Perrywood Tiptree recently invited artist Lucy Tiffney to create a vibrant new artwork in its Creativity Display Garden, adding her eye-catching designs to a feature seen in most of our gardens, the plain wooden garden shed!

Lucy was a Finalist on BBC2’s ‘The Great Interior Design Challenge’ in 2016. Selected from over 4,000 applicants to take part in the programme, Lucy fulfilled six beautiful and diverse interior briefs and won her way to the final. In the same year, she created several stunning murals of plants on the walls of the Perrywood Tiptree Coffee Shop & Restaurant, which have been loved and enjoyed by many since.

The Creativity Garden and Lucy’s painted shed demonstrate how art can enhance lives. It comes on the back of a new study showing that viewing original art has an immediate, measurable effect on the body, reducing stress and increasing excitement simultaneously. The research was initiated by the national art charity Art Fund, and co-funded by the Psychiatry Research Trust, a mental health charity.

Louise Smith, Senior Communications Manager comments: "Gardens mean something different to everyone, and that's exactly what our 'Your Garden, Your Happy Place' theme is all about. Lucy's beautiful artwork perfectly captures the creativity and personality that many people bring to their outdoor spaces. We're delighted to be working with her once again and hope customers enjoy discovering it during their next visit."

The Creative Garden forms part of Perrywood's 2026 theme, "Your Garden, Your Happy Place", which celebrates the many different ways people use and enjoy their outdoor spaces.

The theme was developed following extensive customer research earlier this year, during which more than 4,000 customers shared their thoughts and ideas through a survey. Their feedback helped shape the garden centre's inspirational display gardens, designed to reflect the diverse roles gardens play in people's lives.

Whether a garden is a place to relax, entertain, grow fruit and vegetables, encourage wildlife, get creative, spend time with pets, or simply tackle everyday jobs, Perrywood's displays aim to inspire customers to make the most of their own outdoor spaces.

As part of the campaign, customers have also been invited to share photographs of their own gardens, helping to inspire fellow gardeners and showcase the many different ways a garden can become a happy place.

The new artwork can be viewed in the Creative Garden at Perrywood Tiptree. All three Perrywood Garden Centres (Buckhatch, Sudbury and Tiptree) have inspirational garden displays based around the ‘Your Garden, Your Happy Place’ theme.