Bushey woman to take part in fifth Chelsea Flower Show (From Watford Observer)

Patricia Thirion to take part in fifth Chelsea Flower Show

4:30pm Wednesday 6th February 2013 in News By Kathryn Snowdon, Reporter

A Bushey woman will make her fifth appearance at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show centenary with a garden designed for WaterAid.

Patricia Thirion, of Merry Hill Road, who owns Hertfordshire based Touch of France Garden Design with business partner, Janet Honour, was inspired by WaterAid’s work in areas of India that experience flooding.

Patricia said: "It just makes you think, we tend to take things for granted here, in India they just don’t have anything."

Patricia lives with her husband, Peter, and decided to embark on a garden design course at Capel Manor College in Enfield, Middlesex, after her son grew up.

The designers first teamed up with the charity last year and focused on its work in Africa.

Patricia said: "When you are doing a garden for a charity you somehow feel differently because you just want to put them first."

Barbara Frost, Chief Executive, WaterAid, said: "Our garden is symbolic of how WaterAid’s work can transform lives."

The garden will be covering an area of 7m by 4.5m and the backdrop will include a house on stilts with a veranda, surrounded by marigolds, roses and hanging garlands.

Patrica met business partner Janet, when studying together as mature students and the pair first decided to apply to the flower show after graduating in 2006.

Chelsea Flower Show starts on May 20 and lasts for five days.