Muscular Dystrophy UK Forest Bathing Garden

Our garden at the 2024 RHS Chelsea Flower Show designed by Ula Maria. Funded by Project Giving Back.

Our Chelsea Flower Show garden, designed by Ula Maria, brings to life the stories of people living with muscle wasting and weakening conditions.

The 'Muscular Dystrophy UK – Forest Bathing Garden' offers an accessible forest bathing experience with over 50 birch trees and 4,000 plants, selected mainly for their beautiful foliage. Our immersive garden is a green tapestry rich in texture and occasional bursts of color. Forest bathing, or Shinrin-yoku, is a Japanese practice of absorbing the forest's atmosphere through the senses, promoting comfort, clarity, and a connection with nature.

The garden features an accessible path alongside a slow-moving stream, leading to a central hub with informal seating and sculptural flint walls, reminiscent of muscle cells. A standout feature is a large bungaroosh-style wall made from reclaimed materials.

We expect over 140,000 people to visit our garden this week and millions more hear about it online, on social media, in the press and on the BBC.

It will allow us to reach people who have never heard of muscle wasting and weakening conditions, raise awareness of the work of the charity and, most importantly, give you, our community, a voice.