Growing Colour with Lynn James | Chelsea Flower Show 2026 

On the right, an original painting of Lynn's 'The Painted Garden' design by Joanne Short.

"My path to garden design hasn’t been the most traditional one.” Lynn tells us. In a previous life she was an estate agent but, when curiosity pulled her back to education, she retrained as a doctor. Lynn credits her 23-year career as a GP with teaching her the unmeasurable importance of people, communities and resilience. 

When creativity and curiosity pulled Lynn back to education for the second time, James found herself training at Capel Manor College in the art of garden design. “I was being increasingly drawn into creativity and horticulture. When I left Capel Manor, I had a Diploma in Garden Design and a keenness to turn theory into practice.” 

Today, Lynn designs beautiful gardens for her clients. Her work strikes the perfect balance between art and practicality. Each plant is carefully considered, not just for its visual appeal but also for its ability to thrive in its environment. Her gardens are living artwork; a composition of colour, texture and shape that evolves with each new season.  

In 2024, Lynn’s garden ‘Everyone Needs Good Neighbours’ won a gold medal at BBC Gardener’s World Live. The confidence that came from this achievement set the wheels in motion for something bigger. In Lynn’s own words; “my desire to create something on a grander scale grew and I was delighted when my design, The Seasalt Painted Garden, was accepted for the Chelsea Flower Show.” 

The Seasalt Painted Garden is inspired by the mid-century artists that settled on Cornwall’s north coast. “This garden celebrates the creative spirit that made St Ives an international centre for modern art between 1940 and 1960” Lynn tells us. 

Lynn has carefully chosen repurposed and locally made elements to celebrate the creativity of the St Ives School of Artists: old filing cabinets are elevated with bright paint, handmade clay pavers from St Ives' Leach Pottery add structure, and a sculpture sits amongst beds of flowers often seen in Cornish gardens.  

It has been designed to awaken the senses and inspire creativity, balancing contemporary Cornish art with a bloom of brilliant colour. After the Chelsea Flower Show, the garden will find a permanent home at the Leach Pottery in St Ives, Cornwall. 

To see the The Seasalt Painted Garden in full bloom, make sure to follow us on Instagram @SeasaltCornwall where we’ll be posting updates from the Chelsea Flower Show.  See more of Joanne Short's work at the John Dyer Gallery.