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Curating The Doorstep Library Garden: Words Take You Places
23 May 2023
This year, for the very first time Ultimate Library have collaborated on a garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Created in support of Doorstep Library a London-based children’s literacy charity, Doorstep Library Garden: Words Take You Places celebrates the magic of reading and the importance of rainforest conversation. It is the result of a unique creative collaboration between designers, landscapers, artisans and our team of passionate book experts – as well as several acclaimed children’s authors and publishers.~~The balcony garden has been conceived by Gini Denison-Pender, garden designer and founder of Beautiful Wild, whose vision was to create a space where future generations can find wonder in the natural world. Ferns and other delicate plants from temperate rainforests surround a cosy window seat made from centuries-old Cedar of Lebanon – creating an ideal spot for a parent and child to snuggle up and read together.
Contributors including floral designer Philippa Craddock, creative stylist Anna Garner, and couturier Giles Deacon have come together for this unique project in support of Doorstep Library a charity whose mission is to instil a love of reading in children. Children’s literacy ability is central to their chances in life and yet the Fair Education Alliance report that 1 in 4 children leave primary school still unable to read properly, with 1 in 5 not owning a book at all. The Doorstep Library volunteers work with children from birth to 11 years old, from disadvantaged areas of London, transforming lives by bringing books into homes, reading stories, and growing the whole family’s self-confidence. Like the plants and flowers found within the garden and throughout the show, books have the capacity to truly feel alive, their words brought to life by stories that inspire the imaginations of young readers. ~~The charity’s mission aligns closely with our own to create a better-read world by increasing access to reading materials globally. Our curators have worked closely with Gini to pull together a selection of books that encourage a love of the natural world and enable the reader to travel into intricate far-flung ecosystems, which continue to be impacted by our actions. The titles selected contribute to the flora and fauna of the garden with both content and colour chosen to link the books with the garden’s aesthetic. Beautifully illustrated titles such as
The Rainforest: Light and Spirit
by Harry Holcroft and Ghillean T. Prance sit on recycled glass shelving alongside illuminating children’s books like Christopher Lloyd’s
It’s Up To Us: A Children’s Terra Carta for Nature
, featuring a foreword by King Charles III.
As parents and children sit on the window seat, the tropical rainforest plants will peep through the layers of calm green, as if the whole scene had leapt from the pages of a book. To bring this all to life we’ve invited celebrated children’s authors to join Gini in the garden each day to talk to visitors about their books, and the importance of nature in children’s writing. Visitors can expect to see authors such as Dr Chris Thorogood, Leisa Stewart-Sharpe, Thomas Mogford, Matthew Biggs, and Prince’s Foundation – if not HM King Charles III himself (!) and signed copies of each author’s book will be available at South Kensington Books.~~For those not able to join us at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Doorstep Library Garden will be relocated to the LLC Max Roach Centre in Brixton, where 65% of the visiting families have no access to outside space and 35% of the children have special educational needs. The garden will offer children and adults alike the opportunity to curl up in a luscious rainforest setting and be transported by reading.
Learn more about The Doorstep Library Garden: Words Take You Places
here
. To find out how you can support Doorstep Library through donations or volunteer work, visit their
website
, and follow them on
Instagram
and
Twitter
.
We believe in the power of books to create a sense of place and new perspectives. Our bespoke book collections have a great impact on a guest’s overall experience of a hotel or resort. It’s small extras like books in rooms and library spaces that make a guest’s stay extra special, and many of our clients receive high praise for their book collections. For private clients they make a house their home.
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