A wildlife-friendly garden designed and created by young people with additional needs has been unveiled at a new housing development in Morpeth. The show home garden at Edward’s Birch is a collaborative project between Alnwick Garden’s Young Gardeners programme and national partnership housing specialist Lovell.
A collaborative project for young gardeners
Lauren St Hilaire, head of philanthropy and partnerships at The Alnwick Garden, said: “Young Gardeners is a horticulture initiative designed to support young people with additional needs and their families. The programme provides opportunities to learn new skills while also fostering friendships and meaningful connections with others and this project has helped us achieve that.”
Working alongside One Landscapes, a contractor of Lovell in the North East, the group completed their first commercial garden, which will be viewed by prospective buyers visiting the development.
Features to support wildlife
The garden includes a range of features aimed at supporting wildlife, such as hedgehog houses, bird feeding tables and colourful flowers to attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators. It is hoped these will inspire visitors to recreate these nature-positive ideas in their own gardens.
Ashleigh Tate, Marketing and Social Impact Manager for Lovell in the North East, said: “This is a very special project for us at Lovell, as it encapsulated our approach to championing communities, developing skills and promoting sustainability.”
Inspiring visitors and building friendships
The show home garden also features two raised beds to demonstrate where vegetables can be grown, painted rocks decorated in colourful vegetables, fruit, patterns and phrases promoting happiness and wellbeing by the Young Gardeners, and benches for quiet contemplation. A pathway from the French doors at the rear of the property leads up to a wooden arch at the entrance to the planted area, where a sign reads ‘Welcome to Our Happy Place by the Young Gardeners.’
Lauren said: “The whole process has brought everyone together and built friendships among the group, with young people who were previously reluctant to speak to their fellow gardeners finding the confidence to engage with each other. It has had a really positive impact, not only on the Young Gardeners but also their parents and families who have been able to share the experience.”
Ongoing partnership and anniversary celebration
The project forms part of an ongoing partnership between Lovell and the Alnwick Garden Winter Light Trail and donating money for the Young Gardeners’ polytunnels. Lauren said: “Our Young Gardeners have thoroughly enjoyed working with Lovell on the show home garden at Edward’s Birch, the biggest and most ambitious project the group has completed to date.”
She added: “The Alnwick Garden is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and our purpose has always been to place people at the forefront of everything we do. Having the support of organisations such as Lovell is invaluable to the charity, as it enables us to make a difference to the lives of as many people as we possibly can.”
