The National Autistic Society Garden
The show garden seeks to represent autistic masking and how autistic people experience this in different parts of their lives. Walls or ‘masks’ of timber and cork create a series of spaces dedicated to different types of social interaction. Designed by Sophie Parmenter & Dido Milne.
19 May 2024 | 1 min read
There is a large, covered space for family or friends, an intimate corner for a quiet conversation with a partner or for sitting by yourself and a more formal space for colleagues. A mesmerising kinetic sculpture alludes to the mind’s beauty and complexity. These three outer spaces surround the heart of the garden, a sheltered and mossy dell that embodies the space of the inner mind.
There is a large team collaborating on the project, including autistic people and people who have family or friends who are autistic. Autistic people are involved in developing the message and ethos of the project, as well as the creation of the garden itself.
Co-designer and botanist, Sophie Parmenter, said: “RHS Chelsea Flower Show offers an opportunity to break new ground as a designer, enjoying the creative freedoms involved in making a show garden. It also affords a chance to challenge the industry’s traditions and to push for innovation in sustainable design.
“We are delighted to have a show garden at Chelsea, and to have the opportunity to provide a platform for the National Autistic Society to talk about masking and late diagnosis, as well as promoting acceptance of autism in our society.”
The planting scheme of the National Autistic Society Garden is multi-layered, evolving from wetland meadow to river birch woodland, with a vibrant colour palette at its boundary soothing to softer hues at its heart, where textured curling bark sits alongside large crusted blocks of expanded cork. The planting will create two distinct areas in the garden: The hidden ‘inner room’ with woodland planting, and the outer garden with bolder drifts of colour amongst grasses and sedges. A strong ecological ethos runs through the garden, showcasing the circularity of regenerative systems and the interdependent relationship between natural ecosystems and man-made materials.