‘Here for Humanity’: Chelsea Flower Show gold-winning British Red Cross garden finds a new home at the Maudsley
Photo: Anna Gordon/British Red Cross.
Named ‘Here for Humanity’, the British Red Cross garden will serve as a lasting symbol of unity, resilience, and support in its new setting on the Maudsley campus. It was designed by Tom Bannister and John Warland, for the 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May this year. Having won the highest prize, it is set now to be relocated to the Maudsley Hospital in Denmark Hill.
The garden’s striking design features interconnected hexagonal columns of varying sizes, representing the more than 190 Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies worldwide. The garden will include a thoughtfully curated selection of plants sourced from regions worldwide where the charity provides life-saving relief in response to disasters and emergencies.
This thoughtful mixture of nature and symbolism creates a peaceful and restorative environment, which once installed on the Maudsley campus will offer mental health service users a space for reflection, connection, and healing. By immersing visitors in a landscape inspired by humanitarian efforts, the garden promotes a sense of hope and resilience, reinforcing the transformative power of nature in supporting mental well-being.
The British Red Cross has over 75 years’ experience supporting the NHS across the UK. Through this partnership, the British Red Cross has delivered a variety of support for health and social care systems, mobilising the power of humanity during critical moments. As well as supporting busy A&E departments, the British Red Cross teaches lifesaving first aid skills and provides wheelchair hire services across the UK.
The relocation of the ‘Here for Humanity’ garden to Maudsley Hospital underscores a shared commitment to providing spaces that foster recovery, inspire optimism, and strengthen the link between nature and health.
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Chief Executive David Bradley said:
We are thrilled to see the RHS Chelsea Flower Show gold medal-winning garden, by the British Red Cross, brought to life on our Maudsley campus for the benefit of our service users, staff and visitors. This beautifully designed space provides a calm, inviting, and restorative environment where we can reconnect with nature in the middle of busy hospital grounds.
Spending time outdoors and engaging with natural surroundings has well-documented psychological benefits, including reduced stress, improved mood, and enhanced overall wellbeing.
This garden will be a sanctuary—a place to reflect, to heal, and to feel a sense of peace and connection. It’s a powerful reminder of how thoughtful design and nature can come together to support mental health recovery in meaningful ways. We thank the British Red Cross for their generous donation and will ensure we look after the garden to ensure it keeps growing and flourishing in the years to come.
British Red Cross CEO Béatrice Butsana-Sita said:
We are delighted that our award winning ‘Here for Humanity’ garden has found a new home at the Maudsley Hospital in South London after the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The garden tells the story of our global humanitarian Movement and our work here in the UK, providing vital support and care to people in crisis wherever they are and whoever they are. It is a dedication to human resilience and hope for those going through some of the most difficult moments in their lives.
The British Red Cross is incredibly proud to have worked with the NHS for over 75 years. We support A&E departments and help people get home from hospital. We hope that staff, patients and carers will all enjoy the garden in the coming months and years, finding a place to relax and enjoy the healing power of nature.”
