Chelsea Flower Show, London Square Chelsea Pensioners Garden

Landscape architect Dave Green approached Buckland to design and supply oak glulam arches for the 2025 Chelsea Flower Show. The project was part of London Square’s heritage garden, created in partnership with the Royal Hospital Chelsea, honouring three centuries of veteran care.

The garden design provided both communal gathering spaces and areas for quiet contemplation. A sheltered woodland grove featured seating crafted from repurposed scarlet uniform fabric and included a world map table, offering an intimate setting for Pensioners, families, and visiting veterans. The planting scheme reflected this dual purpose—bold, ceremonial plantings at the perimeter transitioned to softer, more contemplative textures in the central areas, capturing both the public and private aspects of the Pensioners’ lives.

Buckland created six glulam arches from English oak (sourced from UK Hardwoods in southern England) with three different radii to form a domed shelter over the outdoor seating area. Standing over three meters tall and freestanding, the main engineering challenge for this project was ensuring stability. This was achieved through specially designed stainless steel base fixings capable of withstanding wind loads.

The garden went on to win a Gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Read more about the garden over on the RHS website.

See the structure sheltering some famous faces here.