A Hackney mental health charity will be staging its first-ever show garden at the Chelsea Flower Show this year.

Core Arts, which is based in Homerton at St Barnabas Terrace, will see its Core Arts Front Garden Revolution showcased at the world-famous flower show in May.

The garden has been designed by Hackney garden designer Andy Smith-Williams and is one of 12 gardens for good causes being funded by Project Giving Back.

Project Giving Back was set up to promote charities in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

Andy said: “Having easy access to local parks, the Hackney Marshes and nature-filled walks during the Covid-19 lockdowns really helped me keep physically and mentally fit during that period.

"I noticed how front gardens were being used more to meet and greet friends and neighbours, and became aware of the work of Core Arts, and Core Landscapes, in our community.”

Andy discovered Core Arts' roof garden on one of his regular walks during lockdown and was intrigued with the idea of making relaxing gardens in busy urban places incorporating recycled and up-cycled materials.

The roof garden is managed by Core Arts’ horticultural arm, Core Landscapes, and Andy’s design includes some of the ways their roof garden captures and diverts rainfall as well as creative ways of container growing using resilient planting.

His design will highlight the connections between gardens and mental wellbeing while showcasing some innovative ways to make front gardens environmentally sustainable.

Nemone Mercer, Core Landscapes manager said: “It’s fantastic Core Arts is being represented at Chelsea this year.

"It's a celebration of all the time, energy, and skill that Core students and volunteers' have given to making the local neighbourhood in Hackney a nicer, greener place for everyone, and to inspire other people to do the same.

"It’s a brilliant stage to show the impact plants and green spaces can have on our positive mental health, particularly when we garden together.”

Find out more about Core Arts at www.corearts.co.uk and learn more about Core Landscapes at www.core-landscapes.co.uk