Her Majesty The Queen visits Chelsea Flower Show garden to be donated to Maggie's Cambridge

Dame Laura Lee, our Chief Executive, welcomed Her Majesty The Queen to The National Garden Scheme's show garden at the Chelsea Flower Show this week.

The garden, designed by Tom Stuart Smith, was one of just a few show gardens to be awarded a gold medal at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

After the show, the garden will be relocated to our new centre in Cambridge, which is currently under development.

100 years of opening private gardens to the public

The National Garden Scheme and Maggie’s share the belief that gardens and outdoor spaces play a vital role in improving physical and mental health and wellbeing.

The Scheme is soon to celebrate 100 years of giving visitors access to thousands of gardens in the UK through their 'Open Garden' initiative.

As part of their Gardens and Health funding programme, The National Garden Scheme raises money for nursing and health charities through visitor admissions and refreshment sales.

Since 2018, the Scheme has donated £520,000 to Maggie’s, helping us improve many of our gardens and build beautiful new gardens at our Yorkshire, Southampton and Oxford centres.

A therapeutic garden for hospital patients

The garden was designed to give a sense of calm and a connection to nature. It will be a wonderful space for people with cancer and their friends and family to spend time in.

The creation of the garden was made possible by funding from Project Giving Back, and some of the plants were provided by the National Garden Scheme garden owners.

Until the outdoor space at the new Maggie's Cambridge centre is ready to be planted, the plants from the show garden will be looked after by a team of professionals.

Find out more about the garden and the inspiration behind it.

Gardens as cancer support

Our founder, Maggie Keswick Jencks, was a garden designer herself and understood firsthand the importance of a connection to nature when living with cancer. Thanks to Maggie, the gardens at our centres became as much a part of our support as our buildings.

We want people who come to Maggie’s to be able to look or step outside from as many places as possible. Designers are encouraged to use plants that will add colour, scent and interest throughout the year.

Many visitors make use of the gardens as a place to relax and reflect when visiting our centres, and in many centres, gardening groups are a core part of the cancer support programme.

Maggie’s is here with you

Whatever kind of cancer, whatever stage you're at, Maggie's is here with you.

Our cancer support specialists are here to listen to your concerns and find the help you need.

• Find your nearest Maggie's centre – you don't need an appointment, just come in.
• Most of our centres have gardens and some have gardening groups, and you can find out more about gardening as therapy.