Asthma + Lung UK Breathing Space Garden at RHS Chelsea 2026

Asthma + Lung UK Breathing Space Garden

About this garden

Guided by the Japanese principle of yohaku no bi — the beauty of empty space — this tranquil woodland-edge garden reflects the voices of people living with lung conditions, offering a calm, restorative breathing space in which to recover and reconnect with nature. One in five people in the UK will develop a lung condition in their lifetime; this garden makes that invisible experience visible and dignified.

Accessible paths, graded steps and seated rest points lead to the heart of the garden, where two structural pine trees — chosen for their natural antioxidant and immune-boosting properties — anchor a floating platform designed for breath-supporting therapies including yoga and tai chi. Running water and a still pond introduce soothing sound and reflective calm, drawing on the Tokachi Millennium Forest in Japan as a design reference. A restrained palette of greens and whites is lifted by pops of Asthma + Lung UK's brand colours — pink, purple and orange — while pockets of low-allergen plants are chosen for their gentle impact.

The sustainability innovation here is extraordinary: the garden trials ACLA, a carbon-negative additive made by Low Carbon Materials using biochar, in what is believed to be a world-first application combined with calcined clay. Recycled aluminium oxygen cylinders are repurposed as water spouts and channel drains — a profoundly on-theme detail for a lung charity garden. A symbolic and powerful touch: coal dust from the UK's last coal-fired power station has been incorporated into the aggregate, marking the country's historic transition as the first in Europe to fully close coal power.

The garden will be relocated to the Breathing Space lung rehabilitation centre in Rotherham after the show, giving the design a meaningful second life.

Gallery

Plant List102

Perennials, Grasses & Ferns

New Zealand bur© WC

Acaena affinis

New Zealand bur

Bugbane ‘Brunette’© WC

Actaea simplex (Atropurpurea Group) ‘Brunette’

Bugbane ‘Brunette’

Aleutian maidenhair ‘Imbricatum’© WC

Adiantum aleuticum ‘Imbricatum’

Aleutian maidenhair ‘Imbricatum’

Bugle ‘Catlin’s Giant’© WC

Ajuga reptans ‘Catlin’s Giant’

Bugle ‘Catlin’s Giant’

Alpine lady’s mantle© WC

Alchemilla alpina

Alpine lady’s mantle

Eastern bluestar© WC

Amsonia tabernaemontana

Eastern bluestar

Woodland anemone© WC

Anemone leveillei

Woodland anemone

Rocky Mountain windflower© WC

Anemone multifida

Rocky Mountain windflower

Branched St. Bernard’s lily© WC

Anthericum ramosum

Branched St. Bernard’s lily

Columbine ‘Spring Magic Blue & White’© WC

Aquilegia ‘Spring Magic Blue & White’

Columbine ‘Spring Magic Blue & White’

Chinese jack-in-the-pulpit© WC

Arisaema consanguineum

Chinese jack-in-the-pulpit

Goat’s beard ‘Horatio’© WC

Aruncus ‘Horatio’

Goat’s beard ‘Horatio’

Goat’s beard ‘Misty Lace’© WC

Aruncus ‘Misty Lace’

Goat’s beard ‘Misty Lace’

Western wild ginger© WC

Asarum caudatum

Western wild ginger

Hazelwort© WC

Asarum europaeum

Hazelwort

Undulating hart’s tongue fern© WC

Asplenium scolopendrium ‘Undulata’

Undulating hart’s tongue fern

Astilbe ‘Europa’© WC

Astilbe japonica ‘Europa’

Astilbe ‘Europa’

Elephant’s ears Ballawley hybrids© WC

Bergenia Ballawley hybrids

Elephant’s ears Ballawley hybrids

Knotweed ‘Superba’© WC

Bistorta affinis ‘Superba’

Knotweed ‘Superba’

Antarctic hard fern© WC

Blechnum penna-marina

Antarctic hard fern

Sycamore-leaf false nettle© WC

Boehmeria platanifolia

Sycamore-leaf false nettle

Siberian bugloss ‘Betty Bowring’© WC

Brunnera macrophylla ‘Betty Bowring’

Siberian bugloss ‘Betty Bowring’

Sedge from Kyoto, Japan© WC

Carex from Kyoto, Japan

Sedge from Kyoto, Japan

Palm branch sedge© WC

Carex muskingumensis

Palm branch sedge

Fortune’s chloranthus© WC

Chloranthus fortunei

Fortune’s chloranthus

Plume thistle ‘Trevor’s Blue Wonder’© WC

Cirsium rivulare ‘Trevor’s Blue Wonder’

Plume thistle ‘Trevor’s Blue Wonder’

Clematis ‘Purpurea’© WC

Clematis recta ‘Purpurea’

Clematis ‘Purpurea’

Corydalis ‘Blue Heron’© WC

Corydalis curviflora subsp. rosthornii ‘Blue Heron’

Corydalis ‘Blue Heron’

Blue corydalis ‘Purple Leaf’© WC

Corydalis flexuosa ‘Purple Leaf’

Blue corydalis ‘Purple Leaf’

Japanese holly fern© WC

Cyrtomium falcatum

Japanese holly fern

Umbrella plant© WC

Darmera peltata

Umbrella plant

Fairy bells ‘Green Giant’© WC

Disporum longistylum ‘Green Giant’

Fairy bells ‘Green Giant’

Scaly male fern© WC

Dryopteris affinis

Scaly male fern

Prolific copper shield fern© WC

Dryopteris erythrosora var. prolifica

Prolific copper shield fern

Siebold’s wood fern© WC

Dryopteris sieboldii

Siebold’s wood fern

Barrenwort ‘Amber Queen’© WC

Epimedium ‘Amber Queen’

Barrenwort ‘Amber Queen’

Barrenwort ‘Spine Tingler’© WC

Epimedium ‘Spine Tingler’

Barrenwort ‘Spine Tingler’

Large-flowered barrenwort ‘White Queen’© WC

Epimedium grandiflorum ‘White Queen’

Large-flowered barrenwort ‘White Queen’

Scouring rush© WC

Equisetum hyemale

Scouring rush

Wintercreeper© WC

Euonymus fortunei ‘Kewensis’

Wintercreeper

Horned spurge© WC

Euphorbia ceratocarpa

Horned spurge

Horned spurge© WC

Euphorbia cornigera

Horned spurge

Balkan spurge© WC

Euphorbia oblongata

Balkan spurge

Japanese meadowsweet© WC

Filipendula purpurea

Japanese meadowsweet

Bridal wreath© WC

Francoa sonchifolia

Bridal wreath

Mourning widow ‘Lily Lovell’© WC

Geranium phaeum ‘Lily Lovell’

Mourning widow ‘Lily Lovell’

Mourning widow ‘Samobor’© WC

Geranium phaeum ‘Samobor’

Mourning widow ‘Samobor’

Meadow cranesbill ‘Splish Splash’© WC

Geranium pratense ‘Splish Splash’

Meadow cranesbill ‘Splish Splash’

Caucasus geranium© WC

Geranium renardii

Caucasus geranium

Bowman’s root© WC

Gillenia trifoliata

Bowman’s root

Alum root ‘Greenfinch’© WC

Heuchera cylindrica ‘Greenfinch’

Alum root ‘Greenfinch’

Plantain lily ‘Devon Green’© WC

Hosta ‘Devon Green’

Plantain lily ‘Devon Green’

Japanese water iris© WC

Iris ensata

Japanese water iris

Japanese iris© WC

Iris laevigata

Japanese iris

Siberian iris ‘Butter and Sugar’© WC

Iris sibirica ‘Butter and Sugar’

Siberian iris ‘Butter and Sugar’

Siberian iris ‘Shirley Pope’© WC

Iris sibirica ‘Shirley Pope’

Siberian iris ‘Shirley Pope’

Siberian iris ‘Silver Edge’© WC

Iris sibirica ‘Silver Edge’

Siberian iris ‘Silver Edge’

Balm-leaved white deadnettle© WC

Lamium orvala f. albiflorum

Balm-leaved white deadnettle

Laserwort© WC

Laserpitium siler

Laserwort

New Zealand satin flower© WC

Libertia chilensis

New Zealand satin flower

Hanson’s lily© WC

Lilium hansonii

Hanson’s lily

Turk’s cap lily© WC

Lilium martagon

Turk’s cap lily

Creeping Jenny© WC

Lysimachia nummularia

Creeping Jenny

Mathiasella bupleuroides ‘Green Dream’© WC

Mathiasella bupleuroides ‘Green Dream’

Ostrich fern© WC

Matteuccia struthiopteris

Ostrich fern

Spignel© WC

Meum athamanticum

Spignel

Eulalia ‘Gracillimus’© WC

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’

Eulalia ‘Gracillimus’

Mukdenia ‘Karasuba’© WC

Mukdenia rossi ‘Karasuba’

Mukdenia ‘Karasuba’

Old pheasant’s eye© WC

Narcissus poeticus var. recurvus

Old pheasant’s eye

Black lilyturf© WC

Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’

Black lilyturf

Royal fern© WC

Osmunda regalis

Royal fern

Peony ‘White Wings’© WC

Paeonia lactiflora ‘White Wings’

Peony ‘White Wings’

Hog fennel© WC

Peucedanum verticillare

Hog fennel

Taiwan pilea© WC

Pilea matsudae

Taiwan pilea

Mayapple ‘Spotty Dotty’© WC

Podophyllum versipelle ‘Spotty Dotty’

Mayapple ‘Spotty Dotty’

Angled Solomon’s seal© WC

Polygonatum odoratum

Angled Solomon’s seal

Narrow-anthered Solomon’s seal© WC

Polygonatum stenanthum

Narrow-anthered Solomon’s seal

Whorled Solomon’s seal© WC

Polygonatum verticillatum

Whorled Solomon’s seal

Bulley’s primrose© WC

Primula bulleyana

Bulley’s primrose

Candelabra primula© WC

Primula pulverulenta

Candelabra primula

Selfheal© WC

Prunella vulgaris

Selfheal

Rodgersia ‘Superba’© WC

Rodgersia pinnata ‘Superba’

Rodgersia ‘Superba’

Rodgers’ bronze-leaf ‘Braunlaub’© WC

Rodgersia podophylla ‘Braunlaub’

Rodgers’ bronze-leaf ‘Braunlaub’

Blackberry ‘Himalayan Giant’© WC

Rubus fruticosus ‘Himalayan Giant’

Blackberry ‘Himalayan Giant’

Great burnet ‘Lum’© WC

Sanguisorba officinalis ‘Lum’

Great burnet ‘Lum’

Scleranthus biflorus© WC

Scleranthus biflorus

Moon carrot© WC

Seseli libanotis

Moon carrot

Balkan blue grass© WC

Sesleria heufleriana

Balkan blue grass

False spiraea ‘Sem’© WC

Sorbaria sorbifolia ‘Sem’

False spiraea ‘Sem’

White Japanese spiraea© WC

Spiraea japonica ‘Albiflora’

White Japanese spiraea

Fringe cups© WC

Tellima grandiflora

Fringe cups

Fringe cups Rubra Group© WC

Tellima grandiflora Rubra Group

Fringe cups Rubra Group

Wood sage ‘Crispum’© WC

Teucrium scorodonia ‘Crispum’

Wood sage ‘Crispum’

Rue ‘Black Stockings’© WC

Thalictrum ‘Black Stockings’

Rue ‘Black Stockings’

Grassnut ‘Koningin Fabiola’© WC

Triteleia laxa ‘Koningin Fabiola’

Grassnut ‘Koningin Fabiola’

Black false hellebore© WC

Veratrum nigrum

Black false hellebore

Tree ivy ‘Annemieke’© WC

× Fatshedera lizei ‘Annemieke’

Tree ivy ‘Annemieke’