Building an immersive show garden with wildlife illustrations
Table of content
Introduction
This year I am embarking on a totally different kind of project; I am building a real-life show garden! This garden will take you on a journey through the aslice of the Amazon Rainforest, but a little more whimsical, using houseplants you can buy for your home with giant illustrations of the wildlife that lives there. I am collaborating with Jessy from Sprouts of Bristol to teach you how these plants thrive in the wild, how to provide the right care in your home, and how even in the wild. Join us to embrace the imperfect beauty of nature and all that it has to offer.
The Concept
If it wasn't obvious, wildlife and the natural world are my passion, so I wanted the biodiversity of our garden to be at the forefront of our concept. The garden itself is based on our whimsical representation of the Amazon Rainforest using houseplants that you can find there (or close relatives). Walk down our garden path, surrounded by over 2000 plants, and meet the wildlife that crucially rely on these plants in the Amazon. The world is so out of touch with where things come from, and we really wanted to show how diverse your houseplants can be but also that they exist beyond the plant shop and have a place in our ecosystem. Equipped with an illustrated booklet, you will leave with a better understanding of these plants and how to care for your tropical plants at home.
Designing the Garden
The idea to apply to the RHS and build a garden actually came from encouragement from our friend Ian from Liquid Gold Leaf. I helped Jessy design and build the Sprouts of Bristol trade stand last year that won a 4-star RHS excellence award, so we know we work well together, but to collaborate, our businesses hopefully will take us to the next level.
We spent our Christmas holidays mocking up ideas and submitting our design intention. The brief described a room we needed to create but we pushed the boundaries and wanted to create something with depth, more of a story.
Our first designs were scribbles on scraps of paper, which I brought to life with some more detailed but still quite rough designs to show the variety of plants and colours you will see in our garden. My wildlife illustrations in obscure sizes dotted around the garden and backing boards will be abstractly painted by local Bristol artist Jazz Potter.
Sustainable Building
Responsibly Sourced Plants – We prioritise UK-grown plants where possible and ensure that all species are cultivated commercially rather than taken from the wild.
Reusable Materials – Many of the structures and elements of the garden were made using donated materials and are designed to be repurposed, with plants being rehomed or donated after the show.
Eco-Friendly Production – Locally-printed illustrative panels use recyclable materials, and we minimise single-use plastics throughout the project.
Amazon Wildlife
What started as '5 wildlife illustrations' dotted around the garden somehow spiralled to 18 and an illustrated booklet...
We researched and narrowed down what we thought were important species in relation to the plants we are using, and obviously some were too cute not to pass up.
To see all of the wildlife in the garden, check out this blog.
Want to visit Beneath the Canopy?
The show garden is only around for a limited time at RHS Malvern Spring Show 2025, 8th-11th May.
The Author: Ferne Glannan-MacRae
Ferne Glannan-MacRae is a wildlife illustrator and designer with a passion for British wildlife and conservation. She creates intricate digital artwork on her iPad, capturing the beauty and diversity of the natural world. Before going freelance in 2022, Ferne honed her skills during six years in the print industry as a designer. With a background in wildlife photography, her work is deeply rooted in a love for nature and a commitment to raising awareness for wildlife on our doorstep.