The Macmillan Cancer Support garden at the Sandringham flower show July 28th 2010.

Forget Chelsea, the flower show to be seen at is the Sandringham flower show on July 28th 2010. This will be the show’s 129th year, and as well as exhibiting the best in horticulture, it is also a great day out for all the family.

‘Shadows Gardens’ show garden this year is in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, the idea of the garden is to outline some of the ways in which Macmillan helps so many people and their families as they face an extremely confusing and emotional time in their lives.

We are also aiming to raise money throughout the day, and why not pop along and throw in a piece of silver or two into one of the pools within the garden, with all the proceeds going to this very worthy cause.

I have placed a link on my website for any wonderful people who cannot attend but would still like to donate to Macmillan Cancer Support.
I would also very much like to thank our sponsors this year:
Steve Penn Paving (King’s Lynn), Botanica Nursery (Campsea Ashe, Suffolk), Borderstone (Leicestershire) and Q Lawns (Thetford)

The ways in which the garden focuses on the help available through the hard working charity include:

Practical Support:
‘We guide people through the system, supporting them every step of the way’.

Designed around a maze the garden reflects Macmillan through subtle signs throughout, pointing the way, keeping the visitor on the correct path during an otherwise confusing time. These signs are silhouettes of members of my family who have been affected by cancer and of course Douglas Macmillan the man responsible for founding the ‘Society for the Prevention and Relief of Cancer’, Macmillan in its infancy.

Emotional Support:
‘People need emotional support, so we listen, advise and share information’.

When the visitor arrives at the centre of the garden they find a harmonious centre, a circle representing the warmth and support of not only Macmillan, but of friends and family that are there for the cancer patient and the carers. Two chairs one for the listener, and one for the seeker are placed facing each other.

Financial Support:
‘We fund nurses and other specialist health care professionals and build cancer care centres’.

People need financial help to cope with the extra costs cancer can bring, so we give benefits advice, and grants for anything from heating bills to travel costs.

At the heart of the garden are two pools representing funds available to health care professionals and those affected by cancer. During the course of the day the aim is to cover the base of the pools with donations of silver coins (cross our pools with silver).

Carers Support:
The planting within the garden is meditative, relaxing and soft promoting a stress free environment to provide a break for both carers and patients.

Medical Support:
Some of the plants in the garden have health benefits and are effective in pain and stress relief, the colours chosen are warm and welcoming, creating a calm and relaxing atmosphere.

I hope this gives you an idea of what we are trying to achieve with this years garden.

Shadow Jewers-Hall
Shadows
Briggate Farm
White Horse Lane
Briggate
Norfolk
NR28 9QZ

[email protected]
www.shadowstopiaryhire.co.uk