Clydach Community Gardens to become home to RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden

"Bats mean biodiversity" – The Bat Conservation Trust Nocturnal Garden, designed by Melanie Hick and funded by grant-giving charity Project Giving Back, celebrates Britain's overlooked flying mammals and demonstrates how contemporary gardens can easily become vital bat habitats. It is the first time a garden designed specifically for bats has been staged at an RHS flower show.

The Bat Conservation Trust Nocturnal Garden will take roost at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May 2026. The garden, designed for the All About Plants category by Chelsea newcomer Melanie Hick, and funded by grant-giving charity Project Giving Back, shows the power and potential of domestic gardens at night. Visitors will see how their own garden can fuel bats, by planting plenty of pollinator-friendly plants to feed the tiny moths and other insects that bats eat.

Inspired by the elegant curves of a bat's wing and the dark tones of its body, the garden features sweeping black planters suitable for public spaces alongside naturalistic planting for domestic gardens. 

The Bat Conservation Trust’s CEO Kit Stoner said: “Many people first encounter bats in their garden or local green space. The Nocturnal Garden, beautifully designed by Melanie Hick to shine a light on the often unseen world of bats, will undoubtedly help even more people become aware of this magical part of our natural heritage.”

A striking bat sculpture by emerging British artist Tach Pollard presides over the space as a benign maternal forest spirit, while a reflective black scrying pool mirrors the sky, symbolising a bright future for UK bats. Sustainably-sourced timber used in the rear fence will be repurposed into bat boxes when the garden relocates to its permanent home at Clydach Community Gardens in Swansea, where it will continue supporting local bat populations and educating visitors about wildlife-friendly gardening.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for both our organisation and the community of Clydach” says Hannah Norman, Project Delivery Manager of Clydach Community Gardens. “Not only will the Nocturnal Garden be a positive asset to the village, it will enable us to further engage with schools, groups and the wider community, on the importance of biodiversity and creating wildlife-friendly gardens".   

The naturalistic planting scheme demonstrates how contemporary gardens can become

powerhouses of nocturnal activity, supporting bats long after gardeners have retired indoors for the evening. Many of the featured plants are commonly considered weeds and most are easy to grow, making the garden accessible for gardeners of all levels. A downloadable ‘bat rich’ plant list will enable the public to recreate their own bat-friendly spaces at home or in community gardens.

Why Bats Need Our Gardens

With four of Britain's eleven nationally endangered mammals being bat species, and habitat

loss, artificial lighting and declining insect numbers threatening populations, gardens play a

crucial role in bat conservation:

● Eighteen bat species comprise nearly a quarter of all UK mammal species

● Bats reproduce slowly with typically one pup per year, making populations vulnerable

● Genetic research shows the endangered barbastelle has declined by 99% over several

centuries

● Bats are surprisingly long-lived—the same individuals may visit gardens for decades

● As top predators of nocturnal insects, bats are vital indicator species for environmental

health

All UK bats feed exclusively on insects, making insect-rich gardens essential for their survival. Connected, wildlife-friendly gardens provide vital links between roosting and feeding habitats. See this garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show on 19 – 23 May 2026, or in its ‘forever home’ in Swansea from autumn 2026.

For further information, please contact us at info@clydachcommunitygardens.org