Whilst we were hoping Horatio’s Garden Midlands would be open to the public on Sunday 26th June 2022, unfortunately our National Garden Scheme Open Day has been cancelled due to the ongoing risk Coronavirus poses to patients spending time in the spinal centre and the NHS staff who work there.
We really appreciate your understanding and hope to be able to welcome you to the garden in 2023. If you’d like to find out more about the garden, please continue reading below.
About Horatio’s Garden Midlands
Designed by award-winning landscape designer, Bunny Guinness, Horatio’s Garden Midlands opened in 2019 in The Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry. The garden was part funded by the National Garden Scheme and was specifically designed for patients in wheelchairs and hospital beds. It is therefore fully accessible and was thoughtfully created to support people as they physically and mentally adjust to living with a life-changing spinal cord injury. Everything is of a high quality and the garden is designed to be a home away from home for people facing a long hospital stay far from their loved ones.
The horticultural haven offers something for everyone. The garden is cleverly designed to bring the sights, sounds and scents of nature to the heart of the hospital and is there for patients, their loved ones and NHS staff to enjoy whenever they like. As such, the haven features a contemporary garden room designed by Andrew Wells, whilst the extraordinary ceiling was painted by artist Martin Rodgers, as well as a stunning Griffin Glasshouse. Both enable people to spend time amidst nature all year-round and are a real sight to behold.
Featuring intriguing, vibrant planting to stimulate all the senses and attract wildlife, the garden is full to the brim with plants, flowers, fruits, vegetables and an impressive collection of Osmanthus trees. A serpentine rill fills the garden with the tranquil sound of running water, with a woodland pathway lined with trees gently curving its way behind it. A stunning magnolia tree, planted by Dame Agnes Hunt, whom the hospital is named after, is nestled amongst the seasonal planting.
The garden is an ever-evolving, thriving project cared for by Head Gardener Alex Law, as well as our brilliant volunteer team, who both help Alex to nurture the garden and support people using the sanctuary. A warm welcome awaits everyone spending time in Horatio’s Garden Midlands and we hope to be able to share all this and more with you soon.
