Llanover mum will not have to pay £5k on clearing up garden (From South Wales Argus)

Llanover mum will not have to pay £5k on clearing up garden

12:02pm Thursday 14th March 2013 in News

Llanover mum will not have to pay £5k on clearing up garden

A MUM OF EIGHT who spent £20,000 on creating an award-winning garden at her former home has learned she will not have to fork out £5,000 to have it flattened.

Elaine Rolfe, 50, was a tenant at the Ochran Mill on the Llanover Estate, near Abergavenny and spent 11 years tending to the garden which featured in national newspapers and on a TV.

But due to her husband David’s ailing health from brain cancer, he had to give up work and the family down-sized their property, leaving the garden behind.

Mrs Rolfe, who says her husband who was diagnosed in June last year, has just days to live.

She said she was deeply upset to be told she must remove the plants or pay a clearance bill of up to £5,000.

This is because the landlord says the garden is too high maintenance for a new tenant to handle.

The Trustees of Llanover Estate have now said the couple will not be asked to pay a penny.

A spokeswoman said: "Elaine and David are very valued members of our community and we have enormous sympathy for them and their family at this very difficult time."

"Sadly, they decided to leave their house on the Llanover Estate because of David’s serious illness. We intend to re-let the property and the garden, which has now unfortunately somewhat deteriorated and needs to be tidied up, however, we have decided that this will not be at the expense of David and Elaine.

"Absolutely no charge will be made to David and Elaine for this work and we have informed them of this decision. Moreover, Elaine and her friends are free to come to take any cuttings or plants that they want and we are very grateful for the work they have already done in removing plants.

"We are very happy to discuss the matter further with Mrs Rolfe and will do whatever we can to avoid further upset for her, her husband and their family."

Mrs Rolfe said: "I’m relieved common sense has prevailed- it seemed ridiculous."

"I’m saddened that the garden is still being destroyed but glad the plants have gone to good homes including the National Garden Scheme, Bristol Zoo and the National Botanic Garden of Wales."