Visit top gardens to help charities
When she moved into her gracious Beacon Bay home 25 years ago, Ina Bowes’s large garden had just three trees and lots of grass.
Today its expansive, curvaceous flower beds are planted up with colourful blooms and shrubs.
Bowes’s traditional garden is one of 25 of East London’s loveliest gardens that have been opened to the public this weekend for the Pam Golding Properties Garden Show.
At the heart of the popular garden show are the charities that benefit from the fun. Homeowners donate all proceeds of ticket sales and tea- garden takings to charities of their choice. Last year R170000 was raised.
For Bowes her choice of charity – the Shelley Belles Home – is especially close to her heart. The facility is home to her daughter, Shelley, 29, who is severely mentally handicapped.
“Shelley has Down’s Syndrome and autism and attended first McClelland School and then Parkland School until she was 21, but after that we were stuck because she is too severely handicapped for most adult facilities,” said Bowes. “We wanted to create a place for her because we needed to secure her future and she needed to socialise, so we bought a house in Beacon Bay and set up the Rochelle Bowes Trust.”
Her daughter’s nickname, Shelley Belles, was chosen for the home, which accommodates Shelley, two other moderately-to-severely mentally handicapped women, and a house mother and carers.
Money raised by the garden show will go towards a much- needed Kombi for the Shelley Belles residents and carers. “Our current one has been breaking down,” said Bowes.
To boost takings, passionate gardener Bowes is also hosting a poolside tea garden at her elegant home, and is tempting visitors with a menu of delicious quiches, scones, carrot and chocolate cakes, and pecan nut pies.
Plants and second-hand books will also be for sale.
l The garden show runs today and tomorrow between 10am and 5pm. Tickets at R50 are available from charities and homeowners, and allow entrance to all the gardens.
For a list of the addresses and the charities that are being supported, find the Pam Golding Properties Annual Garden Show for Charities on Facebook. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za