Show Garden concept
Show Garden concept specifically representing spinal disabilities, while also being fully inclusive for all abilities and disabilities. The entrance is through a water wall and opens out on to two main wide wheelchair-accessible pathways and two large pools with 3 inter-connecting rills, representing spinal fluid. The large dry, pitted, cracked concrete monoliths depict spinal injury and spinal defect, while the smaller concrete monoliths with in-built water rills show healthy spinal discs and vertebrae with flowing spinal fluid. At the end of the ‘long walk’ is a concrete seat with a gold seat inlay and space to the side for a wheelchair – this represents the long journey someone with spinal difficulties has to follow; while the two large ‘gold’ monoliths represent hope, joy and positive energy, with in-built hidden, height-adjustable seats with space between for a wheelchair; so that a disabled person can sit side-by-side with their loved ones, looking out on to the reflective pools and soft, naturalistic planting. One pool is planted up heavily, while the other is more open – light and dark, dark past or brighter future?