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The idea for this garden at Broadfield Primary School was born as a tribute to a beloved art teacher who sadly passed away at a young age, who loved Alice in Wonderland.

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The goal was to create a sensory-rich, whimsical space inspired by the Mad Hatter’s tea party, with curving paths winding through oversized teacups, teapots and playful features.

 

To bring this vision to life, I collaborated closely with an artisan blacksmith for the bespoke metalwork, a chainsaw sculptor who carved the White Rabbit and toadstools, and a mural artist who transformed an existing storage shed with a vibrant Wonderland backdrop. The structures are exaggerated in size to appear magically large to the pupils, thus evoking that sense of awe and fantasy central to the inspiration

 

A circular seating area serves as an outdoor reading circle, meandering paths curve around existing trees to enhance the sense of journey, antique copper kettles form a solar-powered water feature, while timed irrigation is fed by water butts.

 

Chestnut palling fencing encloses the space, with raised beds for planting and an adjoining allotment for hands-on food growing.

 

Finally, a barefoot-friendly "trumpet tunnel" adds a playful, tactile experience. Though the garden is always used under teacher supervision to maintain safety in this imaginative learning space.