Cancer Research UK

Site number: MA 20

Designer: Andy Sturgeon

This gold medal garden ties in with Cancer Research UK's 'Together we will beat cancer' campaign and focuses on the word 'together'; hedges, paths and benches are interlinked and lock together. A dramatic aspect is a 30 metre long sculpture, which consists of five strands of curved oak ribbons woven together that wind through the garden linking the different elements.

Paths from either end of the 'Cancer Research UK Garden' draw people together to the heart garden, where there is a modern amphitheatre with benches of stacked limestone. A contemporary pavilion, inspired by modern Japanese architecture, features a triptych of sensuous ceramic wall sculptures by Japanese artist Mari-Ruth Oda.

A series of clipped yew hedges of different lengths and heights form a back drop to the planting and create different views of the garden. The planting colour scheme is a variety of greens with purples, mauves, pinks and white. Quercus phellos, an oak not commonly grown in the UK, also features in this garden.

On the side of the garden are huge louvres inspired by the Tolworth Tower, a 1960's building designed by Richard Seifert, much maligned architect of Centrepoint. These are made from patinated concrete and create interesting shadows as the sun moves round.

Andy Sturgeon, garden designer, has exhibited at Chelsea three times and has been awarded a Silver-Gilt Medal and two Gold Medals. Andy says that Chelsea is the only time when the words 'adrenaline' and 'gardening' can be used in the same sentence!