The Greenfingers Charity is preparing to help deliver the next chapter of one of RHS Malvern Spring Festival 2026’s most celebrated gardens, after ‘Lifted by Birds’ captured both a Gold Medal and the coveted People’s Choice Award.
Designed by Tom Cave Saunders, Jon Pilling and Dr Amie Wheeldon, ‘Lifted by Birds’ struck a chord with visitors through its immersive celebration of British birdlife, naturalistic planting and richly layered habitats, earning widespread praise across the four-day festival.
Originally created for RHS Malvern Spring Festival by the award-winning design team alongside sponsors Pictorial Meadows, British Trust for Ornithology, Protect the Andes and Arthur Burns & Sons Stone Merchants, the garden will now go on to have a lasting legacy beyond the showground, as elements are carefully relocated and reimagined at the James Hopkins Trust in Gloucester with the support of Greenfingers Charity.
Reflecting on the planting approach behind the garden, designer Tom Cave Saunders explained that the scheme was designed to create a rich tapestry of habitat for birds, blending native planting within a meadow matrix supplied by sponsor Pictorial Meadows. He added that wildlife quickly moved into the space during the show, with layers of hawthorn, seasonal planting and delicate flax flowers helping create both visual beauty and valuable food sources for birds.
Following its success at Malvern, the garden’s next phase will see key elements thoughtfully adapted within the grounds of the James Hopkins Trust, transforming a dark, wooded area into a calming wildlife-rich environment for children, families, carers and hospice staff to enjoy.
Designed to encourage moments of reflection, connection and escape, the permanent space will offer opportunities to immerse in birdsong, planting and seasonal change, creating somewhere to breathe, remember, reflect and reconnect with nature.
The timeline for the build, which is also being supported by Paul Taylor Landscapes, long-time supporters of Greenfingers Charity, will begin in June, with work expected to complete in July ahead of the garden officially opening in the autumn.
Anne Price, Trust Director at the James Hopkins Trust, said: “We are absolutely delighted that ‘Lifted by Birds’ will find its permanent home here at the James Hopkins Trust. From the moment we saw the garden at RHS Malvern Spring Festival, it was clear just how special it was. not only visually, but emotionally too.
“The opportunity to transform part of our outdoor space into a peaceful, wildlife-rich environment for the children and families we support and for our staff is incredibly exciting. Nature and sensory experiences can play such an important role in wellbeing, offering moments of calm, escape and connection during what can often be very challenging times.
“We are enormously grateful to Greenfingers Charity, the garden designers, sponsors and everyone involved in making this possible. Their generosity, creativity and collaboration will leave a lasting legacy for the children, siblings, parents, carers and staff who spend time here for many years to come.”
Speaking about the response to the garden at Malvern, Greenfingers Charity Chairman Boyd Douglas-Davies said: “Everyone connected to the garden should feel enormously proud of what was achieved at Malvern. The response from visitors was phenomenal and it was wonderful to see the garden receive such well-deserved recognition.
“The garden was constantly drawing people in and one of the questions we were repeatedly asked was, ‘How long has it been here?’ People were genuinely amazed when they discovered it had only been created over a matter of weeks. The level of detailing and maturity within the planting was exceptional. Tom, Jon and Amie did a brilliant job and everyone at Greenfingers was incredibly proud to stand alongside the garden and help tell the story of what comes next.
“What makes the story even more special is that the garden’s journey does not end at the showground. Through its relocation to the James Hopkins Trust in Gloucester, this beautiful space will continue to make a difference long after Malvern, creating somewhere children, families, carers and staff can spend time surrounded by nature.”
The relocation of ‘Lifted by Birds’ continues Greenfingers Charity’s growing work in helping ensure exceptional show gardens continue to make a meaningful impact long after the shows themselves have ended.
Recent projects have seen gardens and key features from major horticultural events carefully relocated to Greenfingers-supported hospice spaces across the UK, including Acorns Children’s Hospice, Chestnut Tree House and Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.
Once complete at the James Hopkins Trust, ‘Lifted by Birds’ will provide a rich sensory environment designed to support wellbeing, while also showcasing how thoughtful collaboration across horticulture can create enduring spaces with real emotional value for children, families and carers.
Find out more
To date, Greenfingers Charity has created more than 70 hospice gardens across the UK, each one providing a vital, nature-filled space where children and families can spend time together away from clinical environments. With a further 11 gardens currently in progress, 2026 is shaping up to be one of the charity’s most significant years to date, bringing the benefits of therapeutic outdoor spaces to even more children, families and hospice communities across the country.
To find out more, including how to get involved in future fundraising events please visit www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk. You can also join in the conversation by joining Greenfingers on social media by following @Greenfingerscharity on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
