More than 200 people flocked to the Guernsey Botanical Trust’s 20th anniversary at Saumarez Park on Saturday, to thank those behind the heritage fruit and vegetable garden.
With 20 years being a ‘china anniversary’, the free afternoon tea party featured live music from local musicians, complimentary refreshments and homemade cakes, all served on the volunteers’ own fine china crockery, which had been passed through generations of their family.
Every aspect of the event had been donated by the garden’s keen supporters to raise funds for the garden.
Events coordinator Joy Liggett said the milestone belonged to the volunteers who had built the garden from the ground up, since the establishment of the trust in 2006.
‘We wanted to say thank you to everybody who’s played a part,’ she said.
‘You simply couldn’t do this without volunteers. Whether they’re baking cakes, putting up gazebos, making jam for the shop or working in the garden, every little bit helps.’
Founding volunteer Linda Priaulx said the transformation over the past 20 years had been remarkable.
‘When we started it was little more than rubble,’ she said.
‘Now it’s somewhere people come to enjoy, and it’s wonderful to know it will be here for future generations.’
Head gardener Jill Tetlaw, who has volunteered since 2012 after retiring from teaching, said the gardens had become a community.
‘It wouldn’t exist without the volunteers,’ she said.
‘And seeing how much people enjoy it makes all the hard work worthwhile. Everything that we plant must be pre-1901 – because that’s when Queen Victoria died. We can’t claim to be a Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden if we don’t stick to that.’
Jayne Spicer, another founding volunteer – known as the ‘queen of sweet peas’ – said she joined the trust because of her love of gardening, and she remains rooted by the rest of the crew.
‘I liked the idea of refurbishing a garden from scratch, and I’m still here,’ she said.
‘It’s hard work, and it has its ups and downs – but the volunteers here work as one team.
‘There’s no little cliques, and that’s why it all comes together.’
Hundreds of visitors had arrived within the first two hours to celebrate. The Pimms proved so popular it was almost gone within half an hour.
Joining in on the merriment was renowned plant breeder Raymond Evison, who founded the trust.
‘It’s a very special day,’ he said.
‘We’re delighted that so many were able to come and celebrate our 20 years with us.’
Funds raised from the day will go towards maintaining its Victorian glasshouses, replacing ageing heritage fruit trees and preserving the collection of pre-1901 fruit and vegetable varieties grown on site.
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