LEADING LANDSCAPER SAYS 2025 IS YEAR OF THE ACCESSIBLE GARDEN
12 August 2025
Leading landscaper says 2025 ‘is year of the accessible garden’
Gareth Wilson, a multi award-winning hard landscaping consultant who has worked on RHS Flower Show gardens since 2012, says it’s vital that gardens are made more inclusive
For this year’s RHS Flower Show at Wentworth Woodhouse, he helped create a garden designed to enrich the senses – using products donated by essential materials provider Breedon
The RHS project, which won Gold medals for Best in Show and Best Construction, reflects a growing industry trend of organisations carrying out ‘sensory audits’
2025 is fast becoming the year of the accessible garden, a leading landscaping consultant has said – after a sensory-rich garden he created for the RHS Flower Show at Wentworth Woodhouse took home a trio of awards.
Gareth Wilson worked alongside renowned horticultural designer Paul Hervey-Brookes to construct a garden in partnership with the RNIB that invited people without visual impairments to experience the world through the eyes of someone with sight loss.
Described as “thought provoking and challenging”, the garden explored how texture, form, sound and scent help to create an immersive and emotional journey. The team used products from essential materials provider Breedon, including Welsh Slate hard landscaping material from the famous Penrhyn Quarry, prized for its tactile qualities and durability, and Breedon Golden Amber Gravel - the only self-binding gravel to hold a Royal Warrant, known for both its performance and accessibility characteristics.
“Being able to use all of our senses is something we’ve taken for granted, but I think people are starting to realise the difficulties people can face,” said Wilson. “Whether it’s the crunch of gravel, the texture of slate, or the sound of trees in the wind, every part of this garden was designed to be felt, not just seen.”
When creating gardens that are accessible to everyone, Wilson says the choice of product is vital: “It’s all about using materials which people can really experience – whether that’s through touch, smell, sound or sight – for example for those who’re visually impaired, we want them to walk over the surface and feel something different.
“Landscapers need to think about using materials that are unique and allow visually impaired people to detect the type of surface underfoot. Welsh Slate might be smoother, but its subtle texture and feel make it ideal for sensory spaces – safe, tactile, and full of character.
“For an area to be more accessible, landscapers might consider using a self-binding gravel like Breedon Golden Amber gravel – which allows people to manoeuvre wheelchairs more effectively.”
Wilson continues “We’re seeing more organisations doing sensory audits on public and commercial spaces. It’s about designing for everyone - from gradients and path widths to the surface material.”
He adds that there’s lots to consider when assessing whether a garden is accessible: “Different disabilities will have different criteria they have to meet. For people with wheelchairs, for example, you’ll have to consider the width of the path, the steepness of the gradient, and even the type of hard landscaping products being used.
Wilson says it’s not just accessibility that’s shaping garden design in 2025. More landscapers are increasingly prioritising the use of British-sourced materials. He said: “Britain produces so many great quality products now, and that’s becoming the starting point when building. Think about where your materials are coming from – and then create a design around that.”
For more information, including how Breedon is continuing to Make a Material Difference visit https://www.breedongroup.com/sustainability.
