Every year since 2019, Petrus, have produced a show garden for RHS Tatton Park Flower Show to showcase the work of their incredible community allotment, PIER.
Through the show gardens they also challenge misconceptions about people who have experienced homelessness, isolation, mental health issues and other complex social needs. Together with service users and volunteers, they create gardens show what people can achieve when they are empowered, trusted and believed in.
The gardens have secured an impressive collection of medals and accolades including winning three consecutive People’s Choice Awards, and medals ranging from Silver Gilt, Silver and Bronze.
However, as the charity returned to the show for their 5th year, they were offered the privilege of producing a feature garden on behalf of the RHS. The Ginnel Garden would be their biggest garden yet, so Petrus turned to the wider Rochdale Community for support to bring their vision for the ‘Kaleidoscope Ginnel,’ to life.
Pupils from Falinge Park High School created colourful glass floral mosaics that were set into wooden panels by local carpenter Louis Entwistle.
Volunteers from youth work charity Aspire 2 Inspire put together their thoughts on friendships and community, which were etched onto metal structures within the garden. They also joined the Petrus team on site, assisting with the build, as did volunteers from Willmott Dixon who also rallied their supply chain to provide a donation of PPE.
Local business, J Parker’s, played an integral role in Petrus’ journey to the show. They raised almost £5,000 through a sponsored 13.5 mile walk, as well as donating flowers, fruit trees, planters and more to help the vision for the Ginnel to take shape.
It was a real privilege to be asked to produce the Ginnel Garden for the RHS. For them to recognise the quality of our previous gardens and trust us with such an important role in the show was really validating for all our volunteers and service users.
We’ve always believed the show was a great opportunity for us to boost confidence and feelings of belonging for our community, and this was a perfect example of that.
Rachael Bennion, lead garden designer and Petrus Service Lead
The Ginnel Garden speaks to the strength gardening has to unite and empower us and is a shining example of the diverse friendships that can be formed through community gardening.
The legacy of the Kaleidoscope Ginnel will live on in Rochdale now that the show has come to an end, with four pocket gardens created for the community to enjoy.
