PERSHORE College has provided a horticultural charity with a range of its plants to create a floral display at a national event.
The college’s Avonbank Nurseries has provided Thrive, a charity which uses gardening to help people with disabilities and ill health, with plants for its ‘life changing’ floral border at the 2016 BBC Gardeners’ World Live event, at the NEC until Sunday (June 19).
The display known as ‘The Life Changing Garden’, has been developed by Thrive horticultural therapists Amanda Fields and Deborah Stubbs and is inspired by the world famous novel ‘The Secret Garden’.
The charity has also been working with nursery manager Josh Egan-Wyer, to source the plants to depict an old English cottage garden, which will include rambling and climbing roses, lilies, clematis, salvia and healing plants such as rosemary and lavender.
Mr Egan-Wyer said: “We’re delighted to be involved in this project as Pershore College already shares close links with Thrive. We welcome students from their diploma course and former Pershore student and TV Gardener David Domoney is an ambassador for Thrive too.
“The floral border is going to be a stunning addition to the show and I’m sure the visitors will enjoy it as well as learning about the charity’s important work.”
Ms Fields said: “Taking inspiration from this wonderful story we can show how powerful the garden environment is.
“The story deals with bereavement, disability, loneliness, isolation, anxiety and poor physical health, which are some of the reasons why people come to Thrive.
“We have seen first-hand how gardening can help anyone, regardless of age or disability, make positive changes to their lives.”
Visit www.thrive.org.uk for more information.
