Wilderness found at the back of Eldwick vicarage garden has been converted into space for the whole community to share.
The Eldwick Church’s ‘Church in the Garden’ project started early in 2021 and thanks to a number of grants, donations, and much hard work by a team of volunteers, the garden is now open for all to enjoy.
Following the Easter Day service at Eldwick Church, the garden was blessed and formally opened by Revd Brian Greenfield and Rev Terry Keen, representing the Anglican and Methodist sides of the local ecumenical partnership.
As well as the obligatory tea and cake, the opening featured the multi-generational planting of an apple tree donated by the Villages Pre-School. Church family and friends representing all ages, took turns in digging spadefuls of earth to refill the hole and firm the soil.
The garden is made up of different zones, with raised flower and vegetable beds; a central area with a labyrinth; a children’s area with a willow tunnel; a sensory area and mixed beds with shrubbery plants and trees.
Speaking after the garden's formal opening, Revd Brian Greenfield (Minister of the Eldwick Church), said, "What we want to do here is bless this garden so that it will be a blessing for everybody else. This is a peaceful place, it is going to grow, show evidence of new life and we want it to be a blessing for everybody else."
There’s still ongoing work, so the garden is by no means complete. In time, the church hopes to encourage lots of wildlife with bat and bird boxes, a bird feeding station, a log bug hotel and (eventually) hedgehog homes. The hope is that the 'Church in the Garden' becomes a place of enjoyment and peace for the whole community.
Watch a short video here of the 'Church in the Garden' opening & blessing.