Meet Tom Clarke from Whitby believed to be the youngest garden designer to take part in consecutive Chelsea Flower Shows

“I struggled throughout school I’m really creative but the educational side of school was a big challenge,” says Tom. “I was meant to be home schooled for a year which I was but not in the conventional sense. It was more the school of life. My parents have both run multiple business and so my mum coached me in real life and how to start a business.” The result saw Tom opening a lifestyle store outside Mulgrave Woods in Sandsend in a vintage 1951 Airstream caravan they imported from Texas, selling homeware, plants, pots and gardening tools. "We would visit lots of trade fairs and I got to meet lots of suppliers and great contacts especially in the gardening world.”

Although the business was successful Tom realised he didn’t want to be a shopkeeper and wanted to be more active and creative, so after a year it was closed. And then Covid hit.

Always a keen gardener Tom had had an allotment for more than ten years. “Gardening has always been in our family – especially on my dad’s side. My grandad was big on growing veg and I spent every weekend outside with him and my dad.” But it was lockdown that really focused Tom.

"I spent the whole of lockdown on my allotment growing vegetables and absolutely loved it and so I took that opportunity when we had the time to retrain.” It was also during this time that he discovered the transformative power of green spaces and their importance for mental well-being—especially for children.

He did an online course at the Inchbald School of Design in Garden Design in London where he gained the knowledge and confidence to become a garden designer.

After lockdown finished he started to do design work for family friends and through word of mouth he quickly built an impressive CV. “I’ve been lucky that I have moved from project to project and each project gets bigger.” He also built up a great relationships with local nurseries – Rogers in Pickering and Vertigro outside York – who have given him good advice and put him in touch with potential clients.

And this is how he struck up a relationship with Children with Cancer UK and their Rains project near Pickering where they are creating a serene and uplifting retreat for children affected by cancer opening this Spring.

“It’s an amazing project. The sheer scale of it is a challenge – the site is nine acres. It’s very exciting but it has its challenges. Also being a charity everything has to have extreme thought and you have to justify everything – rightly so as people have donated money to the charity and they want it spent the right way.”

In 2022 Tom was a finalist in the RHS Young Designer of the Year at Tatton Park in 2022, earning a Silver medal for his showpiece Paradise Found.

"Once you do that you are on the RHS’s radar and they mentor you,” he says. “They contacted me last year and said there was a space for a balcony garden at Chelsea Flower Show and would I like to apply for it. I spoke to charity and asked if they would be interested as I felt it could be quite a good fit and they agreed.

"The whole concept of that garden was that we have used as many waste materials as we could from the construction site at Pickering.”

Tom’s Children with Cancer UK Raines Repurposed Garden for the 2024 Chelsea Flower Show, was awarded the coveted People’s Choice award and a Silver Gilt medal. It also got interest from one very special visitor to Chelsea none other the King Charles himself who made a detour to talk to Tom about his garden and the charity.

Taking on one of the most high-profile Show Gardens at Chelsea 2025 is clearly a career high for Tom, but it is obvious his passion for the project is what really drives him and his desire to bring some light into the lives of children and families suffering from cancer.

Tom’s gardens are known for their contemporary flair, infused with character and sustainability. He incorporates reclaimed materials and features unusual yet harmonious design elements, often in hues of purples, pinks, and whites, complemented by grasses and wildlife-friendly perennials.

For the 2025 garden, Tom is collaborating with his close friend Ros Coutts-Harwood, who is handling the planting side of the project. The is an unconventional – Ros is nearly 60 years old – but deeply rewarding dynamic.

Beyond design, Tom is a passionate advocate for ensuring every child has access to green spaces. His work on the Raines Farm Project—a rural retreat for children affected by cancer—reflects his deep commitment to creating spaces where children can simply be themselves, free from the constant pressures of their medical journeys. For Tom, it’s not just about designing beautiful gardens—it’s about crafting spaces that connect people, nature, and healing in meaningful ways. His motivation to give children affected by cancer the chance to escape from the day-to-day realities of treatment and hospital visits.

Following the prestigious event the garden will be relocated to Raines Retreat in Allerston, near Pickering. This new retreat - opening to conincide with Chelsea - is the first of its kind in the UK, and will offer any family affected by childhood cancer the chance for a free holiday.

Both the Retreat and the 'A Place To Be...' garden are funded by leading childhood cancer charity Children with Cancer UK.

“We wanted to create a space where children could use their imagination and immerse themselves in a joyful, colourful world that offers a welcome escape from the realities of treatment,” saysTom. “There is also a nest where only the children can go. It is their secret space. And there is a monorail to take the children through the garden.

“We’ve filled the garden with vibrant colours and sensory plants to enhance the experience. Soft grasses like Sesleria autumnalis invite touch, while fragrant herbs such as Satureja douglasii or ‘Indian Mint’ provide a soothing scent. Every element is designed to help children find their own little retreat, even if just for a moment.”

Amar Naher, CEO at Children with Cancer UK, said: “At Raines Retreat, our mission is to provide children with cancer a place where they can escape, play and simply be kids While families need spaces to recharge, both physically and emotionally, and connect with others who share similar experiences, children also deserve a chance to step away from hospital machinery and the concerns of their loved ones.

“We can’t wait to open the garden to our brave and resilient community, and we hope it becomes a space where children can dream, play and imagine a world beyond their diagnosis.”

Chelsea Flower Show runs from 20 - 24 May 2025

www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk