SI Sevenoaks Garden Project 2018 to date
Supporting Sevenoaks Town Council in South and South East England In Bloom competition and RHS Community Awards Competition [ formerly Britain In Bloom]
UN sustainability development goals: Goal 3 good health and wellbeing. Goal four quality education. Goal 11 sustainable cities and communities. Goal 13 climate action. Goal17. partnerships to achieve the goal.
In May 2018 a club member saw a note on a Sevenoaks Vine Park gate seeking support from gardening volunteers for Sevenoaks Town Council’s entries in the In Bloom competitions. Eight club members responded with enthusiasm. These members, whose total age is 586 years, remain totally committed to the gardening and willing to continue as long as they can. The town council is delighted with this response.
Open Spaces manager Nicholas Cave suggested the restoration of the sensory bed. This bed is now a real feature of the garden flowing with sensory plants. Its accompanying patio area faithfully weeded creating an area of real calm and reflection. These efforts helped Sevenoaks town achieve a gold medal. Flushed with success, redesigning and restoring the herb garden incorporating a dynamic ‘S’ path in Cotswold stone was completed. It became another real feature. In 2019 and 2020 gold medals were again awarded to Sevenoaks. This success helped by members making doves of peace for the garden in commemoration of VE and VJ days. Obtaining gold medals for three years triggered Sevenoaks entry into RHS Community Awards competition in the towns’ category. This competition is currently judged virtually.
2021 saw great activity preparing for two competitions. Gardening members increased their hours to enable a third area to be adopted already planted with rhododendrons and azaleas donated by a local garden centre. It needed TLC! Huge help was given by the town gardeners so in true partnership, the Reuthes garden is now restored to former glory.
Judging took place in July with the club’s programme action officer speaking to the judge raising the Soroptimist profile stressing the benefits of open spaces for all sections of the community promoting inclusivity needed for sustainable cities and communities. Families educating their children on edible plants and the natural world, dementia and mental health sufferers, office workers de stressing in their lunch hours are the beneficiaries, to name a few. The feedback from the footfall has been incredible. Lots of questions asked about Soroptimism and so many compliments and thanks as the beauty of the garden has been a life line for so many.
Imagine the club’s excitement when Sevenoaks Town in 2021 not only was awarded a gold medal for the Vine garden but judged as the winner in the Park category for the whole of SSE England In Bloom competition. SSE England covers six counties.
Service to the community, Soroptimism at its best!
The club is dedicating a tree in the Sevenoaks Vine garden for the Planting Trees for a Brilliant Future project on 21 October 2021.
Isobel Groves, Programme Action Officer, SI Sevenoaks