Severn Waste Services (SWS), an FCC Environment company, is proud to sponsor a major show garden at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival 2026, one of the UK’s leading horticultural events celebrating gardening, nature and sustainability.
The sponsored show garden, titled “Lifted by Birds”, will be showcased as part of the Festival’s prestigious show garden line‑up. Designed by Skylark Garden Design, Bud and Bird Gardens and Intrinsic Link in collaboration with specialists in ecology, ornithology and horticulture, the garden demonstrates how science‑led, bird‑focused design can create resilient, biodiverse spaces that benefit both wildlife and people.
“Lifted by Birds” uses reclaimed and reused materials throughout and features a carefully considered mix of native and cultivated planting to provide food, shelter and habitat for birds and other wildlife. Designed as an “island of resources”, the garden illustrates how individual green spaces can collectively support biodiversity across a wider landscape.
The RHS Malvern Spring Festival attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year and is widely recognised for championing sustainable horticulture, peat‑free growing and innovative garden design. Following the show, the garden will be relocated for long‑term use at a children’s hospice in partnership with Greenfingers Charity, ensuring a lasting environmental and social legacy.
Severn Waste Services’ sponsorship reflects its wider commitment to sustainability, resource efficiency and environmental responsibility across the region. As a waste and resource management provider, SWS operates a range of services focused on keeping materials at their highest value, including its composting operations, which transform organic waste into high‑quality compost that supports soil health and natural growing cycles.
By sponsoring “Lifted by Birds”, Severn Waste Services is supporting practical, visible examples of how waste reduction, reuse and nature‑based solutions can work together to deliver environmental benefits beyond waste management alone.
The planting palette has been carefully chosen to support birdlife throughout the year, with trees such as hawthorn and rowan playing a key role. These species provide spring blossom for insects and autumn berries for birds, creating valuable habitat and food sources across the seasons. Alongside this, the garden features a mix of native plants commonly found in Worcestershire, including the much‑loved oxeye daisy, a striking, large daisy that is familiar across the local landscape. Together, these plants help create a rich, layered habitat that feels both rooted in the area and alive with activity, demonstrating how thoughtful planting can make a real difference for wildlife while remaining beautiful and accessible for people too.
Jack Rapson, Degree Apprentice Manager at Severn Waste Services, said:
“Leading this project has been a real privilege. ‘Lifted by Birds’ shows how thoughtful design, science and sustainability can come together to create spaces that genuinely benefit wildlife and people. It reflects the values we care about at Severn Waste Services, using resources responsibly, supporting biodiversity and looking for practical ways to make a positive difference beyond our day‑to‑day operations.”
Jenny Hope, Education and Communications Officer at Severn Waste Services, said:
“Community engagement is a really important part of what we do at Severn Waste Services. This garden gives us a fantastic opportunity to start conversations about sustainability, biodiversity and how small actions can add up to something much bigger. By reaching people through a setting like the RHS Malvern Spring Festival, we can connect with the community in a positive, inspiring way and help show how nature‑based solutions and responsible use of resources fit into everyday life.”
