Historic North Yorkshire garden scoops £50,000

2:07pm Monday 1st December 2008

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A HISTORIC walled garden in North Yorkshire has scooped £50,000 after beating a parish council on a TV show.

The Helmsley Walled Garden, close to Sutton Bank, won the money after it appeared on the People’s Millions show.

The show picked eight finalists nationally with two drawn from each ITV region which viewers had to vote for.

The Helmsley Walled Garden took on Husthwaite Parish Council after they went head to head recently to gain the public’s support.

It plans to create a sensory garden with the funds and also to do educational work with youngsters.

Walled Garden manager Rebecca Williams said: “We are so very grateful to all of those people who voted for us.

“As well as restoring and protecting this important historic garden for local people to enjoy, our work will also allow horticultural therapy for special needs students and people with disabilities to come from miles around.”

The visitor attraction’s Physic Garden sensory feature will allow people to learn about plants healing properties.

Welburn Hall Special School pupils will help to create an exotic plant border with the funds too.

There will be raised beds for wheelchair access and a part-time horticultural therapist will be on hand in the garden.

Husthwaite Parish Council aimed to build a multi-games area in the village to cater for youngsters and teenagers with the funds.