Nestled among U.K.-native flora, a colossal figure of Gaia sleeps in the verdant expanse of Sarah Eberle’s award-winning garden. With willow-branch locks sculpted by Tom Hare and a crown of leaves, the figure's face and shoulders are crafted from a mature tree, meticulously carved by Tim Wood.

The pathway winds beneath an arch that extends the character’s torso, created in the tradition of dry stone walls and assembled by the family-run Noble Stonework. The garden, titled “On the Edge,” highlights spaces between rural and urban areas, often overlooked but full of beauty and value.

Eberle sees these edgelands as connecting millions to nature daily. The choice of plants is wild yet satisfyingly chaotic, with vines taking over a stone arch reminiscent of historic U.K. bridges, and a mix of plants that mimic untamed growth. The garden encourages natural materials and local planting for pollinators, embracing ‘flaws’ like old stumps as wildlife havens.

Gaia is described as a protector in balance, with Eberle saying: “A sense of abundance, a landscape under repair, the beauty in the ordinary.” This year’s Chelsea Flower Show continues to be the flagship event of the Royal Horticultural Society, held on the grounds of the Royal Hospital since 1913.