Inspirational North Lanarkshire garden takes shape at new home
Work has started to give an award-winning garden from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show a permanent home in North Lanarkshire.
The Down's Syndrome Scotland garden will be located at the Watch US Grow charity within Palacerigg Country Park, Cumbernauld.
This has been funded by Project Giving Back, a unique grant-making charity that supports cause-driven gardens at RHS Chelsea, ensuring their legacy continues by relocating them to community sites across the UK.
Watch US Grow supports young adults with Additional Support Needs with gardening and life skills, and they will be involved in recreating and then maintaining the garden, which will be open to the public from next year.
Designed by Nick Burton and Duncan Hall of Burton Hall Garden Design, the garden takes visitors on a journey through the life of someone with Down's syndrome.
It highlights their many unique qualities while also challenging visitors to appreciate and understand the barriers that people with Down's syndrome still face as they strive to live their best lives.
It was inspired by Duncan's eight-year-old nephew, Liam, who has Down's syndrome and is supported by Down's Syndrome Scotland.
The garden was awarded a Silver Gilt medal for small show garden and the People's Choice for Best Small Show Garden.
North Lanarkshire Council Leader Jim Logue and Convener of the council's Environment and Climate Change Committee Councillor Helen Loughran visited the garden site to meet the team involved.
'The garden is truly inspirational, creating a picture of the qualities of people with Down's syndrome as well as the challenges and barriers they face on a daily basis,' Councillor Logue said.
'The young people from Watch US Grow will benefit hugely from being involved in planting and looking after the garden and we're proud to have the garden here at Palacerigg Country Park for visitors to enjoy for years to come.
'We also hope it raises awareness of and sparks discussion about the issues faced by people with disabilities in our communities.'
The double award-winning garden will officially open in May 2026 when it will be in full bloom, recreating the stunning garden that was seen by the thousands of visitors to RHS Chelsea last month.
'For a charity like Watch Us Grow, who use gardening to educate and improve people's lives, there is no greater opportunity than this,' said Tom Harten, General Manager at Watch US Grow.
'The Down's Syndrome Scotland Garden will now become an integral part of Watch Us Grow and the work we do. It will be maintained by adults with Additional Support Needs, which will include Down's Syndrome but also Autism and a range of other learning disabilities.
'This is so great for so many including the two charities, Watch Us Grow and Down's Syndrome Scotland, and the garden designers but also for North Lanarkshire, Palacerigg Country Park, the local community and garden lovers all over Scotland who may like to visit. I would like to thank Down's Syndrome Scotland for recognising the work we do and choosing to partner with us to look after this amazing garden.'
Eddie McConnell, who is the Chief Executive of Down's Syndrome Scotland and who lives locally in Cumbernauld, joined the Leader and the Convener in their recent visit to the garden at Watch US Grow.
He said: 'We are thrilled to bring our Chelsea Garden to Palacerigg Country Park and to partner with Watch US Grow and North Lanarkshire Council who have been so supportive of our efforts to create this unique public space for everyone to enjoy.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
Is the huge rise in autism diagnoses really good news? We're not so sure
Prof Gina Rippon dismisses too easily the genuine concerns about overdiagnosis of conditions such as autism and the medicalisation of normal behaviour (Why the antagonism over the rise in autism diagnoses? It's actually good news, 21 July). She correctly observes that there has been an astonishingly large increase in diagnosis rates since 1998. She also notes correctly that, before the 1980s, autism was diagnosed infrequently because of its 'overly narrow' definition. However, in arguing that many children consequently missed out on the help they needed, she draws the wrong conclusion. She fails to mention that other diagnoses were available for such children, including social anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disability, among others. Children needing help were frequently diagnosed with one of these, and with sufficient reliability to enable help to be offered within available resources. Moreover, it is well known that the diagnosis of autism by itself does not indicate any specific kind of intervention. Rippon also welcomes the soaring rates of diagnosis, assuming it somehow explains the behaviour of those given it. However, autism is just a descriptive diagnosis. The diagnostic criteria comprise a large cluster of behaviours, such that two people with the diagnosis may display no behaviours in common. The common underlying psychological or neurological abnormality, if one exists at all, is simply not known. I recall during my clinical career in child and adolescent mental health services (Camhs) being asked by parents of a boy with an autism diagnosis: 'We know he has autism, but why does he behave the way he does?' The only available explanation would be an individual assessment of the child concerned and the settings that trigger any behavioural difficulties. Rippon ends by claiming the high rates of autism diagnoses are simply a reflection of human diversity. However, in doing so, she inadvertently reflects what those concerned about overdiagnosis are actually saying. It's precisely because we welcome human diversity that we wonder why such high levels of diagnosis are necessary to understand Richard HassallKnaresborough, North Yorkshire As there are so many references to a 'bad old past' in Gina Rippon's article, I thought it might be helpful if I commented on some of the misapprehensions she expresses. I worked as an academic child psychiatrist from the 1960s to the 1990s, including as a psychiatrist to a school for autistic children. First, the rise in diagnoses has been even greater than Rippon suggests. In the first edition of my textbook, published in 1986, I give the prevalence as three to four per 10,000 children. It is now at least 100, a 30-fold rise. Second, the rise is either entirely or almost entirely due to a redefinition of the condition. So-called Asperger syndrome has been abolished as a diagnosis and merged into 'autistic spectrum disorder'. Third, I do not recognise the supposed difficulty in diagnosing girls with this condition. Certainly, I had no hesitation in doing so when it was indicated. Whether the redefinition of autism is good news or bad news, I, like many others, would find it difficult to say. Alongside the change in definition has come a welcome reduction in stigmatisation and greater willingness to attend relevant services. On the other hand, child mental health services are overwhelmed and many parents are frustrated by their incapacity to obtain what they, quite unrealistically, see as life-changing help. Rather than seeking a definitive diagnosis, many would be better served by encouragement to see their problematic children as 'different' and needing an upbringing tailored to their particular strengths and GrahamEmeritus professor of child psychiatry, University College London Gina Rippon presents the astonishing rise in autism diagnoses as evidence that more members of marginalised groups are benefiting from being diagnosed. It is true that growing numbers of people are suffering mental distress, and the evidence links this with increased poverty and inequality. It is also true that access to services and welfare typically still requires a psychiatric diagnosis. But it is entirely unjustified to describe autism as an incurable, neurodevelopmental brain disorder, except in the case of a small number of individuals who will require lifelong support and may never live independently. The extension of autism diagnoses to potentially include billionaires like Elon Musk, along with celebrities and others with successful careers, is unsupported by evidence. In fact, despite Rippon's claim of 'stunning advances', no neural or genetic factor robust enough to aid diagnosis or predict treatment response has ever been found. Additionally, there are significant disadvantages to framing diagnostic labels as identities to be celebrated. The experiences described by many people now claiming to be autistic are better explained as consequences of the rootlessness and individualism that characterise everyday life today, the effects of what sociologists call 'victimhood cultures', the invidious influence of social media, and the contribution of abuse and other adverse experiences to distress of all forms. We do not need yet another way to individualise and commodify the grossly uneven impacts of these social pressures. Instead, we need to fundamentally transform our profoundly unequal society, dismantling the myths that make inequality appear John CrombyHonorary professor of mental health and psychology, University of Nottingham Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
ITV News
3 days ago
- ITV News
Nottingham mum 'would probably still be alive today' if ambulance was sent
A mother, who was found dead alongside her disabled daughter at their home in Nottingham, would "probably still be alive today" if an ambulance had been sent to her, a coroner has concluded. The bodies of Alphonsine Djiako Leuga, 47, and Loraine Choulla, 18, were discovered last May at their council home in Radford. It's thought they could have been dead for months. The inquest heard that Ms Leuga had called an ambulance asking for help three months before the pair were found dead. An ambulance was never sent because they thought the call had been abandoned. East Midlands Ambulance Service 's head of patient safety, Susan Jevons, told the inquest there had been a "missed opportunity". Today, coroner Amanda Bewley said: "I am entirely satisfied that had East Midlands Ambulance Service sent an ambulance when she called, Loraine would not have died." She added that she can't say for sure whether Miss Choulla would have survived. Ms Leuga suffered from sickle cell anaemia and died from pneumonia. Miss Choulla had Down's syndrome and learning difficulties and was "entirely dependent" on her mother for food and hydration, Nottingham Coroner's Court was told.
BBC News
4 days ago
- BBC News
New neurodiverse support centre opens in Dingwall
The family of a six-year-old boy who lives with autism has paid tribute to those behind the creation of a new facility in charity Autism and Neurodiversity North Scotland (ANNS) has opened the first purpose-built neurodiverse support centre in the includes a soft play area, sensory room, garden and family space and is aimed at youngsters aged between four and Law, whose son Alfie regularly attends the centre, said the facility was desperately needed as previously there was nothing similar that they could access. It is expected to benefit 120 individuals - and their families - who live with conditions like autism and nearest similar facilities are in Aberdeen or the central said he understood that funding was an issue but he felt more centres like the one in Dingwall were needed."It's not anybody's fault but it's great that there's people actually putting their hands in their pocket and helping," he said."I don't think those people who are helping get enough recognition and thanks."Thank you for doing what you're doing and giving us the opportunity to put our son somewhere that is a beacon of hope and an opportunity for us to reconnect with our children."The facility was made possible due to a donation of £200,000 from long-time supporter of the charity, Envoy Council has also given a similar amount to cover operating costs for the next two years, thanks to Scottish government funding. Billy Alexander, ANNS chief executive, said the facility marked a major milestone not only for the charity but for neurodivergent communities across the said many rural areas were missing out on vital support McLaughlin, chief executive of Scottish Autism, said it was an excellent facility that would benefit many individuals as well as their families. SNP MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Maree Todd added that although funding was challenging, the new facility showed what could be achieved by working collaboratively.
