TV garden makeover inspires woman to help others

A woman living with sight loss who featured on the BBC's Garden Rescue says she plans to use the revamped space to raise money for charity.

Sonia Booth wrote to the TV makeover programme after her worsening eyesight left her struggling to cope with her cottage garden in Shaftesbury, Dorset.

The episode, available on iPlayer, saw the team rethink the space to make it easier to navigate and manage.

Ms Booth said her future plans included an open garden event for the charities that have supported her.

Ms Booth said a combination of glaucoma and Sjögren's syndrome had caused her sight loss to accelerate in recent years.

She said her garden had always been a sanctuary but the stepping stones had become a trip hazard and her shrubs had grown out of control.

She said: "I can't go out as much so to spend time in a beautiful place in my own home is extremely important now.

"I've watched Garden Rescue right from the start and I record every episode.

"There was no one more surprised than me when I got through because they normally do people who don't know about gardening but, because my garden is quite nice already, I was shocked to get through the process."

During the episode, the design team planted raised beds with low maintenance plants, chosen for their texture and scent, and installed a pergola for shade.

Ms Booth, who described the revamp as "absolutely amazing", said: "I would like to open the garden next year, just a mini open garden, to raise funds for Dorset Blind Association and for Sjogrens Association - it's quite a rare condition and it's a small charity that doesn't get masses of support.

"And Dorset Blind Club here in Shaftesbury, hopefully we are going to have one of the outings here and have an afternoon tea in the summer for as many members of the club that we can fit in my 13m by 8m garden."

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