Earlier today (Wednesday 27th April), the 62nd Greenfingers Charity garden at Tŷ Hafan children’s hospice – one of the UK’s leading paediatric palliative care charities, offering care to children with life-limiting conditions and their families throughout Wales – was officially opened by BBC Radio 2’s resident gardener, Terry Walton.
Designed by multi-RHS gold medal-winning garden designers, Victoria Wade Landscapes; brought to life by NP Landscapes; and project managed by Joe Wade, this new interactive sensory garden space – funded by The National Heritage Lottery, The Postcode Lottery and many wonderful friends of Greenfingers - will provide year-round accessibility for children with life-limiting conditions and their families while staying at or visiting Tŷ Hafan’s hospice at Sully, near Cardiff, as well as staff and volunteers.
The sensory garden has been designed to encourage biodiversity, sustainability and wildlife, helping children to be able to connect easily with the natural world. The garden also benefits from willow arches, a woodland den, covered seating area with access to electricity and hand-washing facilities.
Talking about the design, Victoria Wade said: “This is definitely my favourite garden we have ever created. I am really proud of what we have all achieved. It's been such an amazing team effort and I have been blown away by the generosity of everyone who has been involved - everyone has gone above and beyond. It’s been so exciting to see the garden come into bloom this spring and seeing the thousands of bulbs that the volunteers have planted flowering for the first time has been really special.”
Project Manager Joe Wade said: “It’s been such a great project to be involved with. I know the garden will benefit so many people - we have been overwhelmed by how many lovely comments we have had during the build from the hospice staff, volunteers and families who are so excited to spend time in the new garden. It’s been such a great team effort from everyone involved.”
Deb Ho, Tŷ Hafan’s Director of Care, said: “Tŷ Hafan children’s hospice provides care and support for children with life-limiting conditions and their families in Wales at our hospice in Sully, near Cardiff. The creation of our stunning new sensory garden is a wonderful addition to the coastal environment in which we care for those children and families who use our services. Our sincerest thanks go to Greenfingers Charity and its supporters for helping to make this possible, and to Victoria, Joe and NP Landscapes for their dedication to this project. What they have created has far exceeded our expectations and I know that this garden is already an important place for so many.”
Terry Walton, BBC Radio 2’s resident gardener and guest of honour at the event, said: “This new sensory garden is a gorgeous new addition to Tŷ Hafan beautiful hospice grounds, which I know are cared for by a team of dedicated and talented volunteer gardeners. It therefore gives me great pleasure to officially open this wonderful sensory garden today and I am sure that it will give everyone who visits, stays at or works at Tŷ Hafan in the coming months and years, both enormous pleasure as well as peace and great solace during some of the most difficult times imaginable.”
The completion of the garden was thanks to the team of Greenfingers supporters who helped to plant thousands of bulbs and plants, including Woodlodge – led by Ian Flounders; Pugh’s Garden Centre team; Giant Veg Grower, Kevin Fortey; Greenfingers Trustee, Neil Sewell, and the incredible hospice garden volunteers – who worked hard to finalise the planting, ahead of today’s opening event.
Gifts in kind were also generously donated by Evergreen Garden Care, Taylors Bulbs, Jubb Bulbs, Smart Garden and Kent and Stowe.
At the garden opening, Greenfingers Chairman, Sue Allen: “It is our great pleasure to officially hand over the garden to all those at Tŷ Hafan children’s hospice. The teams at Victoria Wade and NP Landscapes have, not only produced an incredible vision, but have brought it to life in such an awe-inspiring way, creating a truly stunning space that is focused on bringing nature to its very heart. On behalf of all of us at Greenfingers and Tŷ Hafan, we thank you and all our wonderful supporters from the bottom of our hearts.”
