A CORNISH garden designer has struck gold at the world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show with a powerful and deeply personal show garden raising awareness of gynaecological cancers.

Darren Hawkes, who is based in Fowey and founded Darren Hawkes Landscape and Garden Design, was awarded a prestigious Gold medal for designing The Lady Garden Foundation’s “Silent No More” garden on Chelsea’s renowned Main Avenue.

The striking installation – believed to be the first RHS Chelsea show garden created for a gynaecological cancer charity – has been designed to spark conversation around the five gynaecological cancers and break the silence surrounding symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

The garden opened to RHS members this week before welcoming the public through to Saturday, May 23.

At the heart of the design are four sculptural timber structures inspired by Spanish artist Eduardo Chillida’s clay sculpture La Casa del Poeta III. Together they form a cocoon-like, womb-inspired sanctuary intended to encourage reflection, conversation and openness.

Soft Mediterranean-style planting featuring silver foliage, muted pinks and calming textures surrounds the space, while water features and sculptures guide visitors through the garden.

For Darren, the award marks the culmination of a two-year journey working closely with The Lady Garden Foundation and families affected by cancer.

“I’m honoured to receive a Gold medal for the ‘Silent No More’ garden at the world’s most prestigious flower show,” he said.

“This project has involved immersing myself in the charity’s work and listening to patients and families speak openly about the devastating impact gynaecological cancer has had on their lives.

“I wanted to create something thought-provoking that would help ignite life-saving conversations.”

The Lady Garden Foundation was established in 2014 to tackle the stigma surrounding cervical, ovarian, womb, vaginal and vulval cancers while funding research and awareness campaigns across the UK.

The charity says 60 women in the UK are diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer every day, while 21 die from the diseases daily.

Co-founder and CEO Jenny Halpern Prince MBE described the garden as far more than a Chelsea showpiece.

“This is a public health intervention,” she said. “We hope the platform of RHS Chelsea allows us to reach thousands of people and encourage conversations around symptoms, diagnosis and preventative action.”

Adding a strong Cornish connection to the project, the award-winning garden will eventually be relocated to sites in both Cornwall and Jersey following the conclusion of the flower show.

The coastal-inspired planting scheme was specifically designed with those future homes in mind, with many of the Mediterranean plants chosen for their ability to thrive in Cornwall’s milder coastal climate.

The relocation means the garden’s message and legacy will continue long after Chelsea finishes.

Darren, whose botanical designs are heavily inspired by coastal landscapes and subtropical planting, has earned growing recognition for combining contemporary garden design with emotional storytelling.

The “Silent No More” garden is already attracting significant attention at Chelsea for both its beauty and its powerful message, ensuring conversations around women’s health are firmly placed in the national spotlight.