The RHS Chelsea Gold medal winning garden, Mind Trap sponsored by idverde raised £838 for charities that help people in tough times.
Plants from the garden were sold off at the end of the show raising funds that will be shared between charities Perennial, Inspire and the Heads Together campaign.
Mind Trap, designed by Northern Irish designer Ian Price and sponsored by green services provider idverde, represented what it is like to struggle with depression and aimed to draw attention to mental health issues.
Appearing in the Fresh Garden category, the garden received a great response from visitors, as well as a top medal from the RHS judges. The charities supported by the garden all highlight the fact that when life gets tough, it is often mental health that suffers.
Perennial is the only UK charity that exists to help horticulturists and their families during their most difficult times and support them as they rebuild their lives. The Heads Together campaign brings together eight mental health charities with The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry to end stigma and change the conversation on mental health. Inspire is a Northern Irish charity focussed on promoting wellbeing for all.
Nick Temple-Heald, CEO of idverde UK comments: “As Europe’s leading green services provider, working in some of the UK’s most beloved green spaces, we know how important the green environment is to mental and social health and wellbeing. When we found out about Ian’s ‘Mind Trap’ concept, we instantly recognised it as an effective way to raise awareness for mental health issues, but also for the important role that our nation’s green spaces play in the maintenance of good mental health.
“As a large employer, we know that these issues will affect a number of our team members and the communities we serve, so we also want to show our support for the organisations that can provide support and assistance when people are in need. Charities such as Perennial and Inspire, plus the highly-publicised Heads Together campaign, all show people that there is help available when life gets tough and that it’s OK, not to be OK, which is the central message of Mind Trap.”
Anita Bates, Director of Marketing and Development at Perennial comments: “When people face difficulties in life, it is not just the financial and practical effects, it almost always takes its toll both mentally and emotionally. Our Caseworkers help clients with all aspects of getting their lives back on track and mental wellbeing is a huge part of that. The Mind Trap garden was testament to the skill and hard work of the many wonderful people working in the horticulture industry, as well as being a great opportunity to raise awareness of our services. We want everyone in the industry to know that we are there to support them, should they ever need it.”
As the most high profile events in the industry, the RHS flower shows are a valuable platform for raising awareness among the horticulture industry and the garden-loving public. Following on from the success of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Perennial will be exhibiting at the upcoming RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show with the Perennial Sanctuary Garden, designed by Tom Massey. The garden is spiral design, with a changing colour planting palette to represent the journey a Perennial client makes as they move from the chaos of their personal circumstances to safety with Perennial’s help.
