Chelsea Flower Show: Sentebale Garden wins Silver-Gilt for Lesotho garden
Sentebale the charity founded by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho presented The Hope in Vulnerability garden designed by Matt Keightley. This amazing garden scoops a Silver-Gilt medal and captures so many people’s hearts
Sentebale is the charity founded by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. The Hope in Vulnerability garden was designed by Matt Keightley and sponsored by the David Brownlow Charitable Foundation to raise awareness of the charity’s work, providing healthcare and education to Lesotho’s most vulnerable children, many of whom are victims of extreme poverty and Lesotho’s HIV/AIDs epidemic.
Exciting and inspiring to see the story behind @matt_keightley's @Sentebale Garden at #RHSChelsea pic.twitter.com/We00SW0pvg
— The RHS (@The_RHS) May 17, 2015
Prince Harry’s Sentebale ‘Hope in Vulnerability’ garden scooped Silver-Gilt at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Prince Harry attended the garden and was glowing with pride.
The Prince said “It’s fantastic. Everything I could have wished for. From the first stage when we say round the table, best part of a year ago, from all the stetches of what it looked like this is exactly what I imagined. Matt is over the moon with what it looks like and it’s kind of perfect.”
When asked if he wanted to bring a little bit of Lesotho to Chelsea, the Prince replied saying:
“There are certain parts of this that are exactly like Africa, and the rest of it takes you on a journey of what it could be like.”
Later in the day Her Majesty The Queen and Prince Charles and Camilla attended the garden guided through by Prince Harry and Keightley. The Queen was fascinated by the garden and even engaged with Keightley on his trip to Lesotho. Despite being the most famous family in the world, the extreme pride of Prince Harry and the team at Sentebale was clear to see.
Garden designer @Matt_keightley shows the Queen around @Sentebale #HIVGarden @RHSChelsea. pic.twitter.com/UzE7GB2u2K
— Majesty Magazine & Joe Little (@MajestyMagazine) May 18, 2015
Matt Keightley is the brain behind this garden. His inspiration from Lesotho and excitement not only for the project but the garden itself is evident on all of his social media. In June 2014 Keightley embarked on a concept mission to Lesotho to get inspiration and ideas for the garden. Taking 18 days to build the Hope In Vulnerability garden at the Chelsea Flower Show brings together the ideas of a year in the making.
At #HIVGarden earlier at #RHSChelsea designed by @matt_keightley for Prince Harry's charity @Sentebale Inspirational. pic.twitter.com/OHVgxkBrb5
— The Chelsea Pensioners (@RHChelsea) May 18, 2015
Prince Harry said “if my garden was big enough I would try and move it into my garden.”
Matt Keightley and his team from Rosebank landscaping may have achieved the Silver-Gilt medal but a comment like that from Prince Harry possibly holds more weight than the accolades. Pleasing a Prince and raising such incredible awareness for such a worthy cause was what the whole team set out to do and there is no doubt this will be one of the most inspiring gardens at Chelsea Flower Show this year.
Watch out for the People’s Choice Award later in the week.
