Launch Of Ghana’s Beautiful Gardens

"Ghana's Beautiful Gardens", a coffee table book that celebrates gardens in Ghana has been launched in Accra. The book showcases some of the most serene and breathtaking gardens in the country. It also gives tips and inspiration to would be gardeners and aspiring horticulturalists for developing and beautifully maintaining their own gardens.

Authors of the book, Karen Hendrickson and Arafua Apaloo-Aning, two individuals committed to the Ghana Garden and Flower movement launched in August this year at the Efua Sutherland park, are excited about the about the launch of the book and its potential contribution not only to the Garden and Flower movement in Ghana but also to the general development of gardening in Ghana and elsewhere in Africa.

“We are thrilled to have been able to translate our passion into a book that we can share with the country and the rest of the world. It is our hope that our labor of love will reach and bring joy to garden enthusiasts all over the world and also showcase Ghana”, Arafua and Karen said, this is an opportunity to tell the story of Ghana and Africa first through Ghana's gardens and hopefully move further afield into neighboring countries”, they added.

Ghana's Beautiful Gardens is a timely volume released just months after the launch of the Ghana Garden and Flower movement in Ghana that is helping to generate renewed appreciation and inspiration for the cultivation of the nation's greenery.

Auctioning the book at the launch Ms. Esther Cobbah, CEO of Stratcomm-Africa and a Pioneer of the Ghana Garden Movement, thanked the two authors for their role in establishing and furthering the movement as well as their continuous support of its activities. “Apart from the enormous economic possibilities that can be harnessed from gardening, it also boosts the beauty of the country and significantly improves the health of our people,” Ms. Cobbah stated.

The Ghana Garden and Flower movement was inaugurated in August this year at the Innovative Ghana Garden and Flower Show organized at the Efua Sutherland Children's Park. The movement seeks to help beautify Ghana and further develop the Children's Park as a pleasant habitat for its citizens while contributing to the establishment of the country as a compelling investment and tourism destination.

About Stratcomm Africa
Strategic Communications Africa Ltd (Stratcomm Africa) is a specialized total communication, reputation management and research agency dedicated to using communication as a means of enhancing performance in various contexts. Stratcomm Africa specializes in evolving and implementing systematic and comprehensive communication strategies for individuals, organizations, public and private, in both national and international settings.

About The Ghana Garden Movement
The goal of the show is to create awareness about the commercial and psychological benefits of urban beautification and gardening. This initiative is designed to promote tourism, healthier and modern lifestyles, and also help create employment and income earning opportunities that support Ghana's growth and development. The Objectives of the Show include contributing to the development and implementation of a national Beautification and Gardening policy, to contribute to foreign exchange and employment generation and to contribute to healthy lifestyles and beautiful surroundings.

Profiles of Authors
Arafua Apaloo-Aning
Arafua is a writer, political activist, photographer and garden enthusiast. She loves gardening and has a talent for making anything grow. Her friends and acquaintances call her “the green thumb”. Her love for nature, flowers in particular led her to form a partnership with Karen Hendrickson, a fellow nature lover and amateur photographer, to create the “Ghana's Beautiful Gardens” coffee table book.

Arafua Apaloo-Aning is married to Dr. Kwaku Anning, Deputy Director of the International Atomic Energy (IAEA) and has three children.

Karen A.S. Hendrickson
Dynamic, hardworking and fun loving are just a few words to describe Karen. Her zest for life is often as infectious as her laughter.

She hails from Bermuda but has chosen Ghana as her home since 2004. She has numerous hobbies that she pursues with enthusiastic vigor. But most of all she enjoys giving back to the community, and is thrilled to be a trustee for the Children's Heart foundation Ghana. Her extensive international business takes most of her time but she finds time for her love of photography, orchids, gardening and enjoying the company of her friends. She is married to Mr. Richard Nwaobi and is grateful for his time and encouragement.