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21st May 2024
Posted by Aston Avery
Local gardens will be open to the public from next month as part of an Open Gardens fundraising initiative organised by St. Luke’s Hospice.
Taking place from June on selected dates, Open Gardens will see a number of local people generously open up their gardens to help raise funds for St. Luke’s Hospice.
Included in the gardens which will be available to visit are the Hospice’s own secluded gardens at Basildon and Thurrock.
The garden at St. Luke’s Hospice in Basildon is the first in the programme of events, opening up on Saturday 8th June, followed by the Thurrock Hospice on Lower Dunton Road on Saturday 13th July.
Visitors to the Hospice gardens can enjoy the beautiful array of flowers, trees and shrubs, and will have the opportunity to hear from a guest speaker from the Royal Horticultural Society. There will also be bird boxes, plants and food for sale, a raffle on the day, a small petting zoo, as well as entertainment and stalls.
A full list of Open Gardens:
For additional information, including parking and accessibility, please visit the St. Luke’s Hospice website https://www.stlukeshospice.com/news/gardens-set-to-open-in-support-of-st-lukes-hospice.
Saturday 8th June, 12pm – 4pm
St. Luke’s Hospice, Basildon
St. Luke’s Hospice, Fobbing Farm, Nethermayne, Basildon Essex SS16 5NJ
The garden wraps around the Hospice and it is set in a peaceful surrounding with a mix of trees, shrubs and a grow your own area. Guest speaker throughout the day from the Royal Horticultural Society.
Saturday 13th July, 12pm – 4pm
St. Luke’s Hospice, Thurrock
St. Luke’s Hospice, Farriers Way, Bulphan, Upminster, Basildon RM14 3EB
The garden wraps around the Hospice and it is set in a peaceful surrounding with a mix of trees, shrubs and grow your own area. Guest speaker throughout the day from the Royal Horticultural Society. There will also be a ‘Memory Meadow’ display featuring ornate ironwork forget-me-not flowers, dedicated to loved ones.
Sunday 21st July 2024, 2pm – 6 pm
Bowers Gifford trail
13 Una Road, Bowers Gifford, Basildon, Essex SS13 2HU
This is nearly three acres of low maintenance garden with many of trees, mixed beds and acers in pots. Includes a vegetable plot with a range of ornaments and statues. Home to chickens too!
Sunday 21st July 2024, 2pm-6pm
Bowers Gifford trail
14 Una Road, Bowers Gifford, Basildon, Essex SS13 2HU
A beautiful garden divided into several ‘rooms’ and includes 2 ponds. There is a vegetable patch, greenhouse and a family of gnomes.
Sunday 21st July 2024, 2pm – 6 pm
Bowers Gifford trail
Rosedell, 31a Westlake Avenue, Bowers Gifford SS13 2JJ
A magical garden with views over farmland. Painted wizards, gnomes, fairies and characters from nursery rhymes can be spotted all over the garden along with painted stones. Flowers include buddleia (butterfly plants), salvia (hot lips), pansies, geraniums and acers.
Sunday 28th July, 2pm-8pm
Fobbing Open Garden
3 Ships Cottages, Wharf Road, Fobbing, SS17 9JN
A very interesting natural garden on the site of the former 17th century Ship Inn, with remnants of the dry dock and wheelhouse incorporated into the garden. The garden has mature trees, cottage planting and vegetable beds and there are scenic views of the marsh from the bottom of the garden. Please note that this garden has several sets of steep and uneven steps and unmade paths.
Sunday 28th July, 2pm-6pm
Fobbing Open Garden
Woodland Walk, Latch End, Wharf Road, Fobbing, SS17 9JN
Sonya has devoted many years to creating a woodland dell where fairies, teddies, dinosaurs and a wide variety of other whimsical creatures live. There are new discoveries at every turn, and be sure to look up as well as down! This is in a natural woodland setting with uneven paths and unexpected holes in the woodland floor so please be extra careful where you step.
Sunday 28th July, 2pm-6pm
Kingswood Open Garden
4 Toucan Way, Basildon, SS16 5ER
This is a mature garden featuring a beautifully shaped tree planted with birch, shrubs and perennial borders.
Joanna Lucas, Community and Events Fundraising Officer at St. Luke’s Hospice, said:
“Open Gardens is a great opportunity to enjoy some of the unique and beautiful gardens on our doorsteps. There is such a wide variety of garden to enjoy, from modern and new to well-established and imaginary. Thank you to our hosts who will be opening up their gardens for St. Luke’s Hospice and I hope everyone gets the chance to visit and enjoy them over the coming months.”
The cost to visit an Open Garden is £5 per person, with children under 16 entering for free. All money raised from Open Gardens will help ensure the ongoing provision of specialist, compassionate palliative and end of life care, where and when it is most needed.
For more information visit https://www.stlukeshospice.com/news/gardens-set-to-open-in-support-of-st-lukes-hospice or contact the Fundraising team at St. Luke’s Hospice on 01268 524 973 or email [email protected].