The Wildlife Trusts’ British Rainforest Garden, designed by Zoe Claymore, has won the coveted BBC/RHS People’s Choice award in the All About Plants category.

The garden is sponsored by Project Giving Back and supported by the UK’s leading insurer Aviva, whose backing has enabled the charity to share the rainforest story on a national stage.

The garden invites visitors into a world that feels part fairytale, part forgotten past: moss-laden boulders, fern-fringed paths, and a dappled canopy of native trees creates a space both alive with wonder and rooted in one of the UK’s rarest and most threatened habitats.

Drawing thousands of visitors over the course of RHS Chelsea week, the garden champions the cause of the lost temperate rainforests of the UK’s western coasts – now reduced to less than 1% of their former range but being brought back to life thanks to a 100-year restoration project with partner Aviva.

Zoe Claymore, award-winning garden designer, says:

“Thank you to everyone who voted. This has been a huge team effort and we’re all delighted that this garden has resonated with the public – and personally I’m very touched. As a designer, I wanted to create a garden which told the story of our beautiful native rainforests and it feels as if an interest has been sparked. Go wet woodlands!”

Craig Bennett, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts, says:

“This win means so much because it comes from the public. It shows that people are falling in love with temperate rainforests—with their mossy, tangled beauty and the wildlife they shelter—and that they believe, like we do, in bringing them back. This garden has always been more than a showpiece. It’s a symbol of hope.”

Claudine Blamey, Chief Sustainability Officer at Aviva, says:

“The People’s Choice award is a clear sign that the public have loved spending time in such a rare, yet magical, environment and recognise how important it is to preserve our natural British habitats. Thank you, and congratulations, from Aviva to Zoe and the team at The Wildlife Trusts for bringing a taste of the temperate rainforest to Chelsea and ensuring that these threatened habits are not forgotten.”

 Alex Denman, trustee of Project Giving Back, says:

“We’ve loved seeing British temperate rainforests take centre stage at RHS Chelsea this week and listening to visitors’ reaction to this calm, tranquil slice of western Britain. Winning the coveted BBC/RHS People’s Choice award demonstrates the strength of feeling this garden has evoked in the wider RHS Chelsea audience and we’re thrilled for the whole team that their hard work and passion for British biodiversity recovery has been so richly rewarded. We look forward to the conversation continuing as the garden is relocated to Bristol.”

Once the show ends, the garden’s magic won’t vanish. Instead, it will be carefully rehomed at the Bristol Zoo Project, where it will become a permanent, immersive feature in a landscape dedicated to rewilding and education. There, its spell will continue – captivating school groups, families and future conservationists for years to come. 

Visitors are invited to see the garden at site number 340 throughout RHS Chelsea week. Find out more here: RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025 - British Rainforest Garden | The Wildlife Trusts