Gardeners meet TV gardening expert at fundraiser

Garden designer David, who is a Fellow of Institute of Horticulture, hosted two talks and a children’s workshop at Millbrook Garden Centre in Gravesend on March 16 for a children’s charity.
 
Matthew Upton, Manager of Millbrook Garden Centre on Station Road in Southfleet, explained: “It was great having David at the garden centre. His visit tied-in with our fundraising activities for Garden Re-Leaf Day, which took place on March 14 and raises money for Greenfingers, we are still counting the money raised from the events.
 
“David co-presents with Alan Titchmarsh, the biggest television gardening programme in Britain today, ‘Love Your Garden’ and has won 28 Royal Horticultural Society medals for his garden designs.
 
“He gave a talk about creating a sensory, stimulating garden, which encourages wildlife. Children were also able to take part in a workshop and planting activity with David.”
 
Garden Re-Leaf Day is a nationwide initiative to encourage the horticultural industry to mark the start of spring by organising events in aid of Greenfingers’ Rosy Cheeks appeal.
 
The charity creates gardens at children’s hospices across the UK. The aim of the Rosy Cheeks Appeal is to raise £750,000 over two years to fund the creation of at least 10 gardens.
 
Greenfingers was launched in November 1998 by a group of volunteers drawn from all sectors of the gardening industry.
 
The gardens it creates are designed to help children and their families and friends during a very emotional and difficult time. To date, Greenfingers has created 41 gardens.
 
David said: “It was a delight to give some time and visit Millbrook for Garden Re-Leaf Day to raise money for Greenfingers charity.
 
“Meeting customers to talk about sensory gardening techniques and just how much plants enhance our lives was a pleasure to do.  
 
“It was so encouraging meeting the kids and their parents in our seed planting workshop too, there was mud and compost everywhere.”
 
Millbrook Garden Centre is a family-run, independent garden centre. It provides customers with a wide range of quality plants, shrubs, trees, furniture, barbecues, gifts and food items.
 
Its friendly and knowledgeable staff are on-hand to give visitors help and advice on all gardening matters. Millbrook Garden Centre has its own nursery, where it grows a third of the plants sold at the centre in an attempt to reduce plant miles.
 
The Greencafé, which seats up to 90 customers, serves hot and cold drinks, snacks, breakfasts and light lunches, Sunday roasts and children’s meals using fresh, seasonal produce some of which is grown at the centre.
 
For more information, please call Millbrook Garden Centre, which is located on Station Road in Southfleet, on 01474 331 135, visit www.millbrookgc.co.uk, log on to www.facebook.com/MillbrookGardenCentreGravesend or follow the company on Twitter by visiting www.twitter.com/MillbrookGC.