A garden designed and created in Cumbria for the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park has returned home.
The garden, called Gardening For Wildlife, was designed by Danny Poland with Cumbria Wildlife Trust on behalf of Cumbria in Bloom.
The 21-year-old designer has now repurposed elements of his design to enhance a space between the church and primary school in his home village of Irthington, near Carlisle.
The land is owned by the parish council and Danny wanted to share the garden with his community, who have supported him over the last few years when the village found themselves entered into Cumbria in Bloom’s Pride in Your Community competition 2021 and last year as a Britain in Bloom finalist, receiving the Silver Gilt Award.
Irthington Village School, where Danny was a former pupil, have provided unwavering support, throwing themselves behind the community effort, making a Walking with Wildlife footpath and wildlife wishes to hang on a Cornus tree.
When the children return to school next month, they will be able to see their wishes on the tree in the village, alongside their stepping stones and shade loving plants that have been planted by Danny in the Parish Corner.
It is also where Danny grew flowers for pollinators for the village’s first year entry for Cumbria in Bloom. Now the corner has developed along with the village’s story as Britain in Bloom finalists and now Tatton Park.
There was no waste from the community garden at Tatton Park. Features which have not been brought back to Irthington have been gifted elsewhere. The Bee&Bee post now stands in Cumbria Wildlife Trust Wildflower Nursery and Garden at Houghton, near Carlisle.
The meadow grass, wildflowers, pond and slate were donated to Imran Aslam from North West in Bloom, who works on nature projects for mosques in Manchester.
Danny, who last year was awarded the Young Persons Champion Award from Britain in Bloom, said: “The original Tatton Park garden was three metres by three metres, and was designed to to support wildlife. I hope it inspired people to make even small changes in their garden to support wildlife, this would make a significant difference.
“We brought as much back of the garden from Tatton Park as possible, as I designed the garden for our community, for everyone here to enjoy. It’s fantastic to have been able to share it with everyone once home, which has also given the garden from Tatton Park a new purpose and lease of life.”
Chair of Cumbria in Bloom, Ronnie Auld, said: “We are delighted Danny has been able to reuse the Tatton Park garden to create something special for Irthington.
“Danny’s reuse of the garden is a great sustainable approach and we are delighted to have been able to support him in creating a Cumbria in Bloom garden for Tatton Park which now has a new life back in Cumbria.”
Danny is due to complete his horticulture level 3 qualification through Myerscough College next spring and works at Larch Cottage Nurseries near Penrith.
The Cumbria in Bloom garden at RHS Tatton Park Flower Show was supported by Larch Cottage, The Pot Place Garden Centre and The Rebuild Site.
