Shades of Sir Paul in new garden

QUIET SPOT: Sir Paul Holmes loved gardening, his widow, Lady Deborah Holmes says, and would have loved the Hawke's Bay Hospital's Soldiers' Memorial Garden that she opened yesterday. PHOTO/GLENN TAYLOR

Opening a soldiers' memorial garden was a fitting tribute to Sir Paul Holmes, says his widow, Lady Deborah.

The official opening of Hawke's Bay Hospital's Soldiers' Memorial Garden was attended by more than 30 people yesterday, with Lady Deborah the guest of honour.

The late broadcaster's wife told Hawke's Bay Today yesterday it was an honour to publicly open the garden on behalf of her late husband.

She said the memorial garden would have been something her husband would have enjoyed during his time at the hospital.

"During his stay at hospital, he mentioned a couple of times that it would be nice to have a little spot where he could come and think."

Lady Deborah said the broadcaster would have enjoyed the ceremony as he was all about the community coming together.

"He had a lot of passion for gardening - he planted most of the plants and built the pergola at Mana Lodge."

Lady Deborah said opening the memorial garden was a fitting way to thank the staff at Hawke's Bay Hospital for taking care of her husband during his stay. "The staff were very good to us and never gave away any confidential information about his stay in hospital. He got on very well with the staff - he would often make the nurses laugh. He just loved being around people."

Since her husband's passing on February 1 2013, Lady Deborah has turned Mana Lodge into a luxury accommodation and events facility, and maintains a positive outlook for the future.

"At the moment, we are preparing for F.A.W.C! and taking bookings for the summer - we've also received some great feedback from guests," she said.

Hawke's Bay District Health Board chief executive Kevin Snee said it took a small community group eight years to fundraise enough money to build the memorial garden. The idea for the garden was first put forward by Hawke's Bay Hospital clinical specialist for palliative care Gloria Morgan in 2006. Most of the fundraising happened in 2009 at the Christmas Remembrance Tree and White Doves event.

Dr Snee said the hospital had installed security cameras and lights to protect the garden from vandalism and thieves. "This garden is a place of reflection for all and it would be a terrible shame if we had to fence it off and lock it from the public at night."

He said he would like to thank everyone who had either donated time or money to the project.

"We would especially like to thank [New Zealand Credit Union] who donated the statue for the memorial garden."