Charity founder inspires Chelsea Flower Show garden
The life and ideas of a woman who co-founded the National Trust have provided the inspiration for a garden at the Chelsea Flower Show.
Victorian social reformer Octavia Hill, who helped to set up the charity in 1895, worked to improve urban housing and protect green space.
Hampshire-based garden designer Ann-Marie Powell said her ideas remained relevant today.
Ms Powell said: “I just thought why is this woman not as famous as Florence Nightingale? Without her our landscape would be very different."
The Octavia Hill Garden is edged by corrugated iron hoarding to give the feel of an urban site.
The plant-filled wildlife garden is designed to stimulate physical, mental, and social wellbeing.
The garden features handmade wooden benches created by West Sussex-based woodcarver Kate Hanrahan, who used fallen oak from National Trust woodland.
Ms Powell said she feels passionately about access to green spaces for all.
Ms Powell said when she designed the garden Ms Hill was never far from her mind.
“I thought what would she be doing now if she had the opportunity and I definitely think she would be advocating for urban wildlife gardens for communities so that’s why I designed it," she said.
“I channelled my inner Octavia and she has been my guiding light.”
“The garden offers a little slice of nature and all that can do for us so that people feel part of it, and when they feel part of it hopefully they will cherish it and fight for it," she added.
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