From Trash to Treasure: Church Transformed by Stunning Recycled Waterfall Art

In the south of England, a group of creative volunteers has transformed an old church into a beautiful art display using recycled materials. The project, called the Waterfall Garden, is at St John the Baptist church in Boldre, near Lymington, Hampshire. The idea came from Steph Glen, who worked with about 12 volunteers for nine months to bring the project to life. The main feature is a 40-foot waterfall that appears to flow from the top of the church tower. This waterfall is not made from water, but from strips of old plastic bin bags. The volunteers cut the bags into long pieces and attached them to strings, making them look like a real waterfall. The waterfall ends in a blue pool on the ground, which is also made from recycled plastic and paper. Surrounding the pool is a meadow of colorful flowers. Many of these flowers are knitted from yarn, while others are made from fabric or more recycled plastic. There are also small animals, like frogs, butterflies, and dragonflies, all made by hand from yarn, wire, and other reused materials. The volunteers wanted to show that art can be made from things that would usually be thrown away. They also wanted to make something fun and interesting for the community. The installation is free to visit and will be at the church for five weeks. People are encouraged to come and see the waterfall, the flowers, and all the creative details. If visitors want to, they can make a donation. The money collected will be divided between three charities: the Boldre Church Trust, Coda Music & Arts Trust, and the Countryside Education Trust. Steph Glen said that it was hard to explain the idea at first. She joked that people were surprised when she said they would use old plastic bags to make something beautiful. But now, everyone can see how amazing it looks. The churchyard is full of bright colors, with hundreds of knitted flowers in red, orange, yellow, blue, purple, pink, and white. There are also displays inside the church. The volunteers hope that many people, especially children, will come to see the art. They want visitors to have fun and to think about how we can reuse things in creative ways. The project has brought the community together and made the church a lively and colorful place. The volunteers are proud of what they have achieved and hope their work will inspire others to try making art from recycled materials.