A CHESHIRE RSCPA wildlife centre close to Whitchurch in Cheshire is inviting the public through its doors to take a peek at its award-winning RHS Chelsea Garden.

The stylish garden, designed by Martyn Wilson, has been relocated to RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre near Nantwich after making its mark during the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 in May.

Martyn created a sanctuary for wildlife and people to enjoy and fittingly the garden now sits in an area that staff and volunteers at Stapeley Grange are transforming as part of a community wildlife project.

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It will be open to the public on Saturday, September 30, which will be the first of five consecutive Saturdays when the public can admire the wildlife-themed features of the garden and its wonderful collection of plants and flowers free of charge.

Months of hard work has included five lorry-loads of displays, fittings, plants, trees and furniture being transported from London to Cheshire, to a site which is the focus of longer-term rewilding plans.

Around 900 trees have already been planted and plans are in place to create a wildlife meadow, which along with the garden will be used as part of  the wildlife centre’s education work in the local community.

Stapeley Grange manager Lee Stewart said: “It’s been a major operation to get it all up here to Cheshire and our staff and volunteers have put in so much work to make this possible.

“We’ve been preparing the site since mid-May with everything being dismantled in London and put on a lorry

“For the last three months the plants, after being uplifted from the Chelsea Garden Show, were watered and cared for by our local volunteer gardening group.

“All the plants have now been planted up in the RHS garden and new courtyard area.

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“This new garden will become the entrance to the site’s new conservation areas which we have been rewilding for the last few years. It will be a huge asset for our team here and will be a joyful place for the community to experience.

“It gives them the opportunity to better understand how important it is to nurture wildlife in our outdoor spaces, while they can also pick up tips on how to build their own dead hedges and hedgehog houses like the ones featured in the garden.

“The message we are trying to convey is if we take care of nature then nature will take care of us. That is, being outside and spending time with plants and wildlife is good for our wellbeing and mental health.”