Jayne Woodhouse has discovered some fantastic writers hidden in Horatio’s Garden South West during her residency and has loved every minute of collaborating with and chatting to those who have joined her in the garden.
Whilst lots of people have engaged with her whenever she’s been quietly nestled amongst the planting or working in the garden room, one particular patient has sat alongside Jayne on countless occasions throughout the past few weeks.
The two have become something of a dynamic duo and have been really relishing having the opportunity to write together. On her most recent foray to the haven, Jayne suggested that the two attempt to pen a poem, whilst they also spent time reviewing the start of the story he began last week.
Having been moved by something he said in one of their earlier meetings, Jayne shared that this had inspired her to suggest that the two craft something to reflect his fond feelings for the garden. Being an instinctive writer, he felt that it was wonderful idea. The following verses were the result:
Horatio’s Garden
A Poem by Anonymous & Jayne
There’s nothing dark in the garden,
No matter what’s in my head,
The sights and sounds that greet me here
Bring light and joy instead.
The flowers are bright with colour,
Alive with the buzzing of bees,
The gold, the blue and the violet,
Reflecting the light through the trees.
The dappled shade of the archway
Protects from the fierce midday heat,
The rippling stream calms me,
As I rest by the old wooden seat.
Whenever I feel downhearted,
And my mood is dark and low,
That special place in the garden
Will heal my soul, I know.
Watching the pair creatively engaging with their natural surroundings sparked intrigue in another patient who had been chatting with the two throughout the afternoon. After a little consideration, he decided to take a few prompts and ideas away with him, which Jayne very much hopes he will try when he has the time and space to give them some thought.
Simply speaking with patients is something Jayne has found to be immensely rewarding and she’s noticed that her activity and presence in the garden has offered a way for people to speak about their situation and how they’ve been feeling over the course of the week. She’s been touched by these moments, expressing that they have been equal to, if not more important than, the activity of writing and capturing those thoughts on paper.
Not wanting her residency to end, Jayne was absolutely thrilled to be asked to continue coming to Horatio’s Garden for a further two sessions and we’re already eagerly awaiting the imminent arrival of a new collection of thoughtful pieces. They will most certainly be a joy to read.
