Sheila Averbuch is opening up her outdoor space, which features fruit trees, wall planting, a vegetable patch and more than 30 roses.
The garden is situated behind a 17th-century cottage in Pencaitland and planted across three levels.
It also features a ‘Massachusetts corner’, paying tribute to Sheila’s home state.
She is opening her garden to the public as part of Scotland’s Garden Scheme which facilitates open days to help people to raise money for a cause of their choice, and Sheila’s is very close to her heart.
Sheila’s garden (Image: Sheila Averbuch).After experiencing unexplained symptoms for five years, her friend’s daughter Alex was diagnosed with neuroacanthocytosis (NA), a rare neurodegenerative disease.
It causes irreversible degeneration that leaves a person barely able to speak, walk, or eat unaided by the time they reach their 40s.
In light of the news, Alex’s parents began to fund research into the disease, wrote grant proposals, spoke to clinicians, spoke to other families impacted, and eventually created their own charity, Advocacy for Neuroacanthocytosis Patients, or NA Advocacy.
The charity helps patients receive a faster diagnosis thanks to a free diagnostic test it support, and funds research into the disease.
The garden, at 1 The Cross, Pencaitland, will be open to visitors on Wednesday (August 15) from 1pm to 5pm.
Alex has also written and illustrated a book of poems which will be for sale during the open day.
Entry into the garden costs £5 for adults, free for children, and 60 per cent of money raised will go to the cause.
To see full details of the garden and to book a ticket, go to https://scotlandsgardens.org/mercat-cottage-garden/
Donations can also be made by anyone who can’t attend on the day.
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