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How I took the most biodiverse garden to RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Taking a garden to Chelsea Flower Show is no mean feat. It was a journey of blood, sweat and tears for Dan Bristow to bring the most biodiverse garden to the world-renowned show in 2024.

Date
13 Feb 2025
Time
19:00
Free
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Landscape Designer and creative Gardener, Dan Bristow, sits in the centre of a dark garden, surrounded by rich green plants included beautiful leafy ferns

Dan worked with local plant nurseries, mushroom growers, quarrymen and crafts people for his design, in support of climate change charity Size of Wales. This story has sustainability at its core and Dan will be joined by Sally Nex, from the Peat free Partnership.

Speakers

Image of Dan Bristow - Dan is positioned in the centre of the image. He is resting on one knee with his arm. Dan is surrounded by Hydrangea flowers

Dan Bristow

Dan Bristow is a Landscape Designer and creative Gardener who lives by a river at the edge of the rugged and beautiful Eryri/Snowdonia National Park. His design practice, Studio Bristow, won a gold medal and Best All About Plants garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, 2024, for their Size of Wales Garden.
He is inspired by travelling and plant-hunting in the wild, and how to transpose these experiences into his landscapes. He trained in horticulture at Capel Manor College, after graduating with a BA in Graphic Design from University of the Arts London. He has run his own design practice since 2008.
Dan’s studio approach works from the principle that outdoor spaces have only opportunities, not limitations. With a plantsman’s knowledge for using often rare species to suit specific locations, an architect’s understanding of space and light and an artist’s intuitiveness and layers of meaning, Studio Bristow’s projects – which are found throughout the UK – are bound together with a long-term focused approach.

A headshot image of Sally Nex, Peat-free Campaign Advocate. Sally is in the centre of the image with beautiful bright green foliage surrounding her

Sally Nex, Peat-free Campaign Advocate

Sally is the Peat-free Partnership’s advocate, campaigning for an end to the sale of peat in horticulture. She’s also an award-winning garden writer and professional gardener. She’s written three books (with a fourth on the way!) on sustainable gardening, as well as articles in magazines such as BBC Gardeners’ World magazine and RHS The Garden about gardening without peat.