The view from the Apple Chair, which featured in the Greenfingers Chelsea Garden, at Richard House in East London and below the garden at Claire House in the Wirral which have been officially opened this month.
Greenfingers opens new hospice garden at Claire House
The beautiful Greenfingers Charity ‘Garden of Colour’ has recently opened at Claire House Children’s Hospice (Bebington, Wirral - June 12th), providing a stunning sensory place of enjoyment and rest for those life-limited children and their families that call Claire House ‘home’.
This latest Greenfingers Charity garden has been designed by award winning designer Carolyn Willitts of CW Studio and created by Cheshire based landscapers, Landstruction. The new garden at Claire House garden features a ‘creation station’ where children and their families can get their hands dirty and experience nature up close and personal whatever the weather. Falling leaves also adorn the garden, adding a touch of colour and intrigue with multi-coloured Perspex leaves that will hang perfectly to catch the light throughout the day. A rainbow garden and hangout zone will be complemented by a quiet place of reflection, and a birch grove provides a beautiful and restful sensory experience.
Work started in February 2019 as the original space lacked hard landscaping suitable for wheelchair access but was soon transformed into a multi-functional garden, giving children in wheelchairs and beds an outdoor environment for play, learning, therapy and rest. Talking about the project Carolyn said: “This garden for Claire House Children’s Hospice is to be a place with a feeling of intimacy and escape. We wanted to create a journey through this garden and a link to nature, a place where, for a moment, you can be immersed and feel calm. We wanted to inject colour, humour, curiosity, and whimsy along the way, inspiring stories and interactive play.
“The journey starts at the Creation Station, passes Falling Leaves and leads into the Rainbow Meadow, then onto A Quiet Place and finally, Birch Hill, where wildflower edges to long grass and spring bulbs line a meandering mown path through the trees.”
Speaking about the new garden, Claire House Hospice Lead Nurse, Clare Doig said “As a member of the Nursing team at Claire House Hospice, I know just how important it is for our children to experience different sensory sensations, unfortunately our old garden didn’t do that for them. We are so excited to have this opportunity of a brand new sensory garden. To be able to take the children outside, for them to experience different colours, smells and sounds from the garden of colour will be amazing, even to take part in growing their own plants. It will be a place that families can spend time together, enjoying nature and already the different insects, bees and butterflies attracted to our garden. Thank you so much for doing this for us, we are forever grateful.”
Greenfingers Charity’s 56th magical garden would also not have been possible without the help and support of all those that helped to fundraise through the annual Garden Re-Leaf Day activities, as well as the ongoing support of Kew Green Hotel, GIMA, GCA, the HTA and many others. As well as friends of the charity who have tirelessly fundraised, others have ensured the garden could become a reality by donating gifts in kind, including Chris Nangle, Hardscape, Vestre, Kinley, CED Stone, Green-tech, Infinite Playgrounds, Cacoon World/Mojosi, Laser Lea, Woodlodge, Zest 4 Leisure, Vegepod, Barton Grange, and Burleydam Garden Centres
Linda Petrons, Greenfingers’ Director of Fundraising & Communications said: “We must thank all the individuals, groups and businesses who have supported Greenfingers Charity and made the building of this wonderful new garden at Claire House Children’s Hospice possible through their continued generosity. This magical new garden will provide life-limited children and their families with a place to create a million memories and a provide a sanctuary of care which would not be possible without the help of so many wonderful friends.”
The ‘Let’s Explore’ Greenfingers garden opens at Richard House Children’s Hospice
Greenfingers Charity was delighted to be joined by children, families and supporters at the official opening of the charity’s latest garden project at London’s first children’s hospice, Richard House, on Thursday 27th June 2019.
Greenfingers Charity was delighted to be joined by five-year old Myles along with parents Jerry and Myra at the grand opening. In the glorious sunshine, Myles, along with Dan and charity Patron Ann-Marie Powell planted a magnolia tree to celebrate the “Let’s Explore” Garden, the 57th garden built by Greenfingers Charity in hospices across the UK.
The once overgrown one-acre woodland has been completely transformed thanks to the vision and creativity of award winning garden designers Andrew Fisher Tomlin and Dan Bowyer of Fisher Tomlin & Bowyer and landscape team from Kings Landscapes. Together they have created an enchanting accessible space in which life-limited children and their families can play and explore whilst enjoying the benefits of spending time outside and close to nature.
Children, families and care staff who spend time in the garden will now be able to enjoy an exciting woodland journey and experience many different elements along the way; from a secret hideout, chalk board for young artist’s expressions to an intricately laid labyrinth, an intriguing nest and the gentle sound of running water from the waterfall, This new garden really is a feast for all the senses. The entire garden is wheelchair-friendly meaning everyone can relish the chance to be outside.
This new garden also features some elements from The Greenfingers Charity Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Benches, a fabulous apple-shaped swing seat, soft furnishings and plants, including the recently launched Choisya Greenfingers are wonderful additions to the woodland.
Speaking about the new garden, Jo Inskip, Richard House’s Head of Communications said “You could see today the amazing effect the new garden had on our children and the staff. It really engages one's senses. A great place for our children to explore nature and a wonderfully calming place to relax. Perfect.”
Speaking at the opening, Greenfingers Charity Chairman said: “The new garden at Richard House Children’s Hospice is just fabulous. It combines so many different elements that excite and stimulate, or relax and soothe. The continued generosity of our supporters means the world to not just ourselves, but to the life-limited children, like Myles, and the families that use Richard House Hospice every day. This magical new garden space provides a sanctuary of care and a place where families can create a million memories all of which would not be possible without the help of so many wonderful friends.”
To find out more about Greenfingers Charity, and how to get involved in a range of fundraising events please email Linda@greenfingerscharity.org.uk.
