Joan boxes clever to claim silver success

Joan Mulvenna in her award-winning care home garden at the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park in Cheshire

A CAREER change has added up to Tatton success for a former maths teacher who turned her life around after a debilitating illness.

Joan Mulvenna won a silver medal for her care home garden at the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park in Cheshire — six years after being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.

The mother of two, who taught at Failsworth School for five years, was admitted to hospital in September 2005 with a suspected brain haemorrhage. Though a false alarm, Joan’s ill health persisted and nine months later she was diagnosed. She gave up work in December 2006.

But she used her passion for gardening to gradually build up her energy and stamina and launched her Prestwich-based garden design business in April 2009 — with poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy among her customers.

Joan created a garden for Tatton’s smaller plots category, which shows what can be created in the back yard of a terraced house. The design is intended for care home residents and has raised beds at different levels to cater for those who want to garden standing up or sitting down.

Delighted with her silver medal, she said: “We battled the weather and it battled us! The RHS has been very supportive, they really want you to do your best.”


RHS Flower Show Tatton Park runs until Sunday. Ticket prices range from £19.50 to £29, under 16s free. Information: www.rhs.org.uk/tatton.
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