St Dominic’s Priory Cloister Garden – Byker
“The small Cloister Garden adjacent to St Dominic’s Priory, Byker had become neglected over the years and it was decided as part of the Jubilee Year to restore it to something like its former state. The borders had become infested with brambles and the bushes became overgrown.
“The Shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes at the south end of the garden had also become overgrown with weeds and the stonework needed cleaning.
“All the borders were cut back to ground level allowing the existing flowers to grow and additionally new plants like lobelia, geraniums and nasturtiums were planted adding colour to the garden.
“During clearance, an old timber bench donated to the parish in memory of Doreen Maitland, was uncovered. It had been neglected with the seating timbers and their support in a very poor condition together with one of the bench’s legs totally rotten.
“Initially, it was thought that the seat would be destined for the Council tip, but after some consideration, it was decided to clean the existing framework to determine the extent of the deterioration prior to a final decision being made of its outcome.
“We then decided to try and restore the bench to something like its original state to preserve the memory of the donors. A new leg together with the seating supports were replaced along with repairs to the seating timbers and the seat repainted in a green colour to blend in with the new garden.”
