By opening her impressive Beacon Bay garden to East London’s garden lovers, Carol Gregory is ensuring women who leave prison have a place to go to and start their lives afresh.
Gregory is one of 18 green-fingered gardeners who will be welcoming sightseers into their immaculately manicured outdoor spaces tomorrow and Sunday.
By doing so they will not only inspire other homeowners to add creative touches to their own gardens, they will also be raising funds for a host of charities including the East London’s Women Prisoners – Gregory’s charity of choice – Greensleeves, Cansa, the SPCA, Pet Pals, Compassionate Friends, Child Welfare and the Carel du Toit Centre.
Gregory has exhibited her spectacular garden at the Pam Golding Properties Gardens on Show since the inception of the open gardens event in 2011 and loves to share the fruits of her outdoors labour with others.
“Last year 200 people visited my garden, which is a mixture of all types of gardening,” said Gregory, who is also a pastor with Churchnet East London.
“There is a bit of English country, some tropical and also an indigenous section and we have also built two weirs so there is a water feature and lots of bird life. Last year we made R6000 and I’m hoping for R10000 this year which will be used to give aftercare to women ex-prisoners and create opportunities for them.”
Pam Golding East London principal Hanlie Bassingthwaighte said this year’s show would be enhanced by eight tea gardens at various homes in suburbs such as Nahoon, Woodleigh, Bonnie Doon, Gonubie, Vincent, Dorchester Heights and Amalinda.
She said she hoped the venture would garner even more that the R107000 that was raised for East London charities last year.
“All you have to do is find one garden by following the pointers with pink flowers and then you will buy your R50 ticket and receive a map of all the other open gardens.”
Fine art photographer Marlene Neumann is throwing her “fairytale story” garden open to the public in the hope that once visitors stroll through her labyrinth-inspired Vincent garden they will become enthused to perk up their own outdoor spaces.
“I have a fairly indigenous art garden which is designed for an adventure and visitors need to explore every nook and cranny. It is a very intimate garden and each person experiences it in a different way,” said Neumann, who will be raising funds for the SPCA and will mount a display of photographs of all the dogs currently needing adoption.
Also sure to draw garden lovers will be the garden belonging to first-time open garden participant Dr Wessel Strydom, whose Bonnie Doon garden can be described as “the hanging gardens of East London” inspired by famous gardens from around the world.
Strydom, who is also an artist, has created and installed sculptures in his terraced garden which is less than two years old and has been designed as a series of “garden rooms”, each featuring different plantings.
“I am excited to share my garden and for the public to experience its calmness. I want people to see what I think is beautiful in my garden,” said Strydom, who built his flowering terraces with the help of unemployed men stationed at Eric’s Corner.
lGardens will be open from 10am to 5pm tomorrow and Sunday and a R50 ticket can be obtained at any of the participating homes on these days. The ticket is valid for all 18 gardens over both days. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
Video: Garden beauty helps raise funds
Gregory is one of 18 green-fingered gardeners who will be welcoming sightseers into their immaculately manicured outdoor spaces tomorrow and Sunday.
By doing so they will not only inspire other homeowners to add creative touches to their own gardens, they will also be raising funds for a host of charities including the East London’s Women Prisoners – Gregory’s charity of choice – Greensleeves, Cansa, the SPCA, Pet Pals, Compassionate Friends, Child Welfare and the Carel du Toit Centre.
Gregory has exhibited her spectacular garden at the Pam Golding Properties Gardens on Show since the inception of the open gardens event in 2011 and loves to share the fruits of her outdoors labour with others.
“Last year 200 people visited my garden, which is a mixture of all types of gardening,” said Gregory, who is also a pastor with Churchnet East London.
“There is a bit of English country, some tropical and also an indigenous section and we have also built two weirs so there is a water feature and lots of bird life. Last year we made R6000 and I’m hoping for R10000 this year which will be used to give aftercare to women ex-prisoners and create opportunities for them.”
Pam Golding East London principal Hanlie Bassingthwaighte said this year’s show would be enhanced by eight tea gardens at various homes in suburbs such as Nahoon, Woodleigh, Bonnie Doon, Gonubie, Vincent, Dorchester Heights and Amalinda.
She said she hoped the venture would garner even more that the R107000 that was raised for East London charities last year.
“All you have to do is find one garden by following the pointers with pink flowers and then you will buy your R50 ticket and receive a map of all the other open gardens.”
Fine art photographer Marlene Neumann is throwing her “fairytale story” garden open to the public in the hope that once visitors stroll through her labyrinth-inspired Vincent garden they will become enthused to perk up their own outdoor spaces.
“I have a fairly indigenous art garden which is designed for an adventure and visitors need to explore every nook and cranny. It is a very intimate garden and each person experiences it in a different way,” said Neumann, who will be raising funds for the SPCA and will mount a display of photographs of all the dogs currently needing adoption.
Also sure to draw garden lovers will be the garden belonging to first-time open garden participant Dr Wessel Strydom, whose Bonnie Doon garden can be described as “the hanging gardens of East London” inspired by famous gardens from around the world.
Strydom, who is also an artist, has created and installed sculptures in his terraced garden which is less than two years old and has been designed as a series of “garden rooms”, each featuring different plantings.
“I am excited to share my garden and for the public to experience its calmness. I want people to see what I think is beautiful in my garden,” said Strydom, who built his flowering terraces with the help of unemployed men stationed at Eric’s Corner.
lGardens will be open from 10am to 5pm tomorrow and Sunday and a R50 ticket can be obtained at any of the participating homes on these days. The ticket is valid for all 18 gardens over both days. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
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