A Berkhamsted gardening charity’s creations recently featured as a starring attraction of a prize-winning garden at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May.
Artisan tools were crafted by trainees at Sunnyside Rural Trust (SRT), a horticultural organisation that offers training and work experience to more than 170 vulnerable young people. The tools included freshly waxed and polished hoes, spades, forks, hand tools and shears.
These tools were put on display in the show garden designed by Tom Stuart-Smith. This garden went on to win the coveted gold medal from the 2024 National Garden Scheme (NGS).
The tools were reconditioned by hand by SRT’s tool restoration leader, Lewis Sinfield, and his team. Lewis is thrilled by the reaction their hard work has received.
He said: “I am proud to have helped Sunnyside get to the Chelsea Flower Show. It’s great to show people what our trainees can achieve when given the chance.”
Mr Stuart-Smith added: “I was thrilled to include all the beautiful tools from Sunnyside in the garden. Monty Don OBE visited the shed and was especially admiring of Lewis’s handiwork.”
Monty wasn’t the only famous face to enjoy SRT’s work; Gardeners’ World presenter Arit Anderson, CEO of the NGS George Plumptre, and iconic TV chef Dame Mary Berry all praised the tools.
With the Chelsea Flower Show now over, Mr Stuart-Smith’s show garden is being relocated to form part of a new outdoor space at a hospital in Cambridgeshire.
To find out more about Sunnyside, please visit their website.
Photo Credit: NGS
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