Official garden opening at St Mary's Calne

From 22nd to 24th September, St Mary's Calne enjoyed a series of wonderful 'Leaf to Leaf' events to mark the opening of their beautiful new Garden and Library.

On Wednesday 22nd September, they were delighted to welcome Gardener, BBC broadcaster, writer and lecturer, Pippa Greenwood, to officially open the Lime Kiln Garden.

Originally planned for Spring 2020, the Garden Opening was postponed due to the pandemic, so it was even more special to welcome guests and bring their community together again to unveil this beautiful space, designed by Sally Harley-Martin.

Governors, parents, alumnae and trustees of the Calne Foundation Trust joined the celebrations in the September sunshine.

Headmistress, Dr Felicia Kirk, welcomed guests and opened the evening of celebrations; she described the extensive benefits of this unique space and how it has become a wonderful asset enjoyed by the girls and staff alike.

Dr Kirk went on to thank Garden Designer and former Calne parent, Sally Harley-Martin, who meticulously designed the space to create ‘an oasis of calm contributing to the wellbeing and enjoyment of everyone in our community’.

Sculptor Anna Bromiley was thanked for the crafting of Faith, Hope and Love: three elegant sculptures which sit within the garden, as well as former parent, Lisi Ashbridge, for the magnificent hand carving on the slate plaque mounted in the central recess of the dias which displays Cicero’s words 'SI HORTUM IN BIBLIOTHECA HABES DEERIT NIHIL' (If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need).