Duo to create garden display for RHS show

Creative duo Rachel Carter and Kerry Wheatley have joined forces to create a show garden at RHS Chatsworth 2018.

Artist Rachel, originally from Heanor, and Ilkeston’s Community Champion Kerry, are set to submit plans for the ‘Winding Wheel’ garden, which will reflect parts of their respective town’s heritage.

The pair are set to launch a crowdfunding page on May 1, in a bid to fund the £32,000 project, and hope to attract donations from local communities and firms. The artistic display will include a handmade bronze sculpture as the central feature, surrounded by rolling hills and wild flowers.

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Rachel, who has submitted work to RHS Chelsea for the past five years, said: “The sculpture makes reference to the heavy industrial background. Also winding hills represent winding wheels and the winding hills of Derbyshire. It will be covered with British wildflowers, which we hope schoolchildren will help us plant. We want to make everything as environmentally friendly as possible.”

After the show at Chatsworth, the garden will be donated to the people of Ilkeston, which is where Rachel’s studio is based.

This year will mark her ten-year anniversary of being a sculptor, and she thought the garden would be an excellent way to celebrate.

Rachel was approached to take her previous work a step further by creating a project that could be entered as part of the new freeform category. She then spoke to friend Kerry who was happy to get on board with the idea.

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Although the duo are excited to be working together, Rachel said a win isn’t the be-all-end all.

She added: “Obviously a win would be amazing, but I think the most rewarding aspects will be seeing the garden go from paper to reality, celebrating our local area, and helping to boost community spirit.”