‘THIS garden is a very special place. It is peaceful and beautiful. We love coming here to sit and contemplate,’ one of the many visitors to Tavistock Sensory Garden’s second summer garden party told head gardener Sally Whitfield.

That sentiment was echoed by Tavistock town mayor Cllr Anne Johnson as she opened the party on a brilliantly sunny afternoon on Sunday, July 28.

Reflecting on the amazing progress that has been made in the past year, the mayor thanked Churchill Retirement Homes for its sponsorship and the many volunteers for the ‘wonderful effort’ that they had put in to keeping the garden looking beautiful — efforts that had led to an ‘outstanding garden’ award in the 2018 Britain in Bloom competition.

She gave special praise to the wonderful work of the volunteers in restoring the town’s Rose Walk, the installation of a new picnic table and a braille map of the garden.

Graham Parker, chairman of the newly-formed Sensory Garden Charitable Trust, told the audience of the plans to create a new woodland walk, another picnic table and other plans for the next year.

Over 250 people enjoyed the Sunday afternoon, experiencing the sights and smells of the garden, learning how to play boules and enjoying a spread of cakes and buns courtesy of the friends of the sensory garden.

They also bought the year’s first Christmas cards — a set of eight cards of Tavistock at Christmas, designed for the sensory garden by Year 5 children from Tavistock’s schools.