This year’s Summer Exhibition, titled Coeden—the Welsh word for “tree”—invites visitors to follow a captivating sculpture trail through the Arboretum and Celtic Rainforest. Among towering specimen trees where fungi, ferns, and lichen thrive, visitors will encounter works of art seamlessly integrated into the natural landscape. In the listed historic gardens surrounding the medieval castle, sculptures can also be found nestled in flowerbeds and displayed on expansive lawns, creating a stunning and thought-provoking setting.

The exhibition explores the intricate relationship between humans and trees, with each piece reflecting the artist’s interpretation of the natural world. Featuring 11 artists working in diverse media, the contemplative works highlight the complex connections between woodlands and humanity.

A standout example is James Doran-Webb’s monumental sculptures, crafted from decades-old Malave driftwood—a tree once abundant in Asia but now endangered. His work is part of the Eighty Thousand Trees reforestation project, where a seedling is planted in Cebu, Philippines, for every kilogram of driftwood collected from shorelines and riverbeds. This initiative serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need to address deforestation and preserve our world’s forests.