“Threshold – On Life and Living” is a floral installation to raise awareness of the life supporting work of the hospice during terminal life illness, and ultimately over the threshold beyond this life, and to illustrate the hospice’s motto “where people come to live”. The installation will be found in the Floral Marquee (exhibit number 407) at the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park running from Wednesday 17th to Sunday 21st of July.

Our design is in memory of our dear friend, Christine Jones.

About East Cheshire Hospice

East Cheshire Hospice is a warm and welcoming space for adults facing life limiting illness. We provide care, comfort and compassionate support to patients and their loved ones which is our number one priority. To sustain our services free of charge to those in need in our community, we rely on daily fundraising efforts totalling £9,362.00. This vital support, generously provided by our local communities, enables us to make a meaningful impact. Our recently refurbished Sunflower Living Well Centre offers an array of supportive day care services tailored to patients and carers, including specialised support for various illnesses such as motor neurone disease and dementia. At East Cheshire Hospice, we recognise the profound significance of gardens and outdoor spaces for our patients, which is reflected in our Hospice gardens. These serene environments serve as sanctuaries within our community, offering healing and comfort amidst the soothing embrace of nature.

About the Floral Installation Design

A wooden door frame is flanked either side by a willow hedge. The door is a clear symbolic threshold, and is surrounded with circular shaped lower willow hurdles. The circular outer design describes the eternal circle of life, and divided into 4 curved sections, symbolising the 4 stages of death. Dried and fresh flowers will climb up to decorate the door frame, forming a living threshold.

The flowers are “cottage garden” and will be arranged in our signature “wild garden style”. Both fresh and dried flowers will be used to decorate the space, all sustainably British grown, with the aspiration that most will be grown, gathered and cut from our Cheshire canalside cutting garden.

Whites and yellow summer flowers, including East Cheshire Hospice’s symbol, the sunflower, will be arranged into glass vases. Lighter more ethereal stems, as well as dried flowers will be included to symbolise the cycle of growth, life and senescence.
Flowers are with us at key moments of our lives. Like the hospice, they provide great comfort and support by their sheer beauty, their scent and in the act of kindness of giving them.

The hope is that the installation illustrates a living floral threshold with its aim is to raise awareness for the great work of East Cheshire Hospice.