Introduction

Open Day in Teignmouth for Visually Impaired Gardeners

Open Day in Teignmouth for Visually Impaired Gardeners

Cliffden Hotel, Teignmouth are having a Volunteer Gardner’s Open Day

On 3rd September, visually impaired gardeners are being invited to an event at the Cliffden Hotel, Teignmouth so that they can find out about a new opportunity to be involved in the restoration of a Victorian wall garden.

For most of the last decade, an early Victorian walled garden, within the grounds of Teignmouth Community School, lay untouched and neglected.  Now, with the help of Foresight Gardening Enterprises, a local community group set up to help visually impaired people, the garden has been cleared.  All the overgrown vegetation has gone and the Foresight team are currently developing a design specification which will restore the garden to it forma glory.

Foresight are encouraging visually impaired people, who like gardening or would like to try gardening for the first time, to get involved.  Clive Webb, who set up the project, and who is partially sighted himself, said, “We know that the only thing that holds visually impaired people back, is their lack of opportunity.  This is a great chance for visually impaired people to get involved at the design stage, and to help us create a major gardening attraction for the local community and those visiting the area”.

When completed the walled garden will become an accessible, outdoor exhibition space with heritage planting and displays about the history of the site.  Clive added, “Our aim is for a visitor attraction which is fully maintained by visually impaired people.  A place where they can volunteer or even train for a career in horticulture”.

Anyone interested in the project, whether you are visually impaired or not, should come along to the Cliffden Hotel on 3rd September at 11am.  Light refreshments will be served.  Speakers will outline Foresight’s plans.  After the presentations a mini bus will take those interested to visit the garden.

 

For more details More details on their website www.foresightgardening.co.uk