Meet the Rainforest Creatures Hiding in Our RHS Malvern Show Garden

Each creature featured in our garden has been carefully chosen for its unique ecological role within the rainforest. Every one has been beautifully illustrated by Ferne of Ferne Creative, whose detailed, digitally hand-drawn artworks capture the textures, colours, and character of these extraordinary species with breathtaking accuracy.

Known for its dappled coat and secretive nature, the ocelot embodies the elusive beauty of Amazonian mammals. These small wild cats are expert climbers and stealthy hunters, weaving their way through dense undergrowth and trees. As apex predators, they help maintain balance in the food chain – and their presence is a sign of a healthy rainforest.

You can spot our illustrated ocelot walking beneath the lower canopy, blending in with the undergrowth.

Linked plant: Calathea lancifolia – its spotted leaves echo the ocelot’s pattern.

A striking red-capped mushroom with a name to match. This delicate fungus thrives on decomposing leaves, turning organic matter back into nutrients and supporting new plant growth. Fungi like these are crucial recyclers of the forest floor, forming the basis of rainforest health and regeneration.

Look for our illustrated bleeding marasmius nestled in a shaded corner among the mulch and moss.

Linked plant: Fittonia albivenis – thrives in damp, low-light environments like forest floors.

One of the most colourful birds in the rainforest, the paradise tanager is a burst of jewel tones among the canopy. Feeding on fruit and insects, it helps with seed dispersal – aiding the spread of plants throughout the forest and contributing to its rich diversity.

Find our illustrated paradise tanager perched among the branches, flashing with colour above the foliage.

Linked plant: Caladium bicolor – native to Brazil, with vibrant colours that reflect the bird’s plumage.

This dazzling hummingbird flits from flower to flower, pollinating tropical plants with every visit. Their high-energy lifestyle and rapid wingbeats make them a vital part of the rainforest ecosystem, especially in maintaining the reproduction of flowering plants.

Our illustrated jacobin is shown mid-hover near rainforest blooms, wings outstretched and iridescent feathers gleaming.

Linked plant: Heliconia psittacorum – native to the Amazon and a key nectar source for hummingbirds.

With its vivid yellow wings patterned in striking black spots, the leopard moth is a beautiful example of rainforest camouflage and mimicry. This moth uses its colouring not just to blend in, but also to deter predators by mimicking more dangerous species. Like many insects of the Amazon, it plays a quiet but essential role in pollination and biodiversity.

Look out for our illustrated leopard moth resting on a broad rainforest leaf, its bold markings catching the eye among the greenery.

Linked plant: Dieffenbachia seguine – native to the Amazon basin, with bold patterns and broad leaves.

A type of toucan, the chestnut-eared aracari has a distinctively long beak and bright plumage. It plays an important role in seed dispersal as it consumes fruit and carries seeds across large distances. These birds are often seen in small flocks, moving through the middle canopy layer.

Our illustrated aracari is captured mid-motion, hopping along a branch with its curved beak open and bright eyes alert.

Linked plant: Anthurium andraeanum – native to Colombia and Ecuador, often fruiting in the understorey.

This slow-moving herbivore forages on fallen fruit and vegetation, helping with seed distribution along the forest floor. As it moves through the undergrowth, it also helps create small clearings, making space for new plant growth.

The illustrated yellow-footed tortoise ambles steadily along the forest floor, its golden-spotted legs standing out against the leaf litter.

Linked plant: Monstera adansonii – native to South America, found growing low in the understorey.

Known for their impressive horns and armour-like bodies, scarab beetles are powerful decomposers. They break down dead plant material and return nutrients to the soil, ensuring the continued health of rainforest flora.

Our scarab beetle illustration shows the insect proudly displayed, with shiny wing cases and delicate antennae finely detailed.

Linked plant: Piper aduncum – a shrubby Amazon native that benefits from nutrient-rich soil.

Orchid bees are key pollinators in the Amazon, known for their role in pollinating the complex flowers of orchid plants. They collect fragrant compounds which they use to attract mates, often visiting multiple species of plants in the process.

Look for our illustrated orchid bee near our bromeliad and orchid displays, suspended in flight as it gathers scent.

Linked plant: Cattleya orchid – native to northern South America and dependent on bee pollination.

One of the smallest anteaters, the silky anteater spends most of its life high up in the trees. It feeds almost exclusively on ants, helping to regulate insect populations. Its silky, dense fur camouflages it against tree bark and moss.

See our illustrated silky anteater curled gently around a branch, nestled among foliage in a quiet treetop nook.

Linked plant: Asplenium nidus – a tropical epiphyte often found in branches alongside anteaters.

Masters of teamwork, leafcutter ants harvest foliage not for food, but to cultivate underground fungus, which they rely on for sustenance. Their extensive networks and agricultural ingenuity make them one of the rainforest’s most fascinating inhabitants.

Follow our illustrated leafcutter ants as they carry leaf fragments back to their fungal gardens.

Linked plant: Philodendron – native to Brazil, with soft, palatable leaves.

These brightly coloured amphibians are a classic symbol of the Amazon. Despite their small size, they play an important role in controlling insect populations. Many species raise their tadpoles in the water reservoirs of bromeliads, showing how plants and animals coexist.

Find our poison dart frog illustration near the waterfall, sitting atop a vibrant bromeliad leaf.

Linked plant: Aechmea - a bromeliad species commonly used by frogs for reproduction.

Among the most iconic rainforest insects, the blue morpho dazzles with iridescent wings that flash electric blue in the light. Though easily seen in flight, they often rest with closed wings showing more cryptic, eye-spotted undersides for camouflage.

Catch a glimpse of our illustrated blue morpho resting, its detailed wing patterns beautifully captured.

Linked plant: Calathea makoyana – native to South America, with patterned leaves echoing wing spots

This small bird is known for its elaborate courtship display – including a rapid-footed “moonwalk” across branches. It forages for fruit and insects, aiding seed dispersal and playing a role in keeping insect numbers balanced.

Watch for our illustrated manakin mid-dance, captured in a flash of red and black on a slender perch.

Linked plant: Ctenanthe lubbersiana – native to Brazil, with vibrant foliage and forest-floor flair.

Slow-moving and solitary, the two-toed sloth is perfectly adapted to life in the rainforest canopy. With strong limbs and curved claws, it spends most of its time hanging upside down in the trees, feeding on leaves and occasionally fruit. Algae and moss often grow in its fur, offering camouflage and even a miniature ecosystem.

Look for our illustrated sloth moving along a branch, suspended in the middle of its journey along the branch.

Linked plant: Anthurium crystallinum – native to South America, with velvety foliage and a slow-growing nature that mirrors the sloth’s pace.

One of the world’s largest snakes, the green anaconda is an apex predator of the Amazon. Though feared by some, it plays a vital ecological role in maintaining population balance by preying on a range of aquatic and terrestrial animals.

Find our illustrated green anaconda coiled securely around a branch near the base of the forest floor display.

Linked plant: Philodendron melanochrysum – trailing, large-leaved, and naturally at home in the rainforest understory.