A Corner of England to Bloom in New York

By Rebecca English, The Daily Mail, London, 19 April 2004

It is a pleasant, if unremarkable, spot in the heart of New York.

But if all goes to plan, a tiny piece of England will soon be blooming there.

Little more than two blocks from the scene of the world’s worst terrorist atrocity, campaigners are hoping to plant a garden in memory of the 67 Britons who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

The £3 million project in Hanover Square has attracted a host of influential backers, including the Prince of Wales, who has agreed to become patron.
The garden will be encased by 67 iron railings decorated with rose, thistle, daffodil and flax motifs in honour of the victims.

Inside, 25 stone benches interspersed with box hedging will give visitors a place to sit and enjoy the peace.

The project’s motto is Reflect, Remember, Rebuild. Seeds taken from Henry VIII’s gardens at Hampton Court Palace will ensure the flower borders blossom.
In fact all materials used in the garden will come from different parts of the British Isles.

The designers, husband-and-wife team Julian and Isabel Bannerman, have created gardens for the Prince of Wales at Highgrove, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Sir Elton John.

The couple are using the famous lines from Rupert Brooke’s war poem, The Soldier – “..That there’s a corner of some foreign field / That is forever England” – as inspiration for the project. The centerpiece is a 20ft. sculpture made from a single block of pure black granite, created by Turner Prize winner Anish Kapoor.

Hanover Square, in the heart of New York’s financial district, is an appropriate setting for a British memorial.

It is named after George III and was one of the few places in New York to retain its royal links after the American revolution.

The charity behind the project – the British Memorial Garden Trust – hopes that it will also be seen as a tribute to all British servicemen and women who have lost their lives serving their country.

It hopes to start work on the garden in the autumn.

“The garden is a wonderful international celebration and will make a uniquely British contribution to the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan,” said MP David Tredinnick, who will launch the Trust’s £3 million British appeal today.

“It will be a garden unlike any other in the city and form a very special place of recreation and reflection.”

For details on sponsoring the garden or making a donation to the appeal visit the web site www.britishmemorialgarden.or.uk or telephone 01732 810543.

Published by courtesy of The Daily Mail.

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