclable materials from home and Caroline Sims-McDonald worked with the young people at the Ash Youth Centre, to use these materials to create "Fence Birds."
They repurposed old fencing to create the body of the birds and were decorated with collected tin cans, jar lids and bottle tops. They have been displayed around the garden.