A campaign to rebuild the gardens of Derian House Children’s Hospice was the inspiration behind the charity’s award-winning display at Chorley Flower Show.
The vibrant display, created by the Derian House team and its army of volunteers, wowed the judges and the Chorley hospice took home gold at the show which takes place at Astley Park this weekend (26, 27, and 28 July).
The garden, as part of the Community and Schools Garden Competition, tells the story of Build-A-Forest – the hospice’s campaign to rebuild its woodland areas after it had to have more than 150 trees cut down in its gardens due to ash dieback disease.
Named “giving nature a helping hand”, the garden features saplings donated by the Woodland Trust, a selection of alpine plants, a handmade pond, and recycled materials made from the trees that were cut down in the hospice gardens – including a sculpted wooden hand.
Chorley Flower Show takes place at Astley Park this weekend (26, 27, and 28 July) and tickets are still available to purchase online: https://www.chorleyflowershow.com/tickets-2024/
Derian House’s Build-A-Forest campaign is still ongoing, and thanks to the charity’s generous supporters, hospice volunteers have been able to plant 250 new trees in the gardens.
Cameron Murray, Communications and Marketing Manager at Derian House, said: “It’s fantastic to see so many people come together to see Derian House’s entry at the one of the most popular horticultural shows in Lancashire.
“It was a real Derian team effort – thank you to everyone, from staff to our wonderful volunteers, who helped make our garden look as fantastic as it does today.
“And thank you to everyone who has supported our Build-A-Forest campaign so far. With your help, we have been able to begin to replenish our woodland areas so that our families can enjoy them now and years into the future.”
Councillor Peter Wilson, Deputy Leader of Chorley Council, said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed chatting to everyone at Chorley Flower Show today. The community gardens in particular are spectacular this year. I would like to thank everyone who contributed and it’s really important that we maintain our partnerships with charities like Derian House who do such great work.”
Chorley Flower Show is a three-day flower-filled family event set in Astley Park where visitors can see award-winning gardens plus speak with gardening experts. Find out more: https://www.chorleyflowershow.com/
