A Wiltshire pop star is part of a landmark exhibition taking place next month.
The Royal Horticultural Society’s Badminton Flower Show will take place between July 8 and July 12 at the famous estate in south Gloucestershire for the first time.
Among the variety of displays set to take over the grounds will be a planted exploration into the human mind designed by popstar and green-fingered creative Will Young.
Creating his first exhibit at an RHS Show, Will Young, who lives in Calne, has collaborated with Jamie Butterworth to design Out of the Shadows , an exhibit interpreting Carl Jung’s ‘shadow self’, or the part of ourselves we keep hidden from the world, through planting.
The exhibit will be formed by three planted cubes showing the journey from introspection and isolation to openness and the embrace of possibility.
Across the three cubes, plants that prefer shade gradually give way to airy grasses and flowers as light is let in.
The first cube represents the hidden parts of out psyche with dense, layered planting creating a quiet atmosphere of seclusion.
The second cube portrays a transitional garden with dappled shade and lighter planting, symbolising where the shadow self meets our conscious persona.
The final cube follows a light, naturalistic planting scheme where shadows start to lift and new perspectives emerge.
Explaining the background of the exhibit, Will Young said: “I’d been looking at Jungian shadow work for some time and thought it was fascinating and could translate so well into planting and a garden installation.
“I’d like people to see how density and shade can be beautiful and as a metaphor, encourage people to look into their own psyche as beauty often hides in the dark.”
Jamie Butterworth adds: "It's a pleasure to be working with Will at RHS Badminton this year to deliver a planting installation full of amazing plants that visitors can incorporate in their gardens at home.
“Working side-by-side in the garden, or outside space, sharing knowledge and discovering new planting combinations together is one of the best things we can do, it strengthens not just our mental health but our bonds of friendship too."
Full access to all of our articles online and on the app, fewer adverts, a better reading experience, exclusive competitions and more - all for less than the price of a cup of coffee. ☕️
Subscribe now! - https://t.co/AQ9XF2gcO2 pic.twitter.com/bYvsD2lw5e— Gazette & Herald (@wiltsgazette) April 13, 2026
Alongside the pair’s work, this year promises to play host to the Flower Show’s largest ever Feature Garden, created by award-winning designer Tom Stuart-Smith.
Mr Stuart-Smith’s 2,400-metre-squared piece The Julia Rausing Garden is the largest garden ever seen at an RHS Show and will be a celebration of the life and philanthropic work of Julia Rausing.
Fresh from his gold medal winning garden at RHS Chelsea, Mr Stuart-Smith is now taking on the challenge of the largest garden at an RHS Show, equivalent in size to nine Wimbledon tennis courts, with its huge scale enabling meandering paths for visitors to be fully immersed in its planting.
The garden’s design is inspired by the pastoral setting at Badminton Estate and frames views over the lake and back to Badminton House.
Tom Stuart-Smith said: “It is an honour and a joy to design a garden to celebrate the legacy of philanthropist Julia Rausing, whom I knew well.
“She loved gardens, and this is a tribute to her work supporting garden projects and causes across health, welfare, and the arts.
“Her generosity is reflected in a design where visitors are welcomed into the heart of the garden and can experience its beauty up close.
“After the show, the herbaceous plants will be sold to raise funds for Horatio's Garden, a wonderful charity that has been supported by the Julia Rausing Foundation.”
Joining the line-up of show features is Perfume Pavilions by Nicholson’s Garden Design, a sensory garden celebrating botany as the source of scent and perfume.
