Will Young to make debut as designer at RHS Badminton Flower Show
He's collaborating with plantsman and broadcaster Jamie Butterworth for 'Out In The Shadows'
Will Young is set to debut his first exhibit at an RHS Show at this year's RHS Badminton Flower Show, offering a unique perspective on the human mind through garden design.
Collaborating with plantsman and broadcaster Jamie Butterworth, Young has created an exhibit titled "Out of the Shadows," inspired by Carl Jung’s concept of the ‘shadow self.’
Designed as a series of three planted cubes, the exhibit explores the journey from introspection to openness.
Young interprets the hidden aspects of the psyche using dense planting in the first cube, while the second cube symbolises the meeting of the shadow self with the conscious persona using a mix of shade and lighter planting.
The final cube showcases a bright, naturalistic planting scheme, representing the lifting of shadows and emergence of new perspectives.
Will Young said: “I’d been looking at Jungian shadow work for some time and thought it was fascinating and could translate so well into planting and a garden installation. I’d like people to see how density and shade can be beautiful and as a metaphor, encourage people to look into their own psyche as beauty often hides in the dark.”
Jamie Butterworth echoed Young's sentiments, highlighting the benefits of gardening collaboration: "It's a pleasure to be working with Will at RHS Badminton this year to deliver a planting installation full of amazing plants that visitors can incorporate in their gardens at home."
The largest garden ever at an RHS show
The RHS Badminton Flower Show will also feature the largest garden at an RHS Show, "The Julia Rausing Garden" by Tom Stuart-Smith.
Measuring 2,400m2, this piece promises to be a celebration of the life and philanthropic work of Julia Rausing.
Fresh from his gold medal winning garden at RHS Chelsea, Tom is now taking on the challenge of the largest garden at an RHS Show, equivalent in size to nine Wimbledon tennis courts, with its huge scale enabling meandering paths for visitors to be fully immersed in its planting.
The garden’s design is inspired by the pastoral setting at Badminton Estate and frames views over the lake and back to Badminton House.
A central terrace and fountain will be surrounded by a flower garden in which woodland edge planting will be set amongst multi-stemmed trees with a dry meadow of drought tolerant perennials.
This inner area will be enveloped by a wildflower meadow with lime trees and a wild beehive.
Tom Stuart-Smith said: “It is an honour and a joy to design a garden to celebrate the legacy of Julia Rausing, whom I knew well.
"She loved gardens, and this is a tribute to her work supporting garden projects and causes across health, welfare, and the arts.
"Her generosity is reflected in a design where visitors are welcomed into the heart of the garden and can experience its beauty up close.
"After the show, the herbaceous plants will be sold to raise funds for Horatio's Garden, a wonderful charity that has been supported by the Julia Rausing Foundation.”
All of these exhibits are part of a line-up that includes award-winning gardens, expert growers, nurseries, floral installations, stages for talks, and live music.