MAYBERRY Garden Centre in Portslade has donated more than £650 worth of garden plants and gardening equipment to aid the Martlets Hospice in the major redesign of its gardens.

Included is a silver birch tree to provide dappled shade, and a rose named Compassion, providing scent throughout the summer months.

Tates Garden Centre director Darren Clift said: “We have a long-standing relationship with Martlets Hospice and have supported them as one of our key charity partners since Mayberry opened in 2010.

“One of our former members of staff was cared for at the hospice so this only added to our determination to support the project when we heard about it.

“Hospices like this one do fantastic work and it means a lot to us at Mayberry to be able to support them in any way we can.”

Imelda Glackin, Chief Executive Officer at Martlets, said the hospice was thrilled.

She said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have the continued support of Tates Garden Centres.

“Our current building project is almost at completion and this new work will create greater accessibility to our facilities as well as increasing the parking capacity.

“The garden is always such a focal point at the hospice and so the trees and plants Mayberry has donated to us will enable us to transform our new spaces back into the green and fragrant surroundings which bring such pleasure to patients, visitors and our staff.

“A huge thank you to everyone who has helped make this transformation such a wonderful success.

“For further information or to support our life-changing hospice care, I encourage people to visit www.themartlets.org.uk or call 01273 747455.”

Tates of Sussex includes Paradise Park Garden Centre at Newhaven, Mayberry Garden Centre in Portslade, South Downs Nurseries and Garden Centre in Hassocks and The South Downs Heritage Centre, also in Hassocks, and next to South Downs Nurseries.