A Suffolk animal charity has teamed up with an award-winning designer to create a stand for this year’s Chelsea Flower Show.
The Newmarket-based Animal Health Trust (AHT) is working with Sam Ovens to create a show garden in the main avenue at the Royal Horticultural Society showpiece event in the grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea.
The garden design is inspired by the double helix structure of a DNA molecule, representing the scientific research the AHT undertakes to identify, prevent and cure diseases affecting dogs, cats and horses around the world.
The ribbon-like structure will develop behind a veil of trees and will feature all the main elements of the garden including a boardwalk, arch, pavilion and bench.
The garden is also part of the AHT's Cures4Paws Campaign, which aims to raise awareness of work it is doing to help dogs affected by cancer, epilepsy or blindness.
Dame Margaret Barbour and The Barbour Foundation helped the AHT in creating the garden.
Kevin Clements, director of fundraising and marketing at the AHT, said: "We are delighted the Animal Health Trust Garden will feature at the 2020 RHS Chelsea Flower Show and want to express our thanks to Dame Margaret Barbour and the Barbour Foundation for their generous support to fund the garden.
"Our presence at the show will provide an invaluable opportunity for us to engage with both new and existing supporters, as well as to showcase the vital work we do."
HRH the Princess Royal is president of the charity and opened its new head office building last year.
The AHT garden will mark Cornwall-based Sam Ovens' return to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Main Avenue.
Based in Cornwall, his awards include a gold medal at the Royal Chatsworth Flower Show in 2017.
He said: "The design of the Animal Health Trust Garden has been inspired by the DNA molecule - a double helix - and represents the scientific research that is at the heart of everything that the charity does.
"My aim is to create a space that is informal and natural and which is timeless but with personality. Having had a break from Show Gardens over the past few years, returning to work with such a worthy cause just felt completely right."
The show runs from May 18-22.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here