The Blooming of the RHS Multiple Sclerosis Garden

carolineblake-syme
7 hours ago
4 min read

Many of us will be familiar with the spectacular displays at RHS Chelsea, but from July 2026 there is a wonderful new venue to add to the diary. The RHS Badminton Flower Show, set within the magnificent Badminton Estate in South Gloucestershire, is one of the most exciting developments in the horticultural calendar for years, and, as it turns out, one with a very personal connection to the MS community. (www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-badminton-flower-show)

How it all began

Behind this garden are two passionate gardeners: Michael Leech and Gavin Moth. Michael explains how the idea took root:

"Having built a 'long border' entry at RHS Tatton Park in 2024, I caught the bug. The following year, I looked at the 'pocket planting' category at RHS Hampton Court, whose theme was 'resilience'. Rather than the obvious route of climate-resilient planting, my mind moved in a different direction, towards the quiet, daily resilience of people living with their own personal challenges. I'd seen Gavin's social media presence, 'The MS Gardener', and noticed he lived nearby. The thought struck me: why not use garden design to tell the story of an MS diagnosis? I got in touch, we met on a bench by the river, me with a scribbled design and a half-formed idea, and somehow I managed to sell him on it."

Gavin's story: from intensive care to the RHS

For Gavin, this garden is far more than a horticultural project. It is, in many ways, the culmination of a life reshaped by MS.

In January 2012, he was diagnosed whilst in intensive care following a catastrophic first relapse. Months earlier, a numb arm had prompted a visit to a specialist but raised no serious alarm. Then, after a game of football, everything changed.

"I started to feel very unwell, I thought it was flu. But my partner, who had only just agreed to be my fiancée, knew better. After speaking with our GP, I was sent straight to the hospital. The next day, I was convinced I was having a heart attack."

The relapse left Gavin completely immobile, his hearing, speech, and vision all seriously affected. He spent several months in the hospital learning to work with a body that had fundamentally changed. That same year, he came home and married.

The road back was long. After nearly two years struggling with employment, he became self-employed, and it was then that he found something unexpected:

"I realised that gardening really helped me, both physically and mentally. It gave me something back during those very stressful times."

That quiet revelation proved to be the seed of something far bigger. Almost twelve years later, Gavin returned to college to train as an RHS Horticulturalist, retrained as a professional gardener, and built a growing social media presence as 'The MS Gardener', documenting life at the intersection of horticulture and MS. It was through that platform that Michael found him.

When the two confirmed they lived in neighbouring towns, and the show garden idea took shape, fundraising began, with modest success. The real turning point came when Michael made contact with The Brightwell. With The Brightwell's agreement to rehome the garden in their own therapy grounds after the show, fulfilling the RHS ethos of sustainability and repurposing, the application for Badminton was made.

"It has been a long process: tweaks to the design, real-life commitments, the inevitable slowdowns. But we are absolutely delighted to be confirmed. It still feels a little surreal, if I'm honest. But very, very exciting."

The perfect partnership

The Brightwell identified the ideal sponsor in Woodstock Homes, a steadfast supporter of the charity since 2022. For Managing Director James Hutchinson, the connection is personal; his mother, Karen, lived with MS and visited The Brightwell for therapy. Woodstock Homes' commitment to sustainability made them a natural fit, and a well-matched three-way partnership was formed.

The RHS was impressed. After several rounds of refinements, the application received the green light.

James Hutchinson reflects:

"Sustainability is woven into the fabric of everything we build. Partnering with The Brightwell to support those living with MS feels like a natural extension of that. I'm hoping to bring my Dad to The Brightwell on 29 July, which would have been my Mum's birthday. To see this garden in its permanent new home on that day will be very special indeed."

Here is the approved garden design

Now the real work begins

Michael and Gavin are deep in preparations, with the show opening on Wednesday, 8 July and running through to Sunday, 12 July. The garden will then be transported to The Brightwell on Monday, 13 July, where volunteers from Lloyds Banking Group and AVIVA will have already prepared the ground to receive it.

Doro Pasantes, Chief Executive of The Brightwell, captures the feeling perfectly:

"To be involved in an event as prestigious as an RHS show, working with such visionary gardeners, is remarkable. But it's the collaboration between The Brightwell, Woodstock Homes, our corporate volunteers, and our wonderful regular garden volunteers that is truly overwhelming. This garden will bring joy to our members and community for years to come. I cannot wait."

We will be sharing updates about the preparation, the resurfaced path, which is a separate project, and the garden relocation.