A garden specifically for people with dementia has opened in Kilburn - the first of its kind in Brent.

Brent & Kilburn Times: Award winning Life Without Wall garden opens in Kilburn for dementia sufferers PIcture: Brent CouncilAward winning Life Without Wall garden opens in Kilburn for dementia sufferers PIcture: Brent Council (Image: JOHNNY)

The Life Without Walls garden is now brightening up an old plot in Watling Gardens.

Mayor of Brent, Cllr Arshad Mahmood was joined by the community to officially open the garden on September 22.

The space is designed as a haven for people living with dementia and their carers to help reduce social isolation.

People living with dementia will tend to the garden enabling them to get involved in an activity and support their community.

Cllr Lia Colacicco was the driving force behind moving the garden to Kilburn after a chance meeting with Prof Fidler, professor of HIV medicine at Imperial College. who initially concieved the idea for a garden.

She said: “For years I have been wanting to create a garden for both dementia patients and carers. “I was touched by the strong desire of dementia sufferers to contribute to society. As one man put it -I’ve lost my memory not my marbles.”

The garden was designed by Naomi Ferret Cohen as a landmark project for people living with HIV.

It was first launched at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show where it won a silver-gilt award.

With no funding and with no real clue on how to bring the garden across from Chelsea Cllr Colacicco appealed to the community.

She said: “Best of all this beautiful garden hasn’t cost us a penny, everything has been donated.”

Brent Council put her in touch with Veolia and Wates who took care of landscaping and paving, while local branches of B&Q and Selco provided the materials.

Support flooded in from Mapesbury Residents Association, Friends of Gladstone Park and Garden Friends who lent vans, and carried, dug and planted 800 plants.

Alan Milner of the Tenant Management Organisation watered them every morning to save them from the heatwave.

Cllr Colacicco added: “This project has proved that people power can move mountains – or certainly a very special garden.”

Cllr Mahmood said: “This is a great example of what can happen when the community comes together to improve the local area.

“The resulting garden is a beautiful place for everyone to enjoy.”