Taking time to be still and quietly listen to nature can help comfort and restore us, and can also enable us to better appreciate our place in the natural world and our responsibility to protect it. But finding places to do this in can be difficult, especially for people who may lack access to green areas of their own.

The Silent Space project, a nationwide initiative started by Garden writer Liz Ware, finds biodiverse, nature-rich green spaces and marks them out as places for reflection and contemplation. Chiswick House Head of Gardens Rosie Fyles is a trustee for the project, which has been running since 2016.

Across the past few months, we’ve been working with women’s community and social group Trinjan to gather ideas and prepare for the creation of a Silent Space in the Chiswick House & Gardens Rosary.

Important research cited by the Silent Space project highlights the damaging impact that noise pollution can have on our bodies and on our mental health; something that is especially relevant to those living in busy, noisy cities like London.

Ultimately, we want the Rosary to be a place that plays a part in tackling this problem, allowing visitors, volunteers and community partners to stop and rest, remember and reflect, and to reconnect with the peace and beauty of the gardens.

We’re incredibly grateful to Trinjan for all the help and inspiration they’ve given us with this project.