Tate Britain celebrates work beginning on new Clore Garden

Tate Britain today celebrated works beginning on the gallery’s Clore Garden, a new green space for London. Realised in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and made possible by generous funding from the Clore Duffield Foundation with support from The Julia Rausing Trust, the new Clore Garden will open to the public in 2027. Over the coming year, a beautiful and inviting new green space for London designed by award-winning landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith will be created on Millbank, placing nature, art and community at its centre.

Marking the start of this exciting new chapter for the garden, pupils from local school Millbank Gardens Primary Academy today unveiled their new artwork designs outside Tate Britain’s gallery. Year 4 pupils were invited to work with artist Mónica Rivas Velásquez to design a shared garden inspired by the plants and nature they encounter in their own lives, families and cultures. Created over the course of two interactive workshops, the collage of colourful paintings can be viewed along the garden hoardings throughout the summer months, inspiring visitors whilst the site undergoes its transformation.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said “It’s fantastic that a new green haven is being created by Tate Britain and the Clore Duffield Foundation in the heart of the capital, where people can reconnect with nature and wildlife will be able to thrive. Investment in green spaces like this is vital as we work to tackle the climate crisis and build a better, greener London for everyone.”

Alex Farquharson, Director of Tate Britain, said “We are pleased to have received planning permission and to start works on this transformative new space for the gallery. From a new classroom to elegant water feature, peaceful seating areas to a reimagined café terrace, Tate’s visitors and surrounding communities are at the centre of these exciting plans which promise to transform Millbank into an oasis of creativity and calm, offering an encounter with nature and art before visitors even step into the gallery.”

Dame Vivien Duffield, Chair of the Clore Duffield Foundation, said “I am delighted that the Foundation is supporting the creation of the Clore Garden, in partnership with the RHS, to mark our 60th anniversary and celebrate our long relationship with Tate Britain. The new public garden will provide a wonderful opportunity for visitors to rest and recharge and a vital place for local communities to engage with both art and the natural world.”

Clare Matterson CBE, RHS Director General, said “We’re excited to be embarking on a new, long term partnership with our neighbours Tate Britain to bring many thousands of new plants into the heart of London. The garden will not only serve the local community and gallery visitors but contribute to helping make the capital that bit greener.”

Blakedown Landscapes have been selected as the project’s main contractors following an open tender process and have begun the process of initial site clearing works and excavation after planning permission was granted by Westminster Council. Tate Britain remains open throughout the construction of the garden, with all visitors using the Atterbury Street entrance from early May 2026 until the work is completed.

Visitors to this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show will get an exclusive taster of the full plans for the Clore Garden, as Tom Stuart-Smith unveils his twelfth show garden based on his designs for Tate Britain, supported by the Clore Duffield Foundation and Project Giving Back. Featuring a gently curving path and seating area made from repurposed materials, surrounded by vibrant, biodiverse planting, visitors will be led to a tranquil bronze water feature and an iconic sculpture by Dame Barbara Hepworth from Tate’s Collection installed at its heart. At the end of the show, the garden will be transferred to Tate Britain and incorporated into the wider project.

As the year continues, works for a new wildlife pond and water feature at Tate Britain will begin, and reclaimed York stone paving from the site will be re-laid, creating accessible winding pathways around curved flower beds which encourage exploration and discovery. Sculptures from Tate’s collection by notable modern and contemporary British artists, which will be announced later this year, are to be installed shortly before the Clore Garden is due to open to the public in 2027.

Planting, which will begin later this year, has been chosen by Tom Stuart-Smith in consultation with the RHS, showcasing species which thrive in central London’s now virtually frost-free environment and rising temperatures. The garden will include a wide variety of plant species to be enjoyed year-round, ensuring visitors will always see something in bloom, from cherry blossoms in spring to evergreen magnolias in the autumn. At the heart of the Clore Garden will be a circular seating system made of recycled and crushed local materials such as cockle shells from the Thames Estuary, and a new classroom designed by Feilden Fowles, offering a sheltered space for a dedicated learning programme.