The memorial garden has been created in memory of Newham residents who lost their lives due to COVID-19 and in honour of front-line services who supported Newham’s most vulnerable residents throughout the pandemic. It features different types of planting as well as integrated artworks, and invites visitors to remember and reflect through experiencing the seasonal changes and bespoke timber totems.
The three totems have been specifically designed for the memorial garden. Together with the existing trees in the glade they represent the themes of regrowth, support and community. The totems invite touch, including a “touch trail” that a visitor can trace with their finger. Each has a different story to tell:
Regrowth - Symbolised by the seasonal changes of the trees. Engravings show the cycle of autumn, followed by winter, spring and summer. The touch trail is formed by tree branches, surrounded by the various leaves falling from the trees.
Support - Symbolised by the creatures that are supported by the tree. Engravings show all the wildlife which the trees support, from bugs to birds, bats, woodpeckers to earthworms. The touch trail is formed by the falling seeds and fruits of all the trees in the glade, surrounded by the animals and birds supported by the tree.
Community - Symbolised by the connections between and beyond the trees. Engravings show underground soil networks (mycelium) through which the trees communicate, and pollinators in the air. The touch trail is formed by the underground soil networks, surrounded by flying insects and feathers of local birds.
