This garden has been thoughtfully designed by Rick Ford and created on behalf of Abigail's Footsteps, intended to be a calming place where parents and families can sit together and seek contemplation when grieving the loss of a baby. After the RHS Malvern Spring Festival is over, the garden will be replanted at Rochester Cathedral for the use of anyone who may need it. Please help us make this possible, every penny will help us get the garden to it's new home.

The garden is a calming and contemplative space that seeks to offer support and comfort to parents that are searching for solace when faced with the monumental loss of their baby. Designed as a series of interconnected spaces, that reflect the transitions that parents experience, with a tranquil planting palette featuring soft textured and scented plants. The seating area provides privacy and a feeling of enclosure to enable parents to feel at ease when managing their grief.

Raised beds, filled with tactile and fragrant planting sit next to reflection pools to further enhance the feeling of security and calm. Clipped topiary nestle amongst the planting as well as multi-stemmed birch and specimen multi-stemmed Amelanchier.

The small pavers, representing the small steps that parents initially take, make way to the larger smooth sawn paving, interplanted with soleirolia, representing the gradual acceptance and glimpses of hope for the future.

As part of the big move we will be welcoming volunteers to get involved, it's a great opportunity to part of this special project in our community, if you would like to give us a helping hand, please email events@abigailsfootsteps.co.uk so we can keep you posted.

Abigail's Footsteps provides bereavement counselling for families and training for midwives and healthcare professionals to support families suffering the devastating impact of baby loss. For more information about our charity please visit our website www.abigailsfootsteps.co.uk