Cardiff school creates winter garden based on Ps 23

Fifty children from a primary school in Cardiff have helped to create a winter Psalm 23-inspired garden.  

The idea was the brainchild of local vicar, the Revd Will Souter. ‘The garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show was stunning, beautiful, peaceful and restful,’ he said. ‘It was a brilliant concept to help people to think about prayer and contemplation.’ 

You can watch a video of the garden on the Urban Crofters church Youtube below:

Will decided to create a winter garden in the outside space of the Urban Crofters church. He approached the staff at the nearby Albany Primary School to get local children involved.  

The school is highly multi-cultural with 54 languages spoken, so Will’s lessons in the school about Psalm 23 showed how the psalm is important to several faiths.  

The children wrote stories based on the psalm, journeying from restfulness to struggle, to celebration at the end. These stories were hung around the garden.  

A local artist painted three murals for the garden, based on drawings that the children had done. In the first, children and sheep lie in green fields alongside a pool and stream. In the second, a shepherd leads his flock between erupting volcanoes, spiders and large snakes (all the things that the children had said they were scared of). In the final image, a table is set for a banquet.  

Evergreen plants in pots were donated to give the outdoor space some colour and texture.  

‘It was great fun,’ said Will. ‘I think the children really enjoyed it. There was really great enthusiasm on the day.’ 

For many of the 10- and 11-year-olds who took part this was also the first time that they had visited a church and learned what happened there. ‘They were very curious,’ said Will, ‘and they really enjoyed their visit.’