Newport Couple Turn 1 Mid-Terrace Garden Into Tropical Jungle, Planning Charity Opening Next Month
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 1
Newport Couple Turn 1 Mid-Terrace Garden Into Tropical Jungle, Planning Charity Opening Next Month
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 1
Summary
Dave Robinson, 39, and Gemma Furby, 37, have transformed the back garden of their Newport mid-terrace home into a dense tropical space and plan to open it again next month for Tŷ Hafan Children's Hospice.
A single banana tree started the project after the couple bought their first home in 2016, with later inspiration coming from trips to Madeira and Cornwall's Eden Project.
Milder winters and hotter summers have helped exotic species thrive in the UK, Dave said, though the family researches plants carefully because some are poisonous or spiky.
Arlo, the couple's seven-year-old son, helps sow seeds and take cuttings, while the garden is also supplied through specialist nurseries and plant swaps.
The project has grown beyond their home: the couple launched a Welsh tropical gardening group in 2020 that now has 700 members, and they say the garden has supported Dave's mental health.