The 5 Star award-winning

Dawn Conn Sculpture Garden

Dan Hartley Garden Design collaborated with sculptor Dawn Conn to showcase her stunning bronze artwork at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2024.

The display featured charred timber, or Yakisugi, an ancient Japanese technique for waterproofing timber that creates an aesthetically pleasing, sustainable, and biophilic design.  This charred timber served as the perfect backdrop for a drought-tolerant gravel planting scheme.  The dry, rugged texture of the charred timber and the gravel planting provided a striking contrast to the sculptures, which were thematically linked to water.

At the heart of the display, a central pond justified the presence of Dawn's "Diving into the ocean of life" sculpture, poised as if about to plunge into the water.

Adding to the sensory experience, a Corten steel rill produced the soothing sound of flowing water, complementing the soft, swaying movement of Stipa tenuissima grasses, which introduced a dynamic energy to the tranquil scene.

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Enhancing the garden’s vibrant atmosphere, bees and butterflies flitted among the flowers, adding life and movement. Their presence highlighted the garden's ecological harmony and underscored the importance of supporting pollinators in sustainable garden design.

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Sculptor: Dawn Conn Sculptures

Designer: Dan Hartley Garden Design

Landscaper: Outdoor Living Gardens