A memorial garden in which the founder of Biddulph in Bloom’s favourite flowers will grow year after year was unveiled on Thursday.
Paid for by townsfolk in honour of the late Hilda Sheldon MBE, the memorial garden, on the corner of Wharf Road car park, was designed by Ryan Pullin, (47), fondly described as Biddulph in Bloom’s “head gardener” and who first started to help Mrs Sheldon keep the verges tidy when he was still at school.
He was at the Thursday’s ceremony alongside Mrs Sheldon’s daughter Carol and new town mayor Coun Adrian Lawton, who unveiled the plaque.
Mrs Sheldon’s own words are engraved on it, which say: “I don’t do this for the awards and the recognition. I do this for the people of Biddulph. So they can be happy and proud of the town they live in.”
In his speech ahead of the unveiling, Coun Lawton said it was an “honour” to be there and described Mrs Sheldon as a “truly remarkable woman”.
He told those who had gathered: “Hilda was more than a founder of Biddulph in Bloom, she was the heart and soul of a vision, a vision that transformed our town street by street, planter by planter and bloom by bloom.
“Through her passion, dedication and endless hours of hard work, Hilda shaped Biddulph into the vibrant, welcoming town we are so proud of today.”
Coun Lawton added: “She believed in the power of community. She believed that flowers could brighten more than just pavements, they could lift spirits, bring people together and remind us of the beauty that surrounds us when we take the time to care.”
He said those that come and sit on the memorial garden benches could “appreciate and be inspired by the kindness and determination of someone who gave so much to this town”.
He continued: “This garden is a tribute not only to Hilda’s memory but to the values she lived by – service, pride in our town and a belief that ordinary people can do extraordinary things.
“On behalf of the people of Biddulph and with heartfelt gratitude I say ‘thank you Hilda’, may this space bloom with the same warmth and generosity that you brought into our lives.”
Mr Sheldon died in 2022 at the age of 80.
The memorial garden has been paid for with donations given in her memory, largely from what mourners gave at her funeral.
Design
Mr Pullin described the memorial garden’s design, featuring sustainable plants and planters known as parklets, which includes water reservoirs to keep the compost moist.
He said a “feature” cherry tree will grow a blossom in spring followed later in the year by autumnal colours.
Mr Pullin said: “I’ve staged the planting so that the perennials will start in spring and when one fades another should come into flower. They are all insect-friendly as well.
“Hilda very much liked to use perennial planting, and herbaceous borders were one of her favourites.”
He also explained that a memorial yellow-scented Korresia rose also featured.
It is a similar rose to one that grew in a memorial rose bed he and Mrs Sheldon once created at the bottom of Fold Lane.
“Hilda also loved lavender so we have also put an edge of lavender around the rose bed as well,” he said.
He wanted to mention a sculpture of a “Miss Bateman” clematis that also features in the memorial garden, one of four Mrs Sheldon commissioned an artist to design some years ago.
The planter design company that created the parklets and benching for the memorial garden is called Amberol, which Mrs Sheldon knew well.
Mr Pullen said: “When he asked Amberol about the new planters they didn’t know about Hilda and they were quite upset.
“They said they would give us a really good discount and on top of that ‘we’ll give you a ‘Hilda’ discount’ – and on top of that the company made a donation.”
The memorial garden’s main sponsors are Poynton’s Plant Centre in Biddulph, Jacksons Nurseries in Bagnall and a Chells Building Supplies, who gave a “very large” donation.
Mr Pullin, a domestic and commercial gardener by profession, had known Mrs Sheldon for 30 years.
He recalled: “Back in the early days it was just myself and Hilda, there was no team. It was just me and her going around the town tackling neglected areas, just strimming verges.
“When I first started with Hilda I was still at school,” he said.
“While I was waiting for a college course to start she said ‘why don’t you come and help me’. And 30 years later I’m still here.
“A few years back I had a bit of an accident and injured my back. When I was recovering I didn’t know what to do and Hilda encouraged me to do something else within my job.
“I ended up doing a course in garden design, and Hilda personally paid part of my course fees as she was so keen on me doing something.
“As a result of the course I’ve also got a design and landscape business as well and it’s all down to Hilda.”
Cry
During Thursday’s ceremony Biddulph town crier John Robinson gave the following cry in memory of Mrs Sheldon: A long time ago, or so it now seems. Flowers? In Biddulph? The stuff made of dreams.
Then appeared a lady to put matters right, set out her stall to make Biddulph bright.
Hilda planted a daffodil, then a few thousand more. “I want some baskets for pansies galore.”
The rest of course is history, Hilda was a driving force of that there is no mystery.
Here, there, working with the young and old. Who would dare defy her, no one, truth be told.
She dedicated her life to beautifying the town, despite trials and tribulations she never let anyone down.
Hilda is now gone, she will be gardening in heaven.
Would she plant a bush or two, no, she would make it six or seven (to laughs from those gathered, before Mr Robinson added “100”, to more laughs).
Her legacy stands before you, simply look around the place. The only thing that’s missing is Hilda’s smiling face.
But Biddulph in Bloom is carrying on, its reputation still growing. Spurred on by Hilda up on high seeing and all knowing.
God bless you Hilda, this tribute’s for you. May Biddulph and its community always remember you.
(Photos: Biddulph in Bloom).
