West Horsley Place Trust were delighted to be joined by the Mayor of Guildford, Councillor Sallie Barker, on Wednesday, September 25, to open a new sensory garden that’s free for the whole community.

This peaceful and beautiful space has been designed to be as accessible as possible. To develop the garden the charity consulted a group of blind and partially-blind people and members of their access panel who face a variety of different access barriers.

The design included raised beds to bring plants closer to people, colours that help create contrast and “banks of smells”, as well as benches and places for sitting and reflecting.

The West Horsley Place team, which includes a dedicated group of gardening volunteers, worked for six months to transform the neglected patch of ground into a charming space. Plants were transported and propagated from the existing collection and materials were all recycled from the wider estate.

Over the last few years, West Horsley Place, the ancient Manor House where BBC Ghosts was filmed, has started opening to the public with an exciting programme of tours, workshops and performances. In October 2022, they announced a two-year project funded by the National Heritage Lottery called Heritage Without Barriers. This project has helped them to fulfil their aim to improve people’s wellbeing with access to culture, heritage and nature.

The sensory garden, a free space for everyone to enjoy, is part of that project. It has also been supported by Surrey Gardens Trust, West Horsley Parish Council, East Horsley Parish Council, the Stevenson Family Trust, the Banister Charity Trust, the Horsley Community Fund and other charitable donors.

The Trust’s Director, Ilona Harris said, “We would like to thank the National Heritage Lottery Fund and our generous supporters for making this project possible. We are proud custodians of a 400-acre estate that is free for people to enjoy. It is wonderful to now have a space which is accessible and brings the benefits and beauty of that estate to everyone in our community. We hope you will come and enjoy it soon.”

Find out more at westhorsleyplace.org.

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