The design imagines what might happen if Austen’s own 18th-century garden quietly bloomed within the towering letterforms. Drawing from historical planting records and Georgian-era garden styles, Acacia Creative Studio has created a romantic, painterly planting scheme filled with British native species, Georgian favourites, and early botanical introductions—many of which Austen herself would have known and admired.
Visitors can expect a gentle contrast between the bold structure of the 2-metre-high letters and the naturalistic softness of heritage foxgloves, sweet peas, pelargoniums, antique-style roses, and feathery grasses, all chosen for their historical relevance and emotional resonance.
“At its heart, this is a story-driven installation,” says Rachel Kennedy. “We wanted the letters to feel like they’ve absorbed the spirit of Austen’s world—elegant, quietly powerful, and deeply connected to the English garden tradition.”
The installation also upholds the studio’s ongoing commitment to sustainability - planted with seasonally appropriate, locally sourced materials, the project reflects Acacia’s mission to combine high-impact visual storytelling with responsible design practices.
Acacia Creative Studio has previously created award-winning installations for RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court, and their work has been featured in House & Garden, The Times, Hort, The Guardian, and more. They are based in Rossington, Doncaster and run a floral design studio.
The Jane Austen RHS Letters can be viewed throughout the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, 1–6 July 2025.
2. Contributed
The striking roses from Harkness roses are aptly named 'Sense and Sensibility' Photo: Submitted
4. Contributed
The RHS Letters stand proudly infront of Hampton Court Palace Photo: Submitted