The RHS and The King’s Foundation Curious Garden has found its permanent home at Farnborough College of Technology (FCOT), creating an inspiring outdoor learning environment for students across various curriculum areas. The garden, initially featured at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026, celebrates the diversity of plants and their impact on our lives, industries, and communities.
A collaboration between The King’s Foundation and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the garden aims to foster curiosity about the natural world and inspire future careers in plant-related fields, the environment, and traditional crafts. It also highlights the creativity and skills developed through education and training.
FCOT is dedicated to transforming the Curious Garden into a 'living classroom'. This will provide students with opportunities to apply their skills in practical settings, connecting their learning to real-world industry practices. The garden will support learning in areas such as fashion, catering, floristry, art, and foundation learning programmes.
Catering students will engage in a seed-to-plate approach, growing herbs and produce for culinary use. Floristry students will utilise flowers grown on-site for practical projects and enterprise activities.
Gwen Grace, Assistant Principal, who oversaw the garden's relocation, stated: “The arrival of The King’s Foundation Curious Garden is a fantastic opportunity for our students. What excites us most is the way it connects education with practical experience.”
Guy Barter, RHS Chief Horticulturist, expressed his delight: “We are delighted to have brought this remarkable garden to its permanent home at Farnborough College of Technology. Our enormous thanks go to The Landscaping Consultants for their work in thoughtfully adapting the garden for its new setting, to The King’s Foundation for partnering with us at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and to Frances for creating such an imaginative and inspiring space. This project reflects what the RHS’s community outreach work is all about: bringing people together through gardening, developing skills and creating lasting positive impact.”
Frances Tophill, broadcaster, horticulturist, and designer of the garden, shared her enthusiasm: “It’s such a joy to see this garden at home in an educational setting, where it can spark curiosity and inspire young people for years to come. I love that the garden will be woven into college life, giving students opportunities to learn new skills through growing, crafting and connecting with nature.”
Principal CEO, Virginia Barrett (OBE), reflected on the garden's significance: “My hope is that for many years to come, thousands of students, staff and visitors, will use The Curious Garden, as a place to learn, meditate, explore, ask questions, perhaps discover an interest, a passion or even a career they had never previously considered. Because education and enrichment, at their very best, should do exactly what this garden was created to do, make us curious.”
The Principal CEO highlighted FCOT's ongoing commitment to building strong partnerships with leading organisations like the RHS. The garden's permanent placement at the college, following its showcase at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, underscores the value of these relationships and the opportunities they create for students.
