Primrose Hospice and F.B. & Sons Lawns & Landscapes welcomed around 300 guests, including Joanna Kane, the Mayor of Redditch, to the official opening of St Godwald’s Retreat in Bromsgrove.
The peaceful, award-winning garden was created and generously donated by F.B. & Sons Lawns & Landscapes for Primrose Hospice.
Garden Designer Marc Harbourne-Bessant said: “We were absolutely blown away by how many people from the community came to the opening.
“To see people walking around the garden, sitting in the lodge, picking up the wind phone, made us feel a lot of emotions – it was just incredible.
“It was so special to speak to so many people to tell them the story of the garden. This is when the garden really starts to live”
The garden features a hand-built Reflection Lodge, which houses one of only six wind phones in England. Inspired by the Japanese concept of the “wind phone,” this unique feature offers a space for private and personal reflection.
Although it is not connected to any network, the wind phone serves as a symbolic portal to the past, allowing visitors to speak to loved ones who have died or express words that were left unsaid.
Angélique Dalton, chief Operating Officer at Primrose Hospice, said: “We would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to the entire F.B. & Sons team and to every person involved in bringing this garden to life.
“After being showcased at the Malvern Spring Festival 2025, the garden has now found its forever home here at Primrose Hospice. It’s been a truly beautiful project, and we’re so grateful for the team’s support. Primrose is such a special part of our community. We deliver incredible services here, but we couldn’t do it without the ocean of support around us — our wonderful community.
“The ripples of what we do at Primrose Hospice reach far and wide. No one ever knows when they might need the support of a hospice, but we want you to know: we’re here for you and your loved ones, whenever you need us.”
Find out more about the garden by visiting https://primrosehospice.org/about-us/st-godwalds-retreat/
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