Centre for Mental Health's The Balance Garden - GardensDB Browse [ ![](/images/leaf_icon.svg) Gardens**DB** ](https://gardensdb.com) [ Gardens ](https://gardensdb.com/gardens) [ Shows ](https://gardensdb.com/shows) [ Studios ](https://gardensdb.com/studios) [ People ](https://gardensdb.com/people) [ Search gardens, designers, shows… ](https://gardensdb.com/search) [ Login ](https://gardensdb.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fgardensdb.com%2Fgardens%2Fcentre-for-mental-healths-the-balance-garden) [ Register ](https://gardensdb.com/register) [ ](https://gardensdb.com/search) Discover - [ Home ](https://gardensdb.com) - [ Gardens ](https://gardensdb.com/gardens) - [ Shows ](https://gardensdb.com/shows) - [ Events ](https://gardensdb.com/events) - [ 360° tours ](https://gardensdb.com/360-tours) - [ Trails ](https://gardensdb.com/trails) People & studios - [ People ](https://gardensdb.com/people) - [ Studios ](https://gardensdb.com/studios) - [ Books ](https://gardensdb.com/books) - [ Jobs ](https://gardensdb.com/jobs) Organisations - [ Sponsors ](https://gardensdb.com/sponsors) - [ Charity & non-profits ](https://gardensdb.com/charities) - [ Collectives ](https://gardensdb.com/collectives) - [ Companies ](https://gardensdb.com/companies) - [ Education ](https://gardensdb.com/education-institutions) - [ Nurseries ](https://gardensdb.com/nurseries) Account - [ Login ](https://gardensdb.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fgardensdb.com%2Fgardens%2Fcentre-for-mental-healths-the-balance-garden) - [ Register ](https://gardensdb.com/register) Discover - [ Home Today's highlights ](https://gardensdb.com) - [ Gardens Show gardens, catalogued ](https://gardensdb.com/gardens) - [ Shows Horticultural shows ](https://gardensdb.com/shows) - [ Events Festivals, courses & open days ](https://gardensdb.com/events) - [ 360° tours Step inside, long after the show packs up ](https://gardensdb.com/360-tours) - [ Trails Curated routes through the gardens ](https://gardensdb.com/trails) People & studios - [ People Designers, judges, growers ](https://gardensdb.com/people) - [ Studios Design practices ](https://gardensdb.com/studios) - [ Books Recommended reading ](https://gardensdb.com/books) - [ Jobs Roles in the industry ](https://gardensdb.com/jobs) Organisations - [ Sponsors Organisations that back the gardens ](https://gardensdb.com/sponsors) - [ Charity & non-profits Causes behind the gardens ](https://gardensdb.com/charities) - [ Collectives Groups & community projects ](https://gardensdb.com/collectives) - [ Companies Suppliers & contractors ](https://gardensdb.com/companies) - [ Education Schools, colleges & universities ](https://gardensdb.com/education-institutions) - [ Nurseries Plant suppliers & growers ](https://gardensdb.com/nurseries) [ Submit a garden ](https://gardensdb.com/gardens/submit) [ About GardensDB ](https://gardensdb.com/help) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/gardens/centre-for-mental-healths-the-balance-garden/primary_image.webp) [Gardens](https://gardensdb.com/gardens) / [ RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 ](https://gardensdb.com/shows/rhs-chelsea-flower-show-2023) Show Garden ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/awards/rhs-silver-medal/icon.webp) Silver Medal Centre for Mental Health's The Balance Garden =============================================== Designed by Jon Davies, Steve Williams At a glance Show RHS Chelsea Flower Show Year 2023 Category Show Garden Large Show Garden Photo: Royal Horticultural Society About this garden The story ----------- The garden uses crushed site waste as aggregates producing a wealth of wildflowers, grasses and hardy shrubs that thrive in stressful environments, as well as sand piles and habitat layers for wildlife. Large concrete pieces reclaimed from waste salvage make up a central area overlooking a clear pool. Suspended steel walkways allow movement through the space and access to the wild planting layers. At the heart of the garden is a ‘mushroom den’ made from a reclaimed steel-clad shipping container. The planting layers contour from wetland towards a denser, shadier canopy of food forestry and ‘edimentals’ while ‘weeds’ are celebrated as an important part of urban ecology. Award Recognition ------------- - ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/awards/rhs-silver-medal/icon.webp) Silver Medal RHS The people behind it Designers ----------- - [ ![Jon Davies](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/people/jon-davies/profile_photo.jpg) Jon Davies Designer Wild City Studio ](https://gardensdb.com/people/jon-davies) - [ ![Steve Williams](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/people/steve-williams/profile_photo.jpg) Steve Williams Designer Wild City Studio ](https://gardensdb.com/people/steve-williams) Photography Gallery --------- ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/dd479af7-d888-4947-a83d-7c5bda099001/conversions/image_1-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/46bae3dd-0744-48b8-8490-d1827169ffc3/conversions/image_2-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/572acf70-5f35-4eb3-a65a-4a2888b4b7eb/conversions/image_3-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/39f66187-79a4-42dc-8780-5d9eeebe6c23/conversions/image_4-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/5b749222-09c4-4e6a-86cf-e3a462ff98a5/conversions/mqdefault-gallery.webp) Centre for Mental Health's 'The Balance Garden' - Episode 1 ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/d16295a1-2e49-4789-8d40-738b8a61b726/conversions/3552A322-2F31-437F-998D-96603566BF3A_1_105_c-gallery.webp) ![](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/media/fec3eac1-6d49-41c9-be5c-73b7b9e1ba8d/conversions/47E73ACD-CC66-4AD2-B44D-C449E2A6EEA7_1_105_c-gallery.webp) ![]() / Photo: Brought to life by Organisations --------------- ### Design Studio 1 - [ ![Wild City Studio](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/studios/wild-city-studio/logo.png) Wild City Studio ](https://gardensdb.com/studios/wild-city-studio) ### Landscaper 1 - [ ![Stewart Landscape Construction](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/companies/stewart-landscape-construction/logo.webp) Stewart Landscape Construction ](https://gardensdb.com/companies/stewart-landscape-construction) ### Sponsor 1 - [ ![Project Giving Back](https://cdn.gardensdb.com/charities/project-giving-back/logo.webp) Project Giving Back ](https://gardensdb.com/charities/project-giving-back) Further reading Links ------- - [ ![](https://t0.gstatic.com/faviconV2?client=SOCIAL&type=FAVICON&fallback_opts=TYPE,SIZE,URL&size=64&url=https://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/rhs-chelsea-2023-centre-mental-healths-balance-garden/) RHS Chelsea 2023: Centre for Mental Health’s The Balance Garden ](https://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/rhs-chelsea-2023-centre-mental-healths-balance-garden/) With thanks to Additional sponsors --------------------- - [ Centre for Mental Health ](https://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/) ![](/images/leaf_icon.svg) Gardens**DB** The world's largest collection of show gardens online, kept free, kept current, and shaped by the community that uses it. 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