Forget-you-not garden opens at Walton Hall & Gardens

A NEW forget-you-not garden has opened at Walton Hall and Gardens, providing a tranquil setting to remember loved ones.

‘The Dell’ garden will provide a place for people to say goodbye to their loved ones while being able to spend a few moments in a peaceful setting to reflect on special memories.

Walton Hall and Gardens has developed the new garden in partnership with the council’s memorial partner, Columbaria, and thanks to a donation from Warrington Wolves chairman, Stuart Middleton.

The design is based on the ‘Dear Mum’ concept, which was brought to life by artist, Alan Clough. Alan created a story to help children understand loss and how posting a letter to their loved one can provide comfort and help them process their feelings.

‘The Dell’ builds on this concept, with a new post box sculpture placed between two granite benches to provide a quiet place for contemplation.

Visitors to the garden are invited to collect an envelope containing biodegradable wildflower seed paper from Walton estate’s Administration Office. They can then put down their thoughts or message on the rear of the envelope and post it in the box in the garden.

The contents of the post box will be collected at regular intervals by staff at Walton and the wildflowers will be planted within the garden.

Cllr Tony Higgins, cabinet member for leisure and community, said: “For generations, Walton Hall and Gardens has been dear to the hearts of so many people and is a place where special memories are made and treasured.

“The Dell provides a quiet place for reflection, which is particularly important given how difficult the last 18 months have been for us all, but especially for those who lost loved ones and were sometimes not able to say goodbye. I’m pleased that there is now a tranquil setting where they are able to visit to reflect on special memories.

“I hope the garden becomes a much-loved area of the estate and, over time, I look forward to seeing the whole garden flourish with wildflowers, bringing a beautiful backdrop of colour and providing a natural environment for nature to thrive.”

For more information about Walton Hall and Gardens, visit waltonhallgardens.co.uk

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