New garden goes down a treat with green-fingered residents

Green-fingered residents at a Poole housing scheme are able to enjoy their favourite hobby thanks to a new inclusive garden.

Aster Living’s Delphis Court provides extra care accommodation for elderly and vulnerable people.

About half the residents at the Avenal Way development are wheelchair users.

Now, after a year of hard work and dedication, a party has been held to mark the official opening of a new-look garden.

It includes:

A sensory garden for residents with limited or no sight..
Three brick raised beds for growing vegetables which can be accessed by wheelchair users.

A wheelchair accessible raised decked area, planted with roses as a remembrance garden.
Colourful borders which can be seen by residents who rarely leave their flats.

Poole Borough Council and Aster Communities local neighbourhood panel helped pay for the garden scheme with two separate grants.

Aster Communities is Aster Living’s sister company and the local neighbourhood panel helps fund local community-based initiatives.

Four garden centres – Haskins, Golden Acres, Plowmans and The Oaks – donated materials and Parley-based Eco Sustainable Solutions provided its popular Eco Mix product.

Able-bodied residents and volunteers from Poole Quarter cleared and replanted the garden.

Niki Simmons, Aster Living extra care area manager, said: “The new garden looks absolutely stunning. The group has done a wonderful job in transforming it and we know all the residents will enjoy spending time out there.”

Peter Hardy, Commercial Director, Eco Sustainable Solutions, said his company was delighted to help out.

He added: “It’s good to be able to put something back into the community and if we can help a worthy cause, as on this occasion, then we’re only too delighted.”