Garden is England’s highest

CUMBRIA Tourism chairman Eric Robson has unveiled England’s highest ever garden at a tourist attraction in the Lake District.

Mr Robson, who is also chairman of BBC Radio Four’s Gardener’s Question Time, has given the official seal of approval to the showpiece which has gone on display at Honister Slate Mine in the Borrowdale Valley near Keswick.

The garden was made by award-winning landscape designer Andrew Loudon of Coniston, and was Cumbria’s official exhibit at this year’s Royal Horticultural Society show at Tatton, Cheshire.

It has now been brought home and recreated piece-by-piece to go on permanent display at the mine.

Called the Lake District Reflections Garden, the entry won a silver in the competition and was featured on the BBC’s coverage of the competition in which Gardener’s World presenter Joe Swift described it as his favourite.

It is planted with native flora and fauna from the area as well as green slate from Honister Slate Mine to represent the Lake District mountains. 

A tranquil pond emulates the lakes of the area.

Mark Weir, owner of Honister Slate Mine, said: “We are pleased to be able to bring the award-winning garden back to Cumbria where people who did not manage to get to Tatton show this year will now be able to see it.”

Honister Slate Mine is the last working slate mine in England which has diversified into tourism by offering a major visitor centre, café and guided underground mine tours to explain the incredible stories and hardships faced by the original Borrowdale miners who worked and lived, high on Fleetwith Pike.

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