2006 Garden Shows & Events

RHS Chelsea

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Chelsea garden helps people with a learning disability blossom

The Mencap and Cater Allen Bank garden will bloom into life at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year as Mencap, the UK learning disability charity, celebrates its 60th year. The garden, called 'Seeing the Whole Picture', will be Mencap's first at Chelsea.  It has been designed to challenge visitors' perceptions of people with a learning disability and increase their understanding.

(Please click image above to view a larger version of the show garden design plan.)

Designed by Ruth Marshall, the garden sends out the message that all variation has value and beauty it is the context of the viewer that can change the picture.

The garden is planted in a series of paired blocks and each plant is shown in at least two varieties. The signature plant is the iris, famed for its diversity. The scheme, which features the image of two young children, one with a learning disability and one without, celebrates diversity.

The flowers are blue and white and the foliage is greens and purples. Ruth believes that the garden provides a great opportunity for people with learning disabilities to gain new skills and experience by helping create the garden.

Jo Williams, chief executive of Mencap, comments: "We are delighted to celebrate our sixtieth year with the first Mencap garden at the Chelsea Flower Show. We hope as many visitors as possible will come and visit the Mencap garden and understand more about learning disability."

Three students from Mencap National College will have the opportunity to improve their gardening skills by helping the designers from Cool Gardens to create the garden. The students at Mencap National College, learn life skills to help them with the transition into adult life.

Mencap will be auctioning all the elements in the garden including the LED light bench, plants, trees and flowers from May 23. The money raised will help to fund Mencap’s work with people with a learning disability and their families and carers.

During 2006/7 Mencap is celebrating 60 years of working to improve the lives of children and adults with a learning disability and their families and carers. For more information log onto www.mencap.org.uk

© Reckless Gardener Magazine 2005 Mill Cottage New Media