Author: Mark Woods, 18 July 2023
RHS Tatton Flower Show in Cheshire is one of the highlights of a garden-lover’s calendar, and features beautiful gardens by leading designers. This year one of them, based on Psalm 27, was sponsored by Bible Society – and its designer Ollie Pike won a silver medal for its creation.
The weather at Tatton was challenging – far from warm and with plenty of wind and rain as the garden was built, but the rain held off until the judges had finished their inspection on Tuesday.
The garden was inspired by the graveyards Ollie used to visit during lockdown, which he found to be calming and welcoming spaces where he could reconnect with nature. Psalm 27, which begins ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation’, spoke to him of God’s protection in the face of challenging circumstances, and of the eternal hope found in him. Stone markers and a tomb-like structure speak of our mortality, but there’s also the sense of a journey through grief to hope. The planting evokes a meadow, with soft grasses and wildlife-friendly flowering plants.
Bible Society’s CEO Paul Williams said, ‘We’re really proud to bring this garden to the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. Psalm 27 deals with issues of fear, loss and hope which are still so relevant to us today. So, we hope it’s a reminder and an invitation to go back to something foundational, spiritual and beautiful in our lives.’
Sarah Eberle, who designed Bible Society’s Psalm 23 garden at Chelsea in 2021, said: ‘Ollie has stuck to the brief very well and created a really lovely garden. It’s so important that young designers have the chance to experience these events.’
The garden will have a second life at Sheffield General Cemetery, now a much-loved heritage green space. One of the Cemetery trustees, Catie Evans, said: ‘We are delighted to be the recipient of Ollie Pike's RHS Tatton Psalm 27 Garden sponsored by the Bible Society. The Psalm 27 Garden will be a wonderful addition to this significant place.'
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Fear, mortality, the need for guidance and protection, courage and hope: it’s all there in Psalm 27. Join spoken-word artist Dai Woolridge as he brings the psalm – or poem – to life.
Relax with this mindful reflection
Take ten minutes out of your busy day and listen to a meditation based on Psalm 27, an ancient poem that takes us on a journey from fearful circumstances to hope.
Watch: What made Ollie Pike create a garden from a psalm
Childhood holidays, the pandemic and a funeral all inspired the creation of Ollie Pike’s Psalm 27 Garden, as he explains on a behind-the-scenes visit to Somerset.
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