George Harrison memorial garden opens to public

A garden to honour George Harrison has opened in Hertfordshire, England.

The George Harrison Memorial Garden is at the ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Manor Estate in the village of Aldenham near Watford.

Harrison gave the site, formerly known as Piggots Manor, to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in 1973 after beoming a devotee of the Hare Krishna movement. Following his death in November 2001, the garden was created to remember the former Beatle.

There is a deep spirituality in the lyrics of George Harrison, some through metaphor and others more direct. The garden reflects his spiritual journey, it is a mystical one and it correlates with some of the oldest sacred texts known to man. For us it is a tremendous honour that garden is opened on the 40th anniversary of Bhaktivedanta Manor, one of Britain’s most prominent temples and donated by George.

Harrison was a keen gardener at his Friar Park home in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, and dedicated his autobiography “to gardeners everywhere”. It was previously exhibited as A Garden For George at the 2008 Chelsea Flower Show.

The Bhaktivedanta Manor garden was originally dedicated by Olivia Harrison in November 2011 to mark 10 years since her husband’s death. It was opened to the public to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Krishna Temple.

The opening was conducted by Olivia Harrison and gardener Monty Don.

I am grateful to the devotees for honouring George in the form of a garden. A manifestation in the material world of which he would be very proud