Last May, Energy Garden received an extraordinary gift — around 700 plants from the Garden of the Future, designed by Butler & Parker for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025. The garden received a Gold Medal, and thanks to the generosity of the designers, the plants have been relocated across our Energy Garden network.

This donation has not only brought beauty and colour to our gardens but also sparked conversations among volunteers about climate-resilient planting, permaculture, and ecological design.

The Garden of the Future: A Vision for Resilient Landscapes

The Garden of the Future was more than a showpiece — it was a living example of how design, innovation, and collaboration can help communities adapt to the challenges of a changing climate.

Created by Matthew Butler and Josh Parker and supported by the Gates Foundation, the garden reflected a future where extreme weather, drought, and flooding are more frequent. The design drew attention to the farmers and growers, especially smallholder farmers in Africa and South Asia, already facing these realities, and the global partnerships working to ensure food security in a warming world.

Its planting scheme included climate-resilient crops such as pigeon pea, millet, chickpea, sweet potato, broad bean, cowpea, and common bean — plants that can thrive in challenging conditions, resist pests and disease, and provide essential nutrition. The garden also featured practical innovations like rainwater harvesting systems, a rammed-earth Climate-Smart Hub with a green roof, and examples of tools such as solar-powered irrigation pumps and diagnostic apps that help farmers protect their crops.

Where the Plants Went

Following Chelsea, the donated plants were distributed across 15 Energy Garden sites, including:

Ebury Edge (Pimlico)
Acton Central Station
Bush Hill Park Station
Hatton Cross Station
Ladbroke Grove Station
Latimer Road Station
Brondesbury Park Station
Willesden Junction Station
Honor Oak Park Station
Brockley Station
Hampstead Heath Station
Finchley Central Station
Canonbury Station
Forest Hill Station
Cultivate Colindale Garden (opening 22 August 2025)

Canonbury Station

Earlier this year, Energy Garden partnered with Islington Council to create a Mediterranean grove of trees outside Canonbury Station. On Saturday 31st May, about 25 people came together for our Community Grove Planting Day – including neighbours, volunteers of all ages, and our May 2025 Youth Trainee cohort, who joined in the hands-on fun.

Braving the scorching heat, everyone rolled up their sleeves to plant trees and underplant the grove with a generous donation of plants from the 2025 Chelsea Flower Show’s Garden of the Future. These plants have enriched the grove’s design, supporting biodiversity and creating a greener, more vibrant public space.

We’d like to thank everyone who took part, as well as Islington Council, Pioneer Point Partners, and our amazing volunteers for their dedication.

This planting marks another step toward our mission to plant 1,000 trees and support climate-resilient ecosystems across London.

Cultivate Colindale Garden

Our newest Energy Garden site — Cultivate Colindale — will officially launch on 22 August 2025 in partnership with Wayward and Notting Hill Genesis. The Chelsea plants will form part of the opening planting, with local volunteers helping to establish the site and carry it forward.

Caring for the Plants

At each location, the plants are supported by regular volunteer gardening sessions, watering rotas managed by staff, volunteers, and station partners, and the ongoing stewardship of local communities and Energy Garden staff.

Inspiring Volunteers and Communities

Our Horticultural Lead, Beatrice, has already seen the ripple effect of this donation. Many volunteers have been inspired to learn more about resilient planting and permaculture principles, thinking about how these ideas could shape future community garden designs. The Garden of the Future’s emphasis on biodiversity, long-term sustainability, and natural system support has become a tangible reference point for what’s possible when beauty, ecology, and climate awareness come together.

We are incredibly grateful to Butler & Parker, the Gates Foundation, and the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for making this extraordinary donation possible. Huge thanks also to our volunteers, partners, and community members across the Energy Garden network whose care and dedication have given these plants new home to thrive and grow.

Looking Ahead: Meet the Designers

We’re delighted to share that Butler & Parker will join us at upcoming Energy Garden events this autumn to talk about climate-resilient crops and resilient planting. It’s a fantastic opportunity to hear directly from the designers about the inspiration and vision behind their Chelsea Gold Medal-winning garden, and how it can inspire local action.

RSVP for Our Upcoming Harvest Party

Join us at Energy Garden HQ on Saturday, 11 October 2025 for our Harvest Party! Meet the designers, celebrate the season, and enjoy community activities.

RSVP Here

From Chelsea Flower Show to Energy Gardens