|  Horizon
House in Northern Ireland was the first Children’s
Hospice garden outside England that the Greenfingers
Appeal set out to improve. On a windy site, just outside
Belfast, it had a lack of colour and child orientation
– and needed creative enlivenment. Eventually
five areas were selected for ‘the treatment’
– the Quiet Room garden, the Memories garden,
a waterlogged area in the main garden, the major courtyard
which now has running water, stepping stones and a colourful
display and a new area between the paved area and the
grass.
This latter area was previously
a flooded area – so it was landscaped with a new
path up and over a hill joining the two existing paths
with a colourful display. And sitting proudly in the
middle a Gazebo, supplied by Dandf, that is big enough
to wheel children into in their wheelchairs. Protected
from the winds it gives a delightful garden view for
families and friends as well as the children.
 Construction
was by the Landscape Centre – and the garden improvements
came largely from ideas put in by all the members of
staff who, throughout, showed great interest in the
project.
In the presence of the local
mayors, the suppliers of many materials (nearly a third
of the cost was donated as gifts in kind) the improved
gardens were opened on Wednesday 29 October 2003 by
Cherrie McIlwaine of Ulster Radio.
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