St Godwald’s Retreat

The Garden is inspired by the life and times of St Godwald for whom the church in Bromsgrove, local to the Primrose Hospice & Family Support Centre, is named. Using ancient crafting techniques and influenced by the landscape surrounding the Primrose Hospice, the garden transports us to a space removed from modern life.

Within the wattle and daub gazebo sits a ‘wind telephone’ – an opportunity to speak with a loved one that has passed, the wind carrying these words out through the stone portal and into the world beyond.

A memory tree from the hospice carries the names and stories of loved ones. A labyrinth formed with scented herbs beneath its branches. Within a wildflower glade beyond there is a space for meditation, or just to lie and be surrounded by the sounds of nature.

The garden is punctuated by textured standing stones, inspired by the prehistoric landscape of Brittany that St Godwald knew centuries ago.

At a glance:

Who is this garden for? 
A hospice garden used by patients, friends and family.
Where is the garden set?  
Rural Worcestershire.
Who or what is the design inspiration?
The landscape surrounding the hospice garden in Worcestershire and the historic life of St Godwald.

Garden Legacy: