When F.B & Sons Lawns & Landscapes approached us in 2024 about a feature garden called ‘St Godwald’s Retreat’ for Primrose Hospice & Family Support Centre we were thrilled.

The news then got even better when we found out they were going to be selected to showcase their garden at the prestigious RHS Malvern Spring Show in May 2025!

There will be a range of special design features in the garden including;

• A ‘Wind telephone’ housed in a hand-built gazebo. A windphone is a phone which isn’t connected to wires or any “earthly system.” Originally created in Japan by its creator, Itaru Sasaki as a way to hold one-way conversations with loved ones who’ve died. The windphone will be one of just five in the United Kingdom and will add to the tranquil environment created in the Primrose Hospice garden.*
• The Primrose Memory Tree. We are honoured that our existing Memory Tree will be temporarily relocated to the show garden. The Primrose Memory Tree is a place to celebrate life and share memories; a symbol of a life loved.
• The garden will feature a variety of additions, all thoughtfully designed to offer peace and a quiet space for reflection, creating a sanctuary for our entire community to enjoy.

Find out more about the show here.

Marc Harbourne-Bessant from F.B & Sons Lawns & Landscapes said: “We knew that we wanted to design a garden space for a hospice as we are all too aware of the incredible work hospices do across the country. With our initial concept sketches, we arranged a meeting with Primrose Hospice & Family Support Centre.

This is the closest Hospice to our business base on the North East Worcestershire border; we also raised a few hundred pounds selling lavender plants for the Hospice at last year’s Hanbury Show. Many of the people we met at the Hanbury Show had direct experience of the incredible work Primrose does; they are an integral part of the local community and we are privileged to work on this project with them.”

We’re very pleased to say after the RHS Malvern Spring Show, the garden will go onto find its forever home at Primrose Hospice, where it will become a peaceful sanctuary for our patients, families, clients, and community to cherish.

‘St Godwalds Retreat’ garden design

Angelique Dalton, Chief Executive Officer at Primrose Hospice said: “We are so privileged and thrilled to have been approached by F.B & Sons Lawns & Landscapes.  The opportunity for the Hospice to be part of the RHS Malvern Show is just incredible and would not have been possible without the support of Marc, Darryl & the F.B & Sons team. We are all so excited that the garden will be transported and planted here at the Hospice after the show has finished. This will enable the patients and clients we support, as well as our volunteers and staff, to benefit from this beautiful garden. We cannot wait!”

Marc said: “From our first visit to Primrose, we could see how vital their work is to support patients and families. The Day Hospice site in Bromsgrove has beautiful grounds that are used extensively by the children and families of those in Primrose’s care. A corner of the grounds was identified as being a suitable location to receive the show garden once the Malvern show had ended.

Whilst we are aiming for a highly-coveted Gold Medal at RHS Malvern, our sheer inclusion in the show will hopefully raise awareness of the work that Primrose does. That is enough of a reward for us!”

The garden will use natural and traditional such as weaved willow, wattle and daub, wooden roof shingles, natural stone and clay. The team aim to make the garden as sustainable as possible by using re-claimed materials where they can throughout the design.

Heading to the Spring Show? Don’t forget to come and say hello to the Primrose Team who will be next to F B & Sons, Lawns & Landscapes garden! We’d love to see you. You can buy tickets for the RHS Malvern Spring Show here.

Keep an eye on this page later in the year to hear more about when the garden will be re-located to Primrose, ready for our whole community to enjoy.

If you’ve got any questions about the garden, please contact Angelique Dalton: 01527 871051

*information correct as of February 2025.