By Amanda Froelich Truth Theory
Behind an unassuming home in Walkden, England, 78-year-old grandmother Sally Berry cares for a tranquil paradise which was once an unloved and derelict swamp. Dubbed The Secret Valley, it truly is just that according to the mother-of-three and those who visit her.
When she first moved into the house in 2010, Berry was surprised to see the two-acre site covered in dense knotweed. Though she was 71-years-old at the time, she was determined to transform it into the oasis she knew it could be, so used a scythe her son William purchased for her and got to work.
Seven years later, the valley is full of nesting swans and kingfishers, and ducks and geese frequently take advantage of the lakes and floating islands. As the Daily Mail reports, there are statues, an apple orchard, a rose garden, an abundance of wildflowers and plants alongside streams and, of course, a myriad of secret pathways one can take to visit the lake. Artists, as well, often times visit to decorate the landscape.
For the next three Sundays, Berry will be opening her home up to the public. Already, she is enjoying the meetings and excitement. Said Berry, “The people who come to see the valley are lovely. They are really interested in the story. Nobody thought it would work but it has. People wander around and are quite amazed. They say they never knew it was here.”
Berry is originally from London but was evacuated to Cornwall during WWII. She says her love of nature stems from the time she spent outdoors as a child. William purchased the land for her as a project and even was married in the garden.
Recalling the seven years his mother devoted to transforming the land, he said: “Mum spent virtually every day down there, hacking balsam with a scythe, chopping brambles with a machete and digging paths with a mattock, which is a type of shovel. After seven years of hard graft, the garden is an absolute success. I am amazed at how the land has transformed from a swamp into a paradise. It has been achieved by mum’s energy, experience, and endless enthusiasm.”
For the next few Sundays, Berry will be baking and offering cups of tea to visitors. “I have had the most pleasure in seeing it change,” she said. “It has been fun to design and fun to take on a place that no one else wanted. It was a challenge but I have actually enjoyed it all. It kind of invented itself as it went along.”
If you’re interested in visiting, visit www.thesecretvalley.com and www.ngs.org.uk. Open up to August 13, the valley has raised more than £10,000 for cancer charities.
Via Daily Mail
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Images Credit: Manchester Evening News
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