A small idea to a lottery funded project, to a complete sensory garden experience for the residents of a care home, Mid Cornwall Landscaping are the experts in bringing visions to life.
As the saying goes, “from a small seed a mighty trunk may grow”, and so it was at Mountford (one of Cornwall Care’s 16 homes), when a small idea was transformed into a wonderful outdoor space for all the residents at the care home with the help and expertise of Mid Cornwall Landscaping.
In our last issue we discovered how, after an elderly resident came up with the idea for a greenhouse at Mountford, a senior nurse decided to enter the People’s Millions Lottery in hope of winning a grant. Following the success of winning the £50,000 runner up grant, Annie Scott, a nurse at Mountford approached Mid Cornwall Landscaping with initial ideas to create an outdoor space, tailor made for the residents. Managing Director Mid Cornwall Chris Plant drafted the initial designs for the site, which would now include a sensory garden and a tearoom on top of the original idea of a greenhouse to create a bigger environment that could please all the residents at Mountford Care Home.
“It had to be tailored to the care home to meet the needs of the residents there. The
greenhouse was built with the residents in mind, so that if they are able and want to,
they can grow things here,” says Martin Chapman, Manager at Mid Cornwall.
Lottery money well spent: Care home residents enjoy the Fruits of Mid Cornwall's labour
The decision to include a tearoom helps towards creating a restful, relaxed environment for the residents, whilst the materials used within the garden reflect the nature and the natural elements of the surroundings – Mid Cornwall used timber and granite to emulate a peaceful and welcoming environment that is a pleasure for all those who experience it. The purpose-built sensory garden was designed around the main water feature at the center of the garden, with growing flower beds and feature boulders that add to the calm environment needed for the residents at Mountford.
The idea to include animal care in the garden came later with the addition of a chicken hutch in the corner of the garden, where residents can tend to and look after the chickens there. Animal care is a therapeutic activity for residents, bringing a smile to the faces of all who care and nurture for the animals. The wide ramp leading down to the garden means those in wheelchairs can still enjoy the space with plenty of room, making the garden inclusive for all residents, some of whom have mobility challenges.
“We went for a fairly contemporary look, with lots of grass and routes for easy access for all residents at Mountford. The transformation took place over a six week period and it was a pleasure for all of those involved,” says Chris. The simple and clean design of the garden adds to the calm atmosphere, which is a perfect environment for elderly residents who may be in pain.
The Mid Cornwall team are no strangers to working on charity-funded projects; for their 30th anniversary they decided to donate and plant 30 trees to schools, care homes and community based projects all over Cornwall, choosing some old and rare varieties of trees indicative of Cornwall that are sadly dying out. They wanted to give back to the people and
companies that they had worked with over the years whilst promoting sustainability and
encouraging planting trees.
Sustainability is truly one of the core values of Mid Cornwall, both in what they do and what they promote, from the materials they use to the ideas they bring to life, with the smallest environmental impact. Providing an outdoor space for residents to enjoy nature, a cup of tea and a chat with friends is an invaluable prize for the people at Mountford. For many of the residents, travelling and walking distance to visit gardens and outdoor spaces just isn’t
possible.
Thanks to the new garden space, all residents will get to enjoy nature and the good weather right on their doorsteps. Roy Scott, the resident and ex-gardener with the grand idea, sadly passed away before the garden was finished, but his vision will be enjoyed by many, for many years to come.
We are there to help you with all your garden and landscaping needs for 2019, offering advice, design and full planting and construction service. Why not give the team a call and get your project off the ground?
01726 884040 or email us info@mc-landscaping.co.uk
Comments