Meet the RES Garden Team

Meet the team

involved in the creation of the RES Garden for RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023

Tom Massey, designer

“The future of our planet hangs in the balance and better understanding of insects could provide the answers to many of our climate and biodiversity crisis questions. I am really excited to be working with RES to raise awareness of insects and their importance in gardens, the wider UK landscape and the global environment. Insects are key species in our ecosystems, but many are suffering mass global decline. We have a vital role to play in their recovery and survival, just as they do in ours.” 

Website: www.tommassey.co.uk

Richard Curle

Landscape Associates

“We’re proud to be building the first Chelsea show garden designed specifically for insects, as part of the garden team for Royal Entomological Society and Tom Massey. We have some great experience of creating naturalistic habitats, both at the show and for private clients, and love that this style of garden making is becoming more the ‘norm’ than the exception.” 

Mark Straver

Hortus Loci

“We’ve tried to grow as wide a range of possible of plants for for insect life and insect feeds for the RES Garden. Slightly imperfect plants in shows needs to be the way forward in your garden setting – If you’re encouraging insects and birds into the garden, you’re going to have the odd nibbles because it is, after all, food for them and I think we need to make sure that moving forward that this is acceptable. You don’t want plants completely obliterated of course but I think there needs to be a happy mix where a few nibbles here and there is not the end of the world.” 

Simon Ward

CEO of Royal Entomological Society

“The Royal Entomological Society Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 presents an incredible platform for us to engage with a wide audience about the benefits of insect science and we are hugely grateful to Project Giving Back for giving us the opportunity. The garden will help us highlight the role gardeners play in providing food and habitats for a wide range of insects, whilst balancing the need to control a small number of insect species responsibly. We will show the exciting connections between people and insects, and how innovative science allows better understanding of those connections. Through public engagement at the show, and the wider publicity opportunities Chelsea offers, we hope to significantly raise the profile of insect science and its importance to everyone who values our planet.” 

Consultant RES entomologists

Dr Luke Tilley

RES Director of Communications & Engagement

Fran Sconce

RES Senior Outreach & Learning Officer

Hattie Ghaui

CEO of Project Giving Back, garden sponsor

“We’re really excited to be supporting the Royal Entomological Society Garden in 2023 – insects hold such a fascination for people of all ages. What we particularly love about Tom’s design is the way, through the interactive visual display of the garden laboratory, visitors will be encouraged to learn about and appreciate less well-known insects in all their microscopic glory. I can’t wait to learn more about some of our smallest garden visitors and am excited to see how the entomology team will survey and track the biodiversity of the garden during and beyond the show.” 

Website: www.givingback.org.uk