EVERYTHING in the garden was lovely when the Tavistock Community Sensory Garden held their summer garden party last Sunday (June 25).

Head gardener Sally Whitfield said: ‘The garden and Rose Walk in particular, are looking at their best at this time of year’ – and this sentiment was shared by many of the visitors on the day.

Chair of trustees Richard Jones said: ‘Although there are always competing events taking place at this time of year, the garden party was well-attended by some of the garden’s regular users as well as Friends of the Garden and passers-by visiting The Meadows.’

Cakes and refreshments were available for a donation and entertainment was provided by The Edge Singers.

Richard thanked Café Liaison, Ellis’s Bakery, Flapjackery, The Original Pasty House and Tesco for their donations towards the refreshments. Homemade cakes and scones were also donated by some of the friends and trustees. The Lucky Dip Garden Game, designed and constructed by Annette Sharpe and Graham Parker, proved popular with the town mayor Andy Hutton and his consort Sue Hutton and Richard also thanked the mayor for saying a few words in support of the sensory garden.

The garden is in regular use by the Tavistock U3A petanque group on Monday mornings as well as other community groups such as Tavistock Memory Cafe and importantly young families and those just looking for a pleasant environment to have their lunch or to meet with friends.

The sensory garden charity is currently raising funds via the Co-operative Community Fund to increase the area of raised beds to display a wider range of fruit and vegetables for visitors to touch and taste.

In the meantime, another new project is being undertaken by members of Tavistock Youth Café who have helped construct two duck houses to be placed alongside the canal wall and a wooden chimes percussion structure to go in the garden. Other community groups interested in using the garden can contact Richard by email: [email protected].

Pictured right are mayor of Tavistock Andy Hutton, and his consort Sue Hutton with a young visitor at the garden party.