Jubilee Pollinator Garden opens in Magheralin
Having been awarded the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pollinator Garden Award, a grant of £100,000, in May of this year, Magheralin Parish has created a beautiful garden in the church grounds.
The Garden of Reflection which officially opened on Friday 18 November, is a space to be shared and enjoyed by pollinators and people alike. It is a garden for the whole community, a place of beauty to be still and enjoy creation.
At the ribbon–cutting ceremony Judith Kinnen, Outreach Operations Manager, spoke on behalf of the parish and thanked all those who have been involved in the project; the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for providing the grant and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful for the administration and continued advice and support throughout the project. Judith also thanked the designers, Waddington–McClure, the garden contractors, New Landscapes, and the children from Maralin Village Primary School and St Patrick’s, Magheralin, who helped to plant bulbs.
Secretary to the Select Vestry, Mildred Dawson, cut the ribbon with help from a pupil from Maralin Village Primary School.
Revd Simon Genoe, Rector of Magheralin, said:
“The piece of land beside us was something of a wasteland in the middle of our lovely village, but I hope it now becomes a place that the whole community can be proud of. This is a place for everyone, and we hope that it encourages a buzz of both wildlife and of people to spend time here.
“Given the occasion for this garden was the Jubilee, we found it fitting that the Queen’s favourite psalm, included in both her wedding and her funeral would be a part of the Garden. Psalm 23 is one of the most familiar of all scriptures, known by Christians and non–Christians alike. It describes an experience of being guided, cared for and refreshed by the presence of God through the legs of life’s journey, including lying down in green pastures.
“We want this garden to be a place that is good for nature where life flourishes, and we also want it to be good for people, where their physical, social, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing flourishes too.”
Also present at the official opening were Bishop David, the local MP Carla Lockhart, representatives of the church select vestry, the garden committee and Magheralin Community Association.
