WEST SUSSEX garden designer Chris Burns, an MS sufferer, has created a “senses” garden for the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show (July 7-12) with less-abled people in mind.
Three charities will be promoted on stand D40 – the MS Society, the RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind) and the NBCS (National Blind Children’s Society).
Chris (45) turned to local companies for support, including AVS Fencing Supplies Ltd - for all the timber on the stand - and the Camelia Botnar Foundation for the special clay materials being used.
Among the 1,500 plants on the stand – chosen for fragrance, feel and sound (rustling in the breeze) will be roses grown by UK Roses Ltd.
“Having suffered from multiple sclerosis myself for 23 years I have an instinct for what people with a disability want from a garden,” says Chris, who is being helped on the project by his garden design colleague Marianne Luckham – who was on the same Brinsbury College course which awarded them the City and Guilds Advanced National Certificate in Horticulture.
Also building the Hampton Court garden is construction manager Laurie Barker with other helpers including Chris’s wife, Susan.
Chris and Susan, who met while they were working for the same IT company, have three children – James (19), Vikki (17) and Bea (14), who are all students at the Weald College in Billingshurst, where the family live.
“I have always been an artist,” says Chris, “and artistic endeavours in painting, IT software creation and garden design have all been put to use over the years.
“I really wanted to do a garden for Hampton Court because I had seen what others did during my many visits to the show. The RHS have been very supportive.”
WHY TUDOR ROSE?
The Tudor Rose Garden is so-named because this year is the 500th anniversary of the crowning of Henry Eighth as king and the RHS has many features around the show ground with this theme in mind.
“Looking at the garden from above it will look like a Tudor Rose,” says Chris, “with timber decking paths and raised timber borders from AVS Fencing, together with a central wooden structure for climbing plants.
“All the plants have been specially grown and chosen for their qualities of promoting the senses with scent, texture and sound. All the labelling is in Braille and has been printed by the RNIB, so even those without sight can experience the plants and read about them.
“Special non-slip paint has been used on the walkways and the raised beds show how disabled people can more easily tend plants that are higher off the ground.”
Among the supporters of Chris’s Hampton Court garden is local Horsham MP Francis Maude who says: “This is exciting for Chris and he is proud of his innovative design focusing on disability awareness.
“I wish him many congratulations and good luck with this and other fundraising events he is organising for charity.”
At the end of the Hampton Court show Chris hopes to sell the entire garden to raise funds for the charities involved.
“It will be sold in its entirety as one complete lot and we hope to raise a good deal of money from this,” says Chris.
AVS Fencing marketing director Mark Whiting said: “We were delighted to be able to help. Chris has real charisma and vision and is very focused on the charities and raising awareness of gardening possibilities for the less-abled.
“All the fence posts used have special long-life treatment and the decking and planters being used are finished with safety in mind.”
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