Gardeners enjoy guided tour of St Catherine’s Park

A group of green-fingered enthusiasts visited St Catherine’s Park for a guided tour as part of a research project into war memorial gardens.

Lancashire Gardens Trust have been travelling around the county over the past year visiting war memorial parks and gardens in a project inspired by the First World War centenary celebrations.

Their final stop was to St Catherine’s Park, where they enjoyed lunch at The Mill before a tour of the hospice grounds by hospice gardener Mick Langtree and a visit to the neighbouring war memorial.

Elaine Taylor, chair of research at the organisation, explained: “We know that many people are researching the war memorial monuments and the repairs they might need, but we felt that the accompanying gardens were being overlooked.

“Inspired by the celebrations around the World War One centenary, we decided to devote some time to visiting these special places which provide an atmosphere of reflection and peace, and offer a sense of privacy in what can be very public places.”

Elaine, a volunteer who has been a member of the organisation since it was formed in 2007, said she was impressed with St Catherine’s Park – a joint venture between St Catherine’s Hospice and South Ribble Borough Council which opened in June 2016.

“I like the contrast that there is between the formal, manicured gardens of the hospice and the wetland and woodland walk,” she said. “It’s a theme which is very up to minute and reflects the current mood for natural gardens which attract and encourage wildlife.

“The war memorial garden offers the same tranquillity that we have seen on our visits to other gardens created in the 1920s. The same principles are at work, being used in a modern way.”

The trust is soon due to present the findings from their study which will be available online and in public libraries.

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