My name is Sharon, and I live in Derry now, but I’m originally from Donegal. When I was 11, I moved to Glasgow, which is where my Scottish accent comes from! I ended up staying in Scotland for over 30 years before life took me back to Northern Ireland. A couple of years ago, I met my partner, Sean, and that’s what brought me home.
I have three daughters who all still live in Glasgow. When I met Sean, they gave me their blessing to move back, which meant a lot. I’m lucky to have family in both places, it’s a lovely mix.
I work as a telephone counsellor in mental health and wellbeing, which I find really rewarding. Outside of work, I love dancing. In fact, I’ve even danced around this very garden! Creativity is something Sean and I both love, and it’s a big part of our relationship.
Sean and I met online, and we always joke that it was ‘love at first swipe’ because that’s pretty much how it happened! We spent weeks chatting before we met in person, which meant we really got to know each other on a different level. It felt like fate, like we were meant to be.
When we finally met, everything just clicked. It was a whirlwind romance, and before I knew it, we were already talking about me moving over. He’s my best friend, and I know it sounds cheesy, but we really do just ‘get’ each other. We share the same sense of humour, we motivate one another, and we bring out the best in each other, especially during tough times.
When I first met Sean, I’d been through a lot of loss, and he was there for me. Later, when he was in hospital, I was there for him. We’ve supported each other through so much, and it’s only made our bond stronger.
Sean was in a motorbike accident in 2016, which left him in a wheelchair. By the time we met, that was already part of his life. He also developed scoliosis, and last February, he had surgery to straighten his spine, which was meant to improve his long-term quality of life. Unfortunately, complications made things really tough. He ended up in ICU at one point, and it’s been a long road. But he’s come through it all with so much strength and positivity – it’s honestly incredible.
After months in hospital, he was finally transferred to Musgrave Park Hospital’s spinal centre in October 2024, which was such a relief. I can’t imagine what it was like for him, being in hospital for so long. His sister and I visit as much as we can, even though the trip from Derry isn’t easy. Belfast traffic can be a nightmare, but it’s always worth it! There’s still a long way to go in his recovery, but being here, with access to the garden, has made a huge difference, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too.
The day after Sean arrived, we discovered the garden, and I can’t even describe the difference it made. After months of being stuck in a hospital room, just staring at walls and ceilings, suddenly stepping outside into all this greenery was overwhelming. I got so emotional, I was just in awe. The colours, the smells, the sound of the water feature – it was like stepping into another world.
That first time I was in the garden, I was like a kid, running around pointing out all the flowers. It was such a shift, so uplifting. It reassured me, too. Before, I’d always leave the hospital worrying about Sean, knowing he was just stuck in that room. But now, I leave feeling different, because I know he has this peaceful, beautiful space to spend time in.
We’ve had some really special moments in the garden. One of my favourites was when we danced together. I was wearing my big green fans and Sean came out in his chair and started moving around me. It was the first time in months that we’d done something creative and fun together, and it was all because of this space.
What I love most about the garden is what it gives – not just to people in the gardens, but to the family members, too. It’s a place to breathe, to escape for a little while. It gives us a sense of normality. We can make a coffee, have a bite to eat, all things we’d do at home. There’s a real sense of community here, and it’s comforting to talk to other families who are going through something similar.
The garden also offers little private pods, which are brilliant when you need a quiet moment. You can curl up with a blanket and a book or just sit and reflect. And then, of course, there’s the plants! Just taking a few minutes to walk through, looking at the flowers, smelling the greenery, it’s like instant mindfulness.
Another thing that makes the garden special is the way it brings people together. There’s music, art, and activities. One day, I was back home in Derry, and Sean sent me a video of a woman playing the harp in the garden. He was just sitting out there, soaking up the music, and I could hear the happiness in his voice.
One of my favourite memories was making pizzas in the garden with herbs and tiny tomatoes we picked ourselves. Sean wasn’t able to come out that day, but everyone made sure to set some pizza aside for him. Moments like that remind me how important this place is. It’s not just a garden; it’s a space that brings joy, connection, and a little taste of home.
The experience here has inspired us to bring more of that into our own lives. I’ve started looking at our home and thinking about how we can bring in more plants, more colour. Before Sean leaves, I’ll be chatting to Head Gardener Matthew for ideas on what we can do at home. The whole team here has been amazing, and we’ve taken so much from this place, lessons we’ll carry with us long after we leave.
For anyone going through a tough time, I can’t recommend connecting with nature enough. It’s healing in ways you don’t even realise. Even something as simple as going outside for ten minutes, breathing in fresh air, looking at plants – it makes a difference. I’ve started filling our home with little plants because I don’t want this experience to end when we leave. This garden has been such a gift to us, and now we want to carry a little piece of it with us, wherever we go.