If you are attending Gardeners’ World Live this week, look out for the ‘Make Do and Mend’ garden by High Ground rehabilitation centre. It may only be 3m by 3m, but it’s packed with interest and colour – and everything has been created from recycled materials.
Andy Wright, therapeutic gardens manager, said 22 patients of the military rehabilitation centre were involved in creating the gold medal- winning garden. The garden has been designed and built with sustainability in mind. All of the hard landscaping and most of the plants will return to Stanford Hall, Leicestershire, where they will be used for the benefit of patients.
A former Royal Engineer created the shed out of packing crates from an MRI scanner delivered to the centre, and the path though the middle of the garden is made from end blocks of pallets.
Pallets were also used to make a picket fence at the front of the garden, and there’s a wooden bug hotel and shelving unit.
A poppy sculpture made out of wire and metal stands at the front of the garden. It was made by a serviceman injured in Afghanistan.
All the plants for the garden have been grown from seed and cuttings by patients.
HighGround charity was launched in 2013 by Anna Baker Cresswell and uses horticulture as a therapy and to improve the wellbeing and employment prospects of former members of HM Forces.
This garden was one of my favourites at the NEC Birmingham show. It was the one I most wanted to tiptoe into, and I could see myself sitting in front of the beautiful little shed. Even though it was only tiny, there were hidden features such as the bug hotel that drew you into the space. And the next time I get hold of a pallet, I’m going to take it apart and create a block path like this one. It’s simply stunning!
Are you going to BBC Gardeners’ World Live Show this year? If so, let me know which gardens are your favourites too. And good luck to Cathy, who won my prize draw a few weeks ago and has won two tickets for the show. After all the cancellations last year, it’s a relief to see shows like this going ahead again this summer.
*Cathy is at https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/category/gardens/in-a-vase-on-monday/
Bramble Garden 
I love this garden: it is a dream come true. It is the garden of my dreams, the one I have always wanted to have. Karen thank you very much for showing it in such detail. It is very important, special and wonderful that 22 patients from the High Ground Military Rehabilitation Center have done the garden: they are magnificent gardeners and artists, I love it. Everything with recycled materials: I love it. And they have won the gold medal !!! They deserve it !!! I love the shed, the path through the garden, the fence, the bug hotel, the bookshelf, the poppy sculpture and of course the divine plants and greens mixed in such a fabulous and charming way and their colors. And all the plants grown from seeds and cuttings by patients, I love them. Plants and gardens are so therapeutic and helpful …. I miss mine so much. Karen I hope you enjoyed the BBC Gardeners ´World Live Show 2021 a lot. Karen I am very sorry not to have written in so long, but I am not feeling well and I have not picked up the computer. Karen I hope that you and your whole family are in good health and spirits. Take care. Much love for your whole family, Mr B and for you. With best wishes. Very affectionate greetings from Margarita xxx 😘🙏💟🌻
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Thank you Margarita. That little garden made me smile so much. Every small detail had a meaning. It’s amazing how some gardens tell a story and evoke such a strong response. I am so sorry you are not feeling well. I hope you’ll make a swift recovery and can get out and about again soon. I’ll send some photos of my garden very soon, because if you can’t get out to see flowers in person, you’ll be able to see them on here. Just looking at flowers and gardens does you the world of good. Sending very affectionate greetings in return from us all at Bramble Garden. Monty kitten is growing his glossy winter coat. Meg is running all over the harvested fields with joy. She’s had to keep to the grassy footpaths all summer. We don’t let her trample the crops. Daphne and Daisy are laying eggs- and Dot, who hasn’t laid an egg yet, is determined to sit on them! It’s too late in the season for chicks, so we are gently discouraging her. But if is still broody in spring we will let her have a few chicks, if she’s determined to be a mother. Something cheerful to look forward to. And I’ll share photos with you. Best wishes and sending smiles and love. Karen xxx 😘💚🌸
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Karen, thank you very much for your words of encouragement and encouragement: you are a great friend. The small garden has touched my heart, so much so that as soon as I can I will reproduce it – including the shed – in the country house. Thank you so much for wanting to send me photos of your garden: they will help me a lot. I’m so glad Monty is getting warmer and more handsome. Meg runs happily through the fields: I love her. It’s wonderful that Daphne and Daisy lay eggs: poor Dot who doesn’t lay her partner’s eggs! It would be great if she had chicks in Spring and to expand the family. Hope Merlin and Grace are okay. Affectionate caresses for the entire “Hairy and Feather Family”. Karen for Mr B and for you, all my love, hugs and best wishes. Very affectionate greetings from Margarita xxx 😘🙏💚🌼
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Amazing what you can fit into a small place, so colourful.
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Isn’t it fabulous. A perfect treasure trove. Thanks for reading.
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Thank you Mary. It’s a really special garden with lots of meaning.
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I like the path idea. Good practical cheap takeaway.
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Yes, it looks so good doesn’t it. Never thought of using the end blocks for paving. Thanks for reading. 👍
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Beautiful garden.
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Thank you Heather
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