Hospice Open Gardens arrives

Helderberg Hospice Open Gardens takes place on Saturday October 10 and Sunday October 11, during which four gardens will be featured, one being the McEwan garden, pictured.

This Japanese-inspired garden was planted as a joyful reminder of the owners’ son, Robert, who succumbed to Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2017, at the age of 26.

Robert loved all things Oriental, and on the first birthday after his passing (a birthday which he shared with his mom), his family bought a bonsai tree that had been planted in his birth year (1990) in his memory.

This initiated the creation of this beautiful space, which is truly a celebration of life. One of the loveliest features in this special garden is the Koi pond.

Carefully placed Buddhas and several bonsai trees enhance the peace and tranquillity of the garden, while another distinguishing feature is the prolific herb and vegetable garden.

Robert was an animator, and his sister Terry created the Minion #Robrocks, which depicted his fun-loving and mischievous nature.

The #Robrocks have travelled all over the world – there are around 500 or so out there.

Terry doesn’t hide them herself, but makes them for travellers far and wide.

A few have been placed locally (one of them in the Helderberg Hospice garden), but she mainly makes them for other people to take on their journeys around the world. Anyone who finds one, is asked to post their find on Instagram or Facebook, with the tag #Robrocks memoryrocksfor
robbie, and then to re-hide the rock or keep it and take it on another journey.

People are to like the Facebook page “RobRocks Memory Rocks for Robert McEwan”, then see if they can find the memory rock in the Helderberg Hospice Garden of Remembrance.

For more information about the Open Gardens, call Cheryl Rundle at Helderberg Hospice, at 021 852 4608, or visit www.helderberghospice.org.za