2019-07-01_Country_Homes_Interiors

FromFarleFt

Keengardener

CarolineCritchlow

withherhusband

Kevininoneof

hisdry-stonewall

creations;the

couple’sbeautiful

gardenonwildand

windsweptOrkney;

Caroline’sgarden

festivalhasraised

£300,000for

neuro-therapy

WelaunchedtheorkneyGarden

Festivalin2013.It’sa biennial

eventwith 28 gardensopeningtheir

gatestovisitorsovertwoweekends

inearlyJuly.Thegardensaredotted

throughouttheislands– there’san

exquisiteseasidegravelgarden

inSouthRonaldsay,a stream-side

gardeninFinstown,a walledgarden

neartotheNeolithicvillageofSkara

Brae...Thegardensshowwhatcan

beachievedinsomeofBritain’s

mostadverseweatherareas.

Shetlandislandersandpeople

acrossthenortheastofScotland

havealsojoinedin,raisingan

incredible£300,000overfiveyears.

Westartedfundraisingin 2012

followingmyhusbandKevin’sbrain

tumourdiagnosisandsubsequent

22-houroperationattheAberdeen

RoyalInfirmary.Theexpertise,care

andcompassionofthestaffwas

amazing,buttheneurologicalward

wasdesperatelyrundown.Doctors

struggledtofinda privateplace

todiscussa difficultdiagnosiswith

patients.Wesoonrealisedwehad

twooptions– complain,orfind

awaytomakea difference.

Weweresatinourorkneygarden

overlooking the waters of Scapa

FlowwhenI hada brainwave.We

wouldopenupourgarden,with

itsstunningviewsandsculptural

stoneformsthatKevinhadmade

(he’sa dry-stonewallcraftsman)

tocomplementmyplanting.

thelocalpresshadruna storyon

the‘miracle’ofKevin’srecovery

andgardenvisitorsturnedupin

theirdroves,manywithtragicstories

offeelingisolatedandfrightened

asa resultofa neurodisorder.Most

peopledon’tunderstandthata

braintumouroperationcanresultin

facialdisfigurementandhasa huge

psychologicalimpact.I realisedhow

manypeoplewouldbenefitfrom

ourfundraising,soI foundedthe

charityFriendsoftheNeuroWard.

Gardeningonorkneyis notfor

thefaint-hearted,withsalt-laden

windsscorchingandstuntingall

butthetoughestofplants.Over

theyears,I’dmadefriendswith

manyothergardeners– a lotof

plant-swappinggoesonhere– and

mostagreedtoopentheirgardens

inaidofourcharity.Otherscame

asa resultofa radioappealorfrom

mejustknockingondoors.Folkcan

onlysayno!Initially,everyowner

is nervous about opening their

garden,butequallydelightedthat

otherswanttocomeandshareit.

Wegetpeoplecomingfromfar

andwide.Thankstogardenwriter

JackieBennettvisitingthefestival,

weendeduphavingtwogardens

featuredinherbookIslandGardens:

HavensofBeautyAroundtheBritish

Isles(£25,WhiteLionPublishing).

ourcharitywasawarded‘Small

CharityoftheYear’byCelebrate

Aberdeenlastyear.Wenowoften

visitWard 205 whereKevin’s

diagnosiswasmade,andit’sgreat

toseethedifference– peoplecan’t

thankusenough.I’venowstarted

onmynextprojecttoinstalla

neuro-therapyrehabilitationgarden.

I’mdelightedtosaythatrenowned

gardendesigner,JamesAlexander-

Sinclair,hasagreedtohelp.Within

a coupleofyears,thegardenwillbe

inuse,transformingcareandmental

wellbeingforthosewhoselivesare

affectedbyneurologicalconditions.

thisyearweareexcitedtohave

gardenpresentersCaroleBaxter

andLesleyWatson,alongwith

ChelseajudgeDougalPhilip,joining

thefestivalforillustratedtalks,too.

theorkneyGardenFestivalruns4-14

July; orkney.com; friendsoftheneuro.org

I founded a garden

festival to raise funds

for our local hospital

❝

❝

Feature and PhotoGraPhS

NICOLA STOCKeN

Portrait PhotoGraPh

TOM O’BRIeN

loCal hero