After 13 long years of participation in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, British troops will return home in 2014 with many wounded both physically and mentally and in need of recovery.
And it is just this type of support offered by charity Help for Heroes which has inspired Hope on the Horizon, a Show Garden designed by Matthew Keightley of Maidenhead-based Farr & Roberts Landscaping, for the auspicious RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2014.
Announced by the RHS last week on 11th November 2013, Remembrance Day, Hope on the Horizon is inspired by the Help for Heroes ethos – ‘inspire, enable, support’.
Commenting on his design, 29 year old landscape designer, Matthew Keightley, whose own brother has served four tours of duty in Afghanistan for the RAF regiment, explains:
“The garden is designed to represent the complex recovery process our service men and women go through on the road to recovery. Planting within the space represents the soldier’s mental being, reflective of their state of mind at various stages throughout the journey”.
Following the Chelsea Flower Show Hope on the Horizon will be incorporated into the second phase of Farr & Roberts’ landscaping works for Help for Heroes. Chavasse VC House is a Recovery Centre run by Help for Heroes in the Garrison town of Colchester, Essex which forms part of the Defence Recovery Capability. The Centre supports key parts of the recovery process by providing 360 degree holistic care to those who have suffered life changing injuries and illnesses as a result of their service for our country.
The project is being sponsored by entrepreneur and philanthropist David Brownlow through his charitable foundation The Havisham Trust. The Havisham Trust is committed to enhancing the lives and wellbeing of individuals and communities where there is an element of disadvantage, through personal development or the improvement and regeneration of their community.
For more information on the Hope on the Horizon garden please contact Farr & Roberts on 01628 623 097 or visit www.farr-roberts.com.
Since 1949, Farr & Roberts have taken great pride in delivering both residential and commercial projects of the highest quality, through an uncompromising attitude towards standards of service.
The company’s heritage and success is founded upon the principles of honesty and integrity. Through the fusion of innovative and bespoke design, alongside traditional and experienced craftsmanship, Farr & Roberts Landscaping offers a unique design and construction experience from the combination of our in–house teams.
About Matthew Keightley, Landscape Designer at Farr & Roberts
Matthew Keightley (29) began his landscape design career at the age of 17. His international experience includes garden consultations and designs in Paris and Cairo, as well as Perth, Australia.
From the modern, urban spaces of Chelsea and Kensington in London, to the expansive, traditional and Kent countryside and Henley-on-Thames riverbanks. This will be his first RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden.