Community garden impresses RHS
NEWBURY’S Carnarvon Place has been awarded a certificate of recognition by The Royal Horticultural Society for its community garden.
Carnarvon Place has been a regular entrant to Newbury Town Council’s Newbury in Bloom competition, winning its category in 2019.
Even though competitions were not able to take place this year, the RHS was impressed by the retirement home’s sense of community spirit during the coronavirus pandemic.
Steve Clark, a resident at Carnarvon Place, started the community garden six years ago.
A landscape gardener of 20 years, he wanted to create a colourful space for the residents to relax in.
Mr Clark said: “We started with a small area and we now have two summer houses, a greenhouse, a vegetable patch and we are planning a sensory garden for next year.
“There’s around eight of us who meet up every week.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to do that this year, but we are so pleased that the Royal Horticultural Society have recognised what we have done as a community.
“Our residents can enjoy sitting in the garden areas and can join in or just make use of the fresh vegetables we grow.
“We put up hanging baskets every year too.
“We are planning on planting some colourful acer and laburnum trees next year too.”
RHS community development manager Kay Clark said: “Even those groups who have not been able to carry out activities this year are still an important part of a wider movement to make all our communities stronger, greener and happier.
“We want to recognise how important you all are and how valuable your work is with this certificate for 2020.”
Town council leader Martin Colston (Lib Dem, West Fields) said: “I had the pleasure to meet Steve Clark for a tour of Carnarvon Place and it’s certainly very impressive.
“They have made the garden areas into beautiful spaces where residents can join in, or just enjoy the area.
“With the vegetable patch, which has raised beds so that wheelchair uses can get involved and the greenhouse where they grow everything from seed, it’s inspirational.”