Donkey garden display wins the People's Choice Award at Chelsea

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Firstly, the photo was taken in Ireland, not at the Chelsea Flower Show. At the 2019 Chelsea Flower Show, the garden exhibit entered by the Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth, Devon, won the People’s Choice Best Artisan Garden and also took out a silver medal in its category. In 2006, a friend and I visited the Donkey Sanctuary. I had already read about the sanctuary in a book called 'Down Among The Donkeys' by Elisabeth D Svendsen. The Donkey Sanctuary was registered as a charity in 1973 and had 38 donkeys under its care. Within a few months, a lady who had her own sanctuary died and left the charity 204 donkeys! Since then thousands of donkeys have passed through the sanctuary's gates and the charity has extended its influence overseas where much work is now being done, resulting in better education of owners and some relief of suffering for the patient, hard-working donkey. Donkeys play a key role in many third-world countries, in particular carrying water from water points back to family homes. They can mean the difference between eking out an existence and living in absolute poverty. The Sidmouth headquarters are open throughout the year. Perhaps surprisingly, entry is free as is parking. We spent several hours there wandering around the lanes and peering in the barns. These are heated by infra-red lamps and have long self-feeders stuffed with hay. A thick layer of straw covers the floor. Colour-coded collars designate which donkeys are on medication, have special diets or supplementary feeding. The donkeys are never sold but may be loaned, always in pairs, to homes that have been rigorously vetted. The photo was taken in Ireland. I think the little one must be standing on tiptoes.