Our return to Green UPLIFT's and exciting plans for the project!

 

Green UPLIFT is back for another season of green social prescribing, it's a project that we’ve been successfully running since 2022 and is all about bringing a ‘breath of fresh air’, through connection with nature and creative events in green spaces. We have a programme of outdoor creative events and regular meetups, designed to build our connection and understanding of the natural environment, always with a creative twist!   

First up on this year's green UPLIFT calendar was a trip to the National Trust’s beautiful, Wentworth Castle Gardens where exciting plans for the project got underway!

Green UPLIFTER’s spent the afternoon enjoying a picnic and hearing all about the history of the gardens by head gardener, Rachel. She shared their plans for the future and how they planned to link with the community, of which Creative Recovery will be involved!

We are delighted to be included in the restoring of the Union Jack garden project and have been offered a small section of the geometric, Union Jack Garden which was first planted in 1713. We will work on with the gardening team to create something that represents our community and exciting plans are already underway to create a garden that inspires it’s visitors to look up and enjoy the sky.

Lead artist for Green UPLIFT, Helen Boutle says: 

“Our wild section of the Union Jack garden will be moderately tamed but will mostly be embracing all that's there, the dappled shade of the noble oak, the view of Scots pine from the far reaches, fragrant mock orange with its hidden nooks. Our path follows the natural course of the garden circling the Mulberry Bush. It is quite secluded but is surrounded by bushes and feels safe and cosy. I will be a quiet space to retreat to.”

Inspired to create a space to rest in nature, Green UPLIFT are thrilled to be working with musician, Nick Lewis who from September will spend 6 weeks creating a nature meditation. Described as a ‘sound piece to soothe the soul’ this will include sounds taken from the gardens and words inspired by the gardens, woven together with music. On visiting the garden, visitors will be able to read about what we’ve created and why and a QR code will be available for visitors to sit on a bench and enjoy the piece of music that has been created whilst taking in the space and surroundings.

We can’t wait to return to this in the Autumn and reveal the fruits of our labour but in the meantime, we need you! Calling all our green fingered enthusiasts – if you can help in the initial clearing of the garden project then we’d love to hear from you! Keep an eye on our Facebook posts for details on how you can help and get involved.

More on the restoring of the Union Jack Garden project can be read here:

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/wentworth-castle-gardens/restoring-the-union-jack-garden-project