On Saturday, March 29, 2025, the Ukrainian community in Caerphilly came together with local residents to create a special “Ukrainian Gratitude Garden” at Morgan Jones Park. The event combined memorial tree planting, cultural activities, and community building, symbolizing the strong bond between Ukrainian refugees and their Welsh hosts.
The day-long event saw participants plant seven trees—including a memorial horse chestnut tree dedicated to a Ukrainian soldier who died in battle last December—along with 38 plants, approximately 23 sunflowers, 20 marigolds, and various wildflower seeds. The planting scheme, carefully developed by local horticulturalist Chris O’Meara, featured blue and yellow flowers to reflect the Ukrainian national colors.
“It was a beautiful display of unity and hope,” said one of the organizers. “By planting trees and nurturing the land, the Ukrainians in Caerphilly community are not only giving back to Wales, but they are also leaving a lasting legacy in Morgan Jones Park—a beautiful garden that embodies a journey of struggle, loss, and hopes for peace.”
The event included numerous cultural activities alongside the practical gardening work. Children played an integral role in the planting, with local schools contributing handmade sunflower crafts as gifts for the Ukrainian group. QR codes attached to trees linked visitors to information about the 15 regions of Ukraine, while participants tied ribbons to trees and even buried a time capsule containing postcards to the future.
The initiative received support from multiple organizations, including Ukrainians in Caerphilly, Climate Action Caerffili, Displaced People in Action, and Caerphilly Town Council, which provided speakers and microphone equipment for the event.
As one speech during the event poignantly noted: “When the time comes for the Ukrainian Community to return home, the Gratitude Garden will remain—a living testament and a symbol of the bonds of connection formed between us all.”
The garden represents not just gratitude, but resilience and hope—qualities symbolized by the deep-rooted trees now growing in Caerphilly soil, standing as a lasting reminder of the Ukrainian community’s presence and their appreciation for the welcome they have received in Wales.
