​The ‘Donkeys Matter’ garden marks The Donkey Sanctuary’s 50th anniversary and is designed to showcase the charity’s international work. Using water as its central theme, the garden demonstrates how owning a donkey means access to clean, fresh water for some of the poorest and most vulnerable communities in the world.

Joanna Lumley visits the Donkeys Matter Garden - Image credit: RHS / Luke MacGregor.

Mike Baker, CEO of The Donkey Sanctuary, says: “We are thrilled to win silver at Chelsea; this garden demonstrates how with hard work, compassion, creativity and dedication our big ideas can achieve great things. Most importantly, the garden’s serious message – highlighting the crucial work that donkeys do to help the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities – has been taken to a wide and diverse audience at Chelsea.

“Not only does the garden showcase The Donkey Sanctuary’s international work, but it’s also the perfect way to celebrate half a century of helping donkeys.”

A key garden design feature is a path traversing from bottom left to top right representing the many journeys donkeys carry out on behalf of communities to support their livelihoods. The garden also includes a shelter and a well with a dripping bucket.

In places like Namibia, Lamu, Somaliland and Ethiopia, donkeys are used to collect water for entire communities. A donkey will often collect 40 – 60 litres of water at one time. The simple act of a donkey carrying water reduces the time required to access it, freeing children to get an education and women to be economically active.

The planting of the ‘Donkeys Matter’ garden suggests the dry Mediterranean climate, including Mediterranean Sea Holly (Eryngium bourgatii), Iris ‘Langport Wren’ and Lavender ‘Hidcote’ (Lavandula angustifolia). The colour palette is claret, purple and silver, with bright, vibrant flowers bringing beauty and colour to the garden’s harsh surroundings. The trees in the space are Pine ‘Glauca’ (Pinus parviflora) and Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens).

The garden was designed by Annie Prebensen and Christina Williams and built by Frogheath Landscapes. The plants were grown by How Green Nursery.

The Donkeys Matter garden can be seen on Serpentine Walk, site number 564, until the show closes on 25 May. It will then be brought back to the charity’s international headquarters in Devon where supporters and visitors can enjoy the garden for years to come.

In the June issue we will be featuring donkeys in two reports from members of the Donkey Breed Society - including their appearance on BBC Countryfile. To order a copy of the June issue, contact our Subscriptions Team on: 01722 716997