The Guangzhou Garden

This exciting new garden first appeared at the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show in 2021. It was created for Guangzhou Forestry and Parks Municipality, and designed by Peter Chmiel and Chin Chen, from Grant Associates, Bath. The sculptural filigree towers were made by Xylotec Advanced Timber Structures, Bristol.

The theme of the garden is sustainable ‘landscape cities’, developed over many years for an ecological approach to managing natural resources and using this approach in a large modern city. The towers are made of laminated mōsō bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis). This fast-growing, sustainably sourced bamboo is more straightforward to recycle than typical construction materials. The theme, idea and the care in planting attracted the attention of the judges and the garden won a gold medal and won the coveted ‘Best in Show Award’.

After the Chelsea Flower Show the garden was donated by the Guangzhou Forestry and Parks Municipality to the citizens of Bristol. Bristol and Guangzhou have been sister cities since 2001. The Guangzhou Garden has been reimagined, rebuilt and replanted at the University of Bristol Botanic Garden.

Directions to the University of Bristol Botanic Garden

If travelling by car, the Botanic Garden is via Stoke Park Road. Park locally or in Churchill Hall car park BS9 1JG. Blue Badge holders park onsite in walled garden car park.

Arriving by bus; alight at Downleaze (Bus 4) and walk down Stoke Road turn right into Stoke Park Road, the Botanic Garden is on the right opposite Churchill Hall.

Arriving via Stoke Bishop Bus Hub (Bus U1); walk up hill towards Wills Hall and follow signs for Churchill Hall.