New Garden 'Growing Together in Faith'

Official opening of the Faith Garden 22nd September 2007

As a result of generous sponsorship by the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association and the Worshipful Company of Gardeners, Capel Manor College has been able to recreate its Chelsea Flower Show medal winning garden on a permanent site at Capel Manor College.

The redesign and construction of the garden was again led by Garden Design and part time member of staff at the College, Julie Phipps. She involved many staff and students in the project.

She said “It has been a challenge to redesign the garden to fit a larger plot and to plant it up a permanent feature, as opposed to having an instant garden for Chelsea. I have used many of the same plants but have been able to expand the range to give all year interest. The basic concept and structure is exactly the same as the original garden. The concept of a perfect garden is central to many faiths. In fact, there are more links between plants, gardening and different faith traditions than many people realise.

The garden was the idea of the College Chaplain, the Reverend Canon Chris Bard and one of his colleagues Susan Bowden-Pickstock. It is very sad that Chris died suddenly a couple of weeks ago and all of us have been keen to make the garden a bit special just for Chris.”

College Chief Executive Dr Steve Dowbiggin OBE said “This garden is about the commonality and empathy between different faiths and as today is an important day for two of these faiths we want to avoid any religious dimension to the event today.

Today is about saying thank you to the sponsors and giving them a chance to see what they have allowed my staff and students to create. We will be holding a multifaith affirmation service here in the Spring and also plan to hold an event to dedicate the garden to the Reverend Canon Chris Bard’s memory.”

The garden was opened by spreading rose leaves across its centre, by representatives of the organisations that have made it possible:

Roger Payton
Chairman of The Metropolitan Public Gardens Association

Alderman Sir Gavyn Arthur
Master of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners

Norman Chalmers
Chairman of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners Charity

Dr Dave Hessayon OBE
Senior Vice President of Capel Manor College

Click on the links below to see the garden under construction

Archive page 1 I 2 I 3 I Plant List (pdf)

Last updated: 17 November, 2007