Garden centre giant Dobbies has partnered with Alzheimer’s Research UK to raise £10,000 for vital research by curating and selling a Sensory Garden Bulb collection.
Most gardeners will know that autumn is the best time to plant your spring bulbs, and if you want a garden that is bursting with colour, while contributing to a great cause, this charity collaboration has arrived just in time.
The sensory garden bulb collection is £15 from Dobbies and features tulips, alliums and narcissus. These garden favourites are popular since they brighten any garden ideas with ease. And now, Dobbies and Alzheimer’s research have revealed another reason why these blooms are so special.
Dobbies Signature Collection
Spring Sensory Garden for Alzheimer’s Research Uk
Retailing at £15 per pack of 15, £5 from every sale goes straight to Alzheimer’s Research UK to fund vital research into the disease.
An estimated 982,000 people are living with Alzheimer’s in the UK, according to the Alzheimer’s Society. The UK’s biggest killer, one in three people born in the UK will develop dementia in their lifetime.
Dobbies and Alzheimer’s Research UK’s goal of £10,000 will fund up to 278 hours of scientists’ lab time to help find a cure. Since 1 March this year, Dobbies has raised £30,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK via events, charity walks and in-store donations.
(Image credit: Future PLC/Leigh Clapp Photography)
Alongside fundraising to find a cure for dementia, Dobbies and Alzheimer’s Research UK have partnered to show how gardening can have a positive impact on brain health. The Sensory Garden 15 Bulbs Collection has been carefully picked to help engage the senses and provide positive stimulation.
Sensory garden ideas can serve as a therapeutic space for all, containing plants and objects that appeal to our senses and make us happy. Sensory plants are incredibly helpful for those with dementia as their colour, touch, and scent can help calm and ground, and even encourage the recollection of memories, according to NHS Forests.
The Sensory Garden Bulb Collection contains the striking Allium Purple Rain that engages the senses of sight and touch; Narcissus Bridal Crown, known for its bright and scented blooms; Tulip Blushing Apeldoorn, with its colourful bobbing flowers; and Tulip Purple Rain, adding a bold and dramatic finish to displays. These stunning blooms are also best planted in September, which is also World Alzheimer’s Month.
(Image credit: Future PLC/Leigh Clapp Photography)
‘If nothing changes, one in two of us will be directly affected by dementia – either by caring for someone with the condition, developing it ourselves, or both. At Alzheimer’s Research UK, we’re committed to finding a cure for dementia, and Dobbies is helping us achieve this by raising vital funds for research,’ says Paul Glazier, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Alzheimer’s Research UK.
‘This beautiful bulb collection is doing just that, with money from each pack being donated to our cause. Gardening is also a great way to show our brains some love and potentially reduce our risk of developing dementia. Being active in the garden, learning new skills, connecting with others and planting these bulbs are great ways to show our brain some love while supporting life-changing dementia research.
‘We’re incredibly grateful to Dobbies for standing with us, and we want to say thank you to everyone who buys a pack. We hope the bulbs bring colour and joy to gardens across the country.’
WESTWOOD FOX
Westwood Fox Leather Gardening Gloves
Wearing gardening gloves will help protect your hands from some irritants found in spring bulbs such as Narcissus.
Crocus
Bulb Planting Auger – Long
A bulb planter means you can plant bulbs from standing without kneeling or crouching. It’s also handy to use if you have heavy or dense soil.
Spear & Jackson
Spear & Jackson 4813bp Traditional Stainless Long Handled Bulb Planter
This bulb planter has imperical and metric measurements so you can accurately see how far down you have planted.
The Sensory Garden Bulb Collection is available to buy in-store and online now.