2019 Chelsea Flower Show Winner Brings Cheer To Green-Fingered Residents At Hertfordshire Care Home
Green-fingered residents at a Hertfordshire care home have been greeted by a surprise visit from an internationally renowned garden designer.
Upon hearing of the horticulture enthusiasts at Foxholes Care Home, near Hitchin, Andy Sturgeon, winner of Best Show Garden at Chelsea Flower Show 2019, toured its grounds, greeting and sharing tips with residents from a safe two-metre distance, adhering to the social distancing policies currently in place at the home.
During his visit, Andy applauded the blossoming troughs of the home’s gardening club scheme, a major and important activity for residents at Foxholes, who take pride in their miniature gardens ahead of the home’s annual summer fete, where each are judged in a competition based on the Chelsea Flower Show.
Neil Gandecha, estate manager at Foxholes care Home, said: “We were delighted to welcome Andy to Foxholes to greet with residents and see first-hand the tremendous efforts they have been putting into their gardening troughs. Andy was kind enough to spend the day chatting with residents and sharing his green-fingered tips, which they all really appreciated. The gardening club is one of our biggest schemes at Foxholes and most of the residents invest a lot of time and effort in cultivating their miniature gardens, so to have someone of Andy’s stature visit and share advice is really special.”
Andy, a Registered Member and Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers and a registered designer at the British Association of Landscape Industries, is renowned for his modern designs which fuse traditional materials and contemporary styling. They have become known for their timeless architectural qualities, innovative planting, and sculptural characteristics.
Neil continued: “We have a lot of exciting plans in the pipeline at Foxholes and after sharing our vision with Andy, he agreed to help with the future development of some of our existing gardens, so watch this space!”
