Sensory garden opens in Guernsey's Delancey park

Mr Girard said there was still some work to do on the upper levels but people were already using the garden

A sensory garden has been opened to the public in Guernsey's Delancey Park.

It contains lavender and thyme among other plants and a number of picnic benches.

The garden is one of 18 projects, from the restoration of World War II and Napoleonic sites to a new cafe, planned for the 16-acre site in St Sampson.

Jerry Girard, former president of the Rotary Club of Guernsey, came up with the idea for the garden and said it was wonderful to see the area being used.

The Rotary Club of Guernsey and Rotary Guernesiaise teamed up with financial support from HSBC to create the garden above the park's bowling green.

Mr Girard said while president he had been looking for a community project to invest the funds allocated to the group from the Itex Rotary walk.

He said: "I was up there one day on a sunny afternoon and I thought what a fabulous place to have a garden and so that's where the idea was born.

"It looks out over the Little Russel, the islands and across to St Peter Port.

Mr Girard said it was one of the few places in the north of the island with such a great view

"It's the most fabulous view and there are very few places in the north of the island with somewhere to sit and enjoy a view like that.

"It's been a long time in fruition and we've had to go through lots of hoops and hurdles but we're there now."

Mr Girard said there was still more work to do to finish the upper levels of the garden.

He said: "Already when I've been up there I've seen families sitting on the picnic benches and having their lunch and a cup of tea and looking at the view.

"It's delightful, it puts a big smile on my face when I see people enjoying it as it's exactly what I wanted them to do."