Royal Horticultural Society - RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2008

Newcomer to RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Bayer, is sponsoring a unique display of underwater flora from the tropics, designed by ITV1's This Morning's gardener, David Domoney.

‘Aqua Hortus with Bayer’ Science for a Better Life, is the first ever display of underwater plants at Chelsea and the visual impact is likely to be striking. Visitors will see freshwater plants resting on a bed of black volcanic aggregate and shown individually in bespoke glass cases.

David has 17 RHS Medals to his name and has been inspired to create the garden from his experiences of being a master diver and writing articles for Dive magazine. The garden gives visitors the chance to see a horticultural display of plants that are rarely, if ever, seen at Chelsea and chimes perfectly with Science for a Better Life, the theme that underpins all Bayer’s activities.

Bayer CropScience has a range of products that safeguard food harvests and improve yields and is currently investing in research to tackle endemic diseases such as Malaria. Bayer is also a global partner with the United Nations Environment Programme, which supports and finances environmental projects for young people around the world.

David is passionate about the display: “From the moment I had the idea for ‘Aqua Hortus with Bayer’ I began to explore the possibilities. This is something that has never been done before and so it is not surprising we had a number of challenges to negotiate.

“We really want to excite people about the possibilities of freshwater plants and so have spent a great deal of time researching the many varieties and selecting those that will inspire passion. To really capture the imagination of visitors it is essential we create a visual feast, so we needed far more than just a bank of display units. With a wall of bespoke cabinets, each one different and strikingly framed in black, I believe we have achieved something that will create a real buzz.”

This is one garden which is bound to prove a magnet and we wish David well with his imaginative design.