A care home in Tywyn has a new garden, thanks to the local community.
MP Liz Saville Roberts officially opened Llys Cadfan’s garden, praising the “coming together” of the community to create a flower, vegetable and sensory garden to help residents living with dementia reconnect with their former lives.
The garden was funded by a National Lottery Cronfa Gymunedol/Community Fund grant of nearly £10,000. Helping cut the ribbon was Llys Cadfan resident and keen gardener Pat Flippence.
“It’s a delight to see the whole community come together to create this garden for the residents of Llys Cadfan,” the MP said.
“It’s involved everybody across the generations - pupils from Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn as well as a lot of tradespeople and businesses - and it looks absolutely fantastic. It’s been designed to be accessible to those with limited mobility and will help to remind residents of their own gardens.”
Created on land in the care home’s grounds, the garden contains raised beds, paths, wooden seating built around a flowering cherry tree, a greenhouse and a shed. The fenced space not only provides residents with a pleasant outdoor area in which to sit, but also gives them an opportunity to take part in gardening activities.
As well as flowers, shrubs and hanging baskets, there is also a vegetable patch, where rhubarb and strawberries have been planted, with more fruit and veg growing in the greenhouse.
Dilys Williams, who applied for the £9,751 lottery grant on behalf of Llys Cadfan after getting involved with the home through an aunt who was a resident, said: “People living with dementia lose their short-term memory but will remember hobbies they enjoyed in the past, such as gardening or just sitting in the garden.
“This new garden provides a safe and healthy environment, adding to the care and wellbeing of those at the home who are living with dementia.
“Not all of those living with dementia at Llys Cadfan will be gardeners, so the space also contains sensory items. Residents can enjoy seeing the ceramic butterflies in the tree, the smell of lavender and the gentle tones of the wind chimes – as well as the wildlife the garden will attract.”
The project, which was carried out by Stephen Pilkington of North Wales Bespoke Creations, also involved Year 7 to 11 pupils from nearby Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn who visited weekly to help cultivate the garden.
Bethan Williams and the Eco group at the school attended Llys Cadfan weekly where they learnt about dementia and the value of what this garden project will mean to the residents.
The school hope “you are all proud of what you have achieved”.
Year 11 student Anaé Angood, head of the school’s eco council, said she and her fellow pupils had enjoyed “playing a part in helping to reconnect residents with Nature and, hopefully, their memories of their own gardens”.
Another Y11 student, Finley Wells, said: “It’s nice to see people at the care home are happy to have a vibrant garden and a place to sit outside and it’s been good to have been involved in the project. There’s a great sense of satisfaction now it’s finished.”
The official opening event was attended by Tywyn residents as well as the town’s mayor, Cllr John Pughe, Dwyfor Meirionnydd MS Mabon ap Gwynfor, Cabinet member for adults, health and wellbeing at Gwynedd Council Dilwyn Morgan and assistant head Rhion Glyn.
Speaking after the event, Mrs Saville Roberts said: “I was delighted to open the new garden at Llys Cadfan Care Home, Tywyn.
“This project is the result of a collaboration between project lead Dilys Williams, Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn Eco Committe and support from the National Lottery and Keep Wales Tidy.
“I hope the garden will bring many hours of enjoyment to both the residents and visitors. I congratulate all involved on their efforts.”
Thank you to Ros Dodds for her help compiling this story.