The Secret Garden is at the Thrive Trunkwell Garden Project, near Reading in Berkshire. It has been designed as a dual-purpose garden: a safe and secure garden for people who have dementia; and as an engaging outdoor classroom for children with challenging behaviour or special educational needs.
The area has raised beds for easier gardening and beautiful stainless steel water features to give tactile and visual interest. The Garden also has a variety of plants, special areas and a courtyard with a summer house, which can be used as a classroom and shelter, and a small working-area with potting benches.
News from the Secret Garden
An informal newsletter is written each season to give a summary of the work recently completed in the Secret Garden. Here is an update from our young students for spring 2009.
"While we were away on our spring break, the weather started to warm and the garden jobs started to mount up. By the time we returned, it was warm enough for the salad bed to be planted up – but unfortunately, this had to be redone not once, twice, but three times, because an innocent looking rabbit took up residence just outside the Secret Garden! The third time we ensured the bed was firmly netted.
"Broad beans, onions and shallots were also planted and we had some enthusiastic help from another group of Thrive gardeners who have dementia.
"A Phormium had become too big so it was removed from one area of the garden before it got too large to move. It took one of our team and a volunteer a good morning’s work and lots of digging to
achieve!
"Team work was also needed when a palm, which had apparently succumbed to the winter weather was removed from the Jungle Bed, but it later proved to still be alive!
"There was lots of planting out to do in May – we put in sweet peas, but it wasn’t long before the rabbit found them! More netting was urgently needed. One of our team enjoyed putting in an area of companion planting using marigolds alongside the fruit bushes.
"By the time we got to the end of June and the NGS Open Day, the Secret Garden looked very colourful. The rainbow planting in the low raised beds looked great and, thanks to even more netting, the rabbits didn’t ruin the display.
"The Tradescantia made a lovely display under the shelter at the side of Thrive’s National Office and there were loads of plants in the Wildlife Garden to attract bees and butterflies. We’re looking forward to eating the blackcurrants and apples from
the fruit garden.
"All we need to do now is water, water, water!"
All the best for now from the Secret Garden Team.