RHS Malvern Spring Festival 2025

RHS Malvern Spring Festival 2025

Project:

RHS Malvern: Cherry Carmen’s ‘Grain to Garden’

Client:

Rupert Keys, Task Academy

Requirement:

To provide advanced trees of veteran specimens to bring the garden concepts to life.

Hillier Project Manager:

Kate Griffiths

Plant Production:

Broadmead Container Nursery

Overview

We were proud to support the acclaimed RHS Feature Garden at the 2025 RHS Malvern Spring Festival, a project that brought together vision, craftmanship, and horticultural experience. Collaborating with designer Cherry Carmen and Task Academy’s Founder and Managing Director, Rupert Keys, Hillier supplier a selection of advanced nursery trees and veteran specimens that played a vital role in bringing the gardens concept to life.

Design Concept

The garden, titled Grain to Garden, masterfully reimagined industrial heritage within a naturalistic landscape. At its core stood three striking, repurposed grain silos – each creatively transformed into immersive experimental spaces. These architectural elements served as a compelling symbol of the gardens theme: breathing new life into rural and industrial legacies through nature.

Tree & Planting Scheme

The garden was anchored by a carefully curated tree palette sourced from Hillier stock. This included:

  • A copse of Alnus glutinosa and Betula utilis Jacquemontii, known for their architectural form and striking bark.
  • An orchard of veteran Malus domestica ‘Delbard Estivale’, 45 years old and full of character – 28 trees in total, offering seasonal blossom and a strong connection to heritage apple cultivation.

The tree planting was complimented by a vibrant wildflower meadow and a serene pond, enhancing the sensory richness and ecological integrity of the space.

Legacy

Following its debut at RHS Malvern, the Grain to Garden feature remains on display at the Three Counties Showground, where it will be featured again during the Royal Three Counties Show 2025 – recently honoured as the UK Rural Event of the year 2024. The garden continues to serve as a celebration of rural life, community, sustainability, and creative landscape design.

Credit to:

Task Academy – https://www.taskacademy.co.uk/public
Cherry Carmen – https://cherrycarmen.co.uk/
Fiona Walsh Photography – https://fionawalsh.co.uk/

Key Trees

Alnus glutinosa

Alnus glutinosa, or, common alder, is a native tree that excels within difficult locations. It is …

Betula utilis var. jacquemontii

Originating from the Himalayas, the jacquemontii stands out prominently in our industry due to its strikingly …

View all Trees