The Saatchi Gallery is set to present its 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden, titled Three Coverings, featuring the work of multi-disciplinary artist Darcey Fleming and garden designer Naomi Ferrett-Cohen.
Fleming’s large-scale, abstract sculptures, crafted from discarded baling twine sourced from local farmers in Oxfordshire and Berkshire, will be a central feature of the garden. Her artistic process involves a repetitive “building” technique, where she stretches and unravels the twine to create substantial material forms. Fleming describes her practice as driven by “a need to continually make, to fill time,” resulting in a visually and sensorially rich experience.
Three Coverings will showcase a range of Fleming’s creations, including an immersive wall hanging, a chair sculpture, and a conical freestanding structure adorned with a large woven sculptural form. A winding gravel path will guide visitors through the garden, with the main sculpture evoking traditional land-based celebrations. Fleming’s works are intended to act as “conversational tools,” accessible objects designed for enjoyment.
Fleming collaborated closely with garden designer Naomi Ferrett-Cohen to create a setting that complements her sculptures. The organic nature of her medium and her commitment to sourcing materials locally and sustainably are reflected in the garden’s design. The sculptures will be surrounded by a landscape of wildflowers and soft grasses, enclosed by hazel wood fencing and climbing ivy.
The garden’s planting scheme echoes the color, texture, and volume of Fleming’s sculptures, incorporating repeated patterns of plants. The theme of duality is also prominent. For example, Digitalis purpurea (common foxgloves), like the recycled plastic twine used by Fleming, are both beautiful and poisonous. Lamium orvala (balm-leaved red deadnettle) represents nettles, known for their sting but also associated with protection in folklore. These elements highlight Fleming’s ability to transform potentially harmful materials into something unexpected and “playful.”
HSBC UK supports the garden. This marks the Saatchi Gallery’s fifth year participating in the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The show is an important part of the Gallery’s summer program, providing a platform for emerging artists to reach new audiences and explore diverse materials and formats. Flowers are a key theme in the Gallery’s 40th-anniversary year, with its major exhibition, FLOWERS – Flora in Contemporary Art & Culture, featuring over 500 works and installations inspired by flora across various disciplines, including art, photography, sculpture, fashion, film, music, and science.
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is scheduled to take place from May 20-24, 2025.
