Kent-based social enterprise the Glasshouse Botanics, which offers horticultural training and employment to women making the transition after coming out of prison, has won a gold medal at this week’s Chelsea Flower Show, writes Lesley Bellew.

The design, by Jo Thompson who started her career in Marden, stood out from the rest of the gardens as it was filled with colourful roses in deep shades of red and pink.

Jo, the only female designer of a large show garden at the prestigious event, chose ‘strong and resilient’ roses after listening to prison inmates’ stories.

Former inmate Ri, who has been working for The Glasshouse for two years, says the RHS Chelsea garden ‘has given colour to our lives’.

She said: “We feel that we belong in the garden. It shows that things are not just black and white – women in custody are not just black and white. When we first met Jo, I told her I loved roses and missed roses. She said ‘I will fill the garden with scented roses’.

“I'm just absolutely overwhelmed by the fact that we're good enough to be here. Good enough for Chelsea, the world’s greatest flower show.

“We're here as horticulturalists because through The Glasshouse programme you train as a horticulturalist, get qualifications and now we're at the top show in the world. It's just incredible. The garden is singing for us today.

The Glasshouse operates out of East Sutton Park prison for women in Maidstone, offering horticultural training and employment to those making the transition out of custody after imprisonment, and has a zero percent reoffending rate.

Ri said: “I work every day for The Glasshouse. My hands are either in soil or installing plants for big corporate companies.

“I'm now released, so I have a job like anyone else. I have been out of prison for more than a year.

“I'm very fortunate, and because I was acutely aware everything was taken away from me, to have it back I see it through different eyes, smell through a different nose, hear through different ears.

“Life moves on but visitors looking in on this garden won't understand all of the story.

“I met Jo when she was coming up with ideas for the garden and I was part of the group that went to tell our story to support Project Giving Back. They've made such a difference. This is life changing.”

Jo said, “the women were my inspiration and the garden celebrates feminine strength, second chances and the healing power of nature.”

Among the strong planting scheme are roses ‘Emma Bridgewater’ with pink to coral blooms and old rose ‘Tuscany Superb’ with slightly shaggy petals, but Ri’s favourite is Wild Rover.

She said: “It’s delicate but really resilient because it flowers through the whole season and smells beautiful. Strength and beauty are a theme.”

Jo, who has won multiple gold medals at RHS Chelsea, says the garden has been ‘extraordinary experience’ for her.

“For me to work with the women and to put into reality their hopes and their aspirations was so important,” said Jo, who couldn’t hold back the tears after learning that she had won.

“When they first came into the show garden they said, ‘oh you've listened to us, you've included the things that we wanted’.

“I said ‘well of course I listened to you, because you're the client’ but they were not used to being listened to.”

The garden, complete with a translucent elliptical pavilion will be relocated at HMP Downview, a women’s closed prison in Surrey

“This garden is not just about beauty,” says Jo.

“It’s about legacy. It’s about hope and real change for women rebuilding their lives.”