Over 25,000 illuminated roses set to light up London for cancer charity

A remembrance garden filled with over 25,000 illuminated white roses will once again light up Grosvenor Square in Mayfair, London, to raise vital funds for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

The Ever After Garden will return this winter on Thursday 16 November 2023 and will be open every day until Tuesday 19 December. The stunning installation is a space to pause and reflect over the festive period.

Visitors are invited to dedicate a rose in memory of a loved one and to make a donation to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, which supports the work of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, a world-leading cancer centre. This year, dedications can be made online ahead of the garden’s opening and while it is open or during a visit to the garden.

The Ever After Garden in 2022 was the most successful to date, raising over £200,000. The garden has now raised over £450,000 since it was first created in 2019.

The garden was inspired by the late Production Designer and Art Director Michael Howells, whose work included the film Ever After, after which the garden is named, and ITV’s Victoria. His friends, Fashion Designer and Trustee of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity Anya Hindmarch CBE and Fashion Writer Camilla Morton created the Ever After Garden as a welcoming haven to remember those we have lost.

Anya Hindmarch CBE, designer and Trustee of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, said:

“The Ever After Garden is a truly special and poignant place to visit, providing a space in which people can come together and remember someone they have lost. The garden means a great deal to so many and has raised an incredible sum for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, which supports cancer patients not only at The Royal Marsden but around the world.”

Antonia Dalmahoy, Managing Director of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, said:

“We are so pleased that the Ever After Garden will be back this winter in support of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, offering a beautiful and peaceful space for reflection and to remember treasured loved ones. The public has been incredibly generous in their support of the garden since it began, and the funds raised through rose dedications make such a difference to people with cancer, by supporting life-saving research. Thank you so much to Anya Hindmarch, Camilla Morton, Grosvenor, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, and all those who have helped make the garden possible this year.”

Camilla Morton, writer and fashion creative, said:

“It is touching to see how the Ever After Garden has grown and resonates with so many – those that return, discover, or have new reasons to add their dedication to the roses. This garden’s beauty glows from the love and memories in every dedication, and it offers a chance to remember, as well as support the incredible work of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.”

Fran Whitfield, who has been treated at The Royal Marsden since 2020 after being diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, visited the Ever After Garden last year.

She said:

“It really is a breathtaking sight when you look out over the sea of white roses that light up in the square. I dedicated roses to two people – Hatti and Rob – who were beacons of light in mine and many others’ lives, who are greatly missed every day.”

The Ever After Garden will be open to the public from 3pm-9pm.

For more information about The Ever After Garden and to dedicate a rose, please visit: www.royalmarsden.org/everaftergarden.

Please tag images and follow the garden on Instagram: @royalmarsden @everaftergarden #everaftergarden23.