Blooming lovely: Whitby gardener's unique show garden for children with cancer to feature at RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Designed as a sanctuary for children whose daily routines have been upended by hospital stays, treatments and the concerns of loved ones, the garden offers a space where they can have fun, explore and reconnect with their imagination.

Prioritising play and escapism, the garden features a monorail, an innovation never seen before at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Within ‘A Place to Be...’ children can ride the monorail through the garden, arriving at The Nest - a secluded structure constructed from steam bent hazel.

For those who can't ride the monorail, the garden also includes a walking route passed a shiny, oversized feature tap, that runs with a continuous stream of cool water.

Alongside this will be an interactive pad that when pressed will create bubbles to appear in the still water of a tranquil pond.

The Show Garden 'A Place To Be...' is the work of Whitby-based garden designer Tom Clarke, in collaboration with Ros Coutts-Harwood.

Their motivation was to give children affected by cancer the chance to escape from the day-to-day realities of treatment and hospital visits.

Following the prestigious event the garden will be relocated to Raines Retreat in Allerston, near Pickering, North Yorkshire.

This new retreat, which will open in spring, is the first of its kind in the UK, and will offer any family affected by childhood cancer the chance for a free holiday.

Both the Retreat and the 'A Place To Be...' garden are funded by leading childhood cancer charity Children with Cancer UK.

This new garden follows Tom’s success at RHS Chelsea Flower Show last year, where his ‘Raines Repurposed’ Balcony Garden, also sponsored by Children with Cancer UK, won both a Silver Gilt medal and the People’s Choice Award for Best Balcony/Container Garden.

'Raines Repurposed' will also be installed - on one of the terraces - at Raines Retreat.

On the garden, Tom Clarke said: “We wanted to create a space where children could use their imagination and immerse themselves in a joyful, colourful world that offers a welcome escape from the realities of treatment.

“We’ve filled the garden with vibrant colours and sensory plants to enhance the experience. Soft grasses like Sesleria autumnalis invite touch, while fragrant herbs such as Satureja douglasii or ‘Indian Mint’ provide a soothing scent. Every element is designed to help children find their own little retreat, even if just for a moment.”

Amar Naher, CEO at Children with Cancer UK, said: “At Raines Retreat, our mission is to provide children with cancer a place where they can escape, play and simply be kids.

“While families need spaces to recharge, both physically and emotionally, and connect with others who share similar experiences, children also deserve a chance to step away from hospital machinery and the concerns of their loved ones.

“We can’t wait to open the garden to our brave and resilient community, and we hope it becomes a space where children can dream, play and imagine a world beyond their diagnosis.”