Meet the team involved in the creation of the RES Insect Garden
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.”
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. Expect to see imperfect plants in the garden – 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.”
Brian Donnelly
Project Lead for Stratford Cross, Lendlease
“Sustainability, innovation, and collaboration run through everything we do at Stratford Cross. Nestled just a stone’s throw from some of the world’s most famous cultural and academic institutions at the East Bank, including UCL and the V&A, the new RES Insect Garden will embody all these values. It will not only promote biodiversity and local wildlife in Stratford but be a shared resource for education and research for all ages. We are excited to kick off the garden’s life in Stratford with the arrival of the Lloyd of the Flies ‘Bug Hunt’ and to engage residents and visitors in the fascinating world of insects this summer.”
Matthew Walker
Aardman, creator and director of Lloyd of the Flies
“We created Lloyd of the Flies to bring the fascinating world of insects to children in a fun and accessible way so the partnership with the Royal Entomological Society and the team at Lendlease is a perfect way to celebrate Lloyd’s appeal. Having spoken to Lloyd himself ahead of the big Bug Hunt launch at Stratford Cross, I can confirm that he can’t wait to explore the RES Garden for himself and introduce his friends to the fantastic habitats and sources of food for insects that it offers!”
Simon Ward
CEO of Royal Entomological Society
“The Royal Entomological Society Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 offered 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 that opportunity. The garden helped us to 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 showed 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. We are now really excited that the garden will be a permanent feature at Stratford Cross for millions of visitors to enjoy each year and as an education hub for future insect scientists.”
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.”
With additional thanks to our incredible support team
What’s happening now? Follow the journey…
#RESGarden
The Royal Entomological Society is a non-profit organisation and relies on publishing, membership and donations to pursue its support of scientific, educational, ecological and entomological causes.
We have relocated the the RES garden to central London with a new education program providing a long-term opportunity for insect study as part of our planned UK network of gardens. The garden shows how remarkable and valuable insects are with visible insect science taking place in the unique – insect eye inspired – outdoor laboratory.
Much like the diversity of insects, there are many ways to support us and our work – your contribution, no matter how big or small, makes a huge impact and enables us to continue to enrich the world with insect science.
