Jackie Morris reads to children at Highbury Wildlife Garden

AN AWARD-WINNING children’s author has labelled the new Highbury wildlife garden “a joy” as she donated 16 original artworks to the outdoor space.

Jackie Morris, who won the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2019, is famed for her contribution to children’s literature, illustrating works including Robert Macfarlane’s The Lost Words which was voted the most beautiful book by UK booksellers in 2016.

The celebrated author came to Highbury Wildlife Garden on Monday, after gifting more than a dozen artworks to the council to use in the garden.

“What drew me to this project and the work that’s going on here is I was given the opportunity to contribute to something that was wild in the middle of a city,” said Ms Morris.

“The idea of creating a space where wrens will weave in and out of the hedges, where there are so many birds in the trees, where there’s a pond that already has attracted frogs, it’s just a joy really.”

Ms Morris, who was born in Birmingham but now lives in Wales, is known for her depictions of nature, including birds, foxes, and hares.

The images she has donated to the garden have been laser-etched onto wood and displayed around the space.

She said. “It’s beautiful to see them. It’s a wonderful translation of what began as paintings into signage.

“As somebody who struggled to learn to read, I’m really aware of the importance of images as well as words. Just to have them there so people can identify what it is that they’re looking at, it’s wonderful.”

Ms Morris read to children extracts from The Lost Words and a new book that is yet to be published. Meanwhile, parents and children enjoyed the garden, pound, wildflower meadow, rustic fire, and live music performed by local schoolchildren.

The garden has already seen 5,500 visits by children from schools and nurseries, and local dads excavated the small pond that connects to the garden.

The children’s author said that reconnecting children with the outdoors “is not difficult”.

“You put a child in an outdoor and they immediately start exploring,” said Ms Morris.

“I think children can help their parents to move into it as well. That’s what I love about this park – I can hear a magpie at the moment chattering in the trees above us.”

She added: “Wildlife and human life thriving together, with art and learning at its core. It’s such a privilege to be invited to be a part of something so special.”

The Highbury Wildlife Garden has been gradually developed as a joint project between the council’s Children’s Services and the Greener, More Active directorate.

Andrew Bedford, who heads up the department, said: “We created this space – we didn’t have a lot of money, so it’s been formed from hard work and little bits of love, really – into a space that’s now thriving for nature and for children, and we’ve managed to protect it and sustain it, and it’s grown and it’s amazing now. To see everybody here is fantastic.”