JERSEY could be the gardening centre of Europe, if not the world, according to a Jersey-born horticulturist, Peter Ricou, who currently works in the UK as a consultant to developers of major gardening attractions.
His plan is to create, on one site, a whole series of garden attractions that would appeal to gardeners, using vacant sites at Howard Davis Farm as a core site, and other available agricultural land.
Mr Ricou said: ‘We could create carbon copies of the ten great gardens of Europe, or the eight great British National Trust gardens, as well as creating a huge display that would be based on the history of gardening.
In essence, we would create a gardening theme park, something that has never been done anywhere in the world.’His vision has been enthusiastically supported by Senator Ted Vibert, who has compared the plans to the original idea of the late Gerald Durrell: ‘What Gerald Durrell did for Jersey tourism, Peter Ricou could do with this vision,’ he said.
‘We just have to turn it into a reality.’Senator Vibert added that he was so impressed with the plans that he offered to fully support Mr Ricou, and to argue his case to the Tourism Advisory Board, and to the Tourism Investment Fund for a £40,000 grant to carry out a four-month feasibility study into his proposal.
Article posted on 24th March, 2004 - 12.00am
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