Authentic Chinese garden growing lasting legacy

A testament to ties

When proposed, the Chinese Streamside Garden was also expected to be a symbol of Sino-British cultural exchanges, celebrating the strong horticultural links between the two countries, which date back hundreds of years.

For the past five years, the RHS has been working closely with the Chinese side to develop a unique fusion of Chinese and British horticulture.

China has historically made a significant contribution to British horticulture through the introduction and development of Chinese native species, especially during the 19th and early 20th centuries, when plant hunters discovered a plethora of varieties in China and transported them back to the UK, according to Marcus Chilton-Jones, curator of Garden Bridgewater.

The latest report on the state of the ecology and environment in China released by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment in May 2023 suggests that a total of 39,330 botanical species have been discovered in China.

"The plants that are endemic, indigenous to the UK is only 1,500, and because of that lowness of biodiversity within British gardens, the whole industry was historically reliant on the importation of plants from other parts of the globe," says Chilton-Jones.

Since the original introduction to the UK, plants with Chinese ancestry, such as southern Indian azalea, panicle hydrangea and snakebark maple, were hybridized to evolve into diverse varieties and began to influence local gardening traditions.

To showcase that interesting fusion, RHS experts carefully designed a meadow around the Qing Yin Pavilion, where a range of Chinese and British plants, which look very similar in forms, colors and textures, blend harmoniously.

"It is only when you get in close and look at the details that you see a point of difference," says Chilton-Jones.

The horticultural design also aims to bring the Chinese Scholar's Garden into the public eye in a "soft, subtle but delightful way", as the curator puts it.

"So, visitors, when moving up toward the Chinese garden from the southern side, get a very soft transformation, build up intensity, become more and more overt. Where the magic happens is at the beating heart of the place, the Scholar's Garden, which is overtly Chinese in every way.

"It will be there after this build-up that ends with a crescendo, this unveiling of a surprise in the middle, and that should delight visitors and create a sense of wonder."

For Chilton-Jones, the garden design is an example of how "the best of British design combines with the best of Chinese".

Soon, more areas featuring China-UK horticultural ties will be built, including the "Fusion Forest".

"We still have many things to celebrate," says Clare Matterson, director-general of the RHS, who adds that the Qing Yin Pavilion is just the beginning.

On the day of its unveiling, a ceremony featured a dancing dragon puppet manipulated by a group of performers, alongside the resounding drums and gongs that drew large crowds to the Chinese Streamside Garden.

People come and people go, while the garden, as a gift from the Chinese community, as an iconic expression of Chinese culture by the Chinese and British garden experts, and as a testament to China-UK friendship, will stand in the UK for many generations to come.