RHS Chelsea - The Children’s Society Garden designed by Patrick Clarke

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 featured a 28 piece glass installation created by Matt Nickels and Yorkshire artist Rachel Welford for The Children’s Society Garden designed by legendary landscape architect Patrick Clarke.

Glass used for the project included mouthblown cylinder glass specifically made for this commission by Netflix ‘Blown Away’ series 2 winner Elliot Walker.

The entire 28 piece glass creation was inspired by fused glass artworks originally made by The Children’s Society ‘Young Creative Partners’ at a fused glass workshop hosted by Matt and Rachel with the young people based at the charity’s Youth Club Network in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire.  Having young people involved with the process was the creative cornerstone and made the whole project particularly special and meaningful.

The garden, including the glass art will be relocated to the Central Bedfordshire Council’s Leighton Buzzard Youth Centre, where The Children’s Society Youth Club is based. It will become the charity's first permanent outdoor wellbeing space for young people.

You can find those who skillfully and collaboratively brought the garden together here-

@patrick_clarke_landscapes, @yorelanddesign, @studio_ikram, @surreyironcraft, @waterartisans, @brightgreenfox, @clarissafreemandesign, @mena_woodwork, @inthewindows, @artistcunningham, @rachelwelford_artist, @ayusbotanical, @flintgardenstudio, @hortus_loci, @deepdaletrees, @allgreengb, @baker_pr