Recovering from cancer changed my priorities
Overcoming a critical illness often encourages people to review their priorities. For garden owner Stacey McGovern that meant embarking on a garden design course and developing her love of gardens into her own business. She also opens her lovely garden in Hertfordshire for the National Garden Scheme. This is her story.
“My cancer diagnosis was so instrumental in affecting my outlook on life,” she told us. “To cherish each day with my loved ones; family and friends and to stop fretting the small stuff or things that are out of your control. I tend not to look too far into the future, focussing instead on what’s taking place now, being in the present and appreciating the small details. I’d say that I was more anxious prior to my diagnosis but following my all clear, would say ‘just do it… Why wait?!?”
Stacey’s bowel cancer journey lasted a year (2018) from initial diagnosis to surgery through to discovering a second tumour which resulted in chemotherapy and then chemo/radiotherapy. During this time, there were many periods when she felt so poorly during the gruelling chemotherapy, that the garden became her sanctuary.
“I was able to spend short periods immersing myself into caring for the plants; nurturing seedlings or newly planted areas. The garden allowed me to temporarily detach myself from what was consuming me. Following my all clear news in January 2019, my garden and gardening was an integral part of my recovery process; carrying out gardening tasks allowed me to slowly rebuild my strength. My love of gardening and plants led me to kick-start my life and embark on a three year garden design diploma at Capel Manor College, which was one of the best things I have done.
“For me, gardens, nature and outside space are hugely important to health and wellbeing. I strongly believe that they allow you to transcend into another state of being; to temporarily forget about the immediate stresses of life. Your focus is transported to nurturing a tiny seedling, to absorbing the immersive atmosphere created by a particular plant combination or to observing wildlife. I particularly love to garden for wildlife; pollinators in particular and so, am constantly detecting new visitors to the garden.”
Stacey’s love of gardens led her to set up her own business Pollen Planting Design and to open her own garden for the National Garden Scheme.
“I love plants and talking about plants and so the possibility of sharing that passion and showing what is achievable in a smallish garden, whilst raising funds for all of the charities supported by the National Garden Scheme (including Macmillan who supported me when I was ill), really appealed. Having visited many National Garden Scheme gardens I know how inspiring they can be.”
You can visit Stacey’s garden Walled Garden, 1 Farquhar Street when it opens on Friday 20 and Sunday 22 June. For details click here
This story was originally published in the 2025 Little Yellow Book of Gardens and Health – to read it click here
