Dedicating oak trees to loved ones

We have planted 100 very special oak tree saplings in Furzey Gardens, half of which have been kindly sponsored by some of our supporters.

Those who’ve sponsored an oak have made special memories at Furzey, and will now have an oak sapling growing in the gardens dedicated to someone special. In some cases the trees have been planted in dedication and on behalf of a community group wishing to support the Gardens as a collective.

Oak tree sapling sponsorships are part of the Furzey Gardens special year’s centenary appeal to support people with learning disabilities in the gardens and beyond. The appeal raised almost £200,000, helping to ensure a flourishing future for this pioneering garden, and to continue providing a safe haven of tranquillity for so many people.

The saplings were planted in December and January to mark the end of the garden’s centenary year in 2022 with support from Head Gardener, Pete White. He was able to accommodate a couple of our supporters who wished to get their hands dirty and plant the oak trees themselves.

We were honoured to have been able to share this special moment with Samantha Doyle who was one of those who came along to plant an oak tree, in memory of her Mother. ‘When I had the opportunity to have an oak dedicated to my Mum, it just seemed perfect. We lost her four years ago and this is somewhere we used to come with her. She loved gardening, and she loved tea and cake. To be able to have something here that’s permanent for her and my family to come and see, is such a lovely combination.’ You can hear more from Samantha on why she’s so passionate about Furzey Gardens: Samantha Doyle: dedicating an oak tree to my Mum

We were also joined by Amanda and Jo who joined us for the planting event in January, along with Thomas, to whom the oak tree has been dedicated. Thomas is a person with learning disabilities who has benefited from the beauty and peacefulness of Furzey Gardens. Jo was able to share her thoughts with us on the planting day: ‘We’ve had trees dedicated to different people. Thomas has done a lot of work at Furzey Gardens, and so, in recognition of that, we’ve had various oak trees planted in dedication to different people who’ve been helped by this wonderful place’. You can hear a bit more from Amanda on how she feels about the gardens: Jo Cooke-Hurle: dedicating an oak tree to Thomas

Thank you to everyone who showed their support for Furzey Gardens by sponsoring a centenary oak tree sapling. We hope to see them flourish in this tranquil space for many generations to come.

When you sponsor a tree at Furzey Gardens, you will be helping to keep the gardens beautiful throughout the seasons for now and for future generations to enjoy. Find out how you can sponsor a tree:  Sponsor a tree at Furzey Gardens – Minstead Trust