ITV’s very own Lauren Hall recently visited Horatio’s Garden Salisbury to film as part of the network’s series ‘Blossoming Britain: How Gardening Helps Us To Grow’.
The news item is part of a wider national initiative, RHS National Gardening Week, which this year runs from 30th April to 6th May. We were delighted to see that so much of what was filmed during the crew’s visit was featured in their short film which discussed and showed the benefits of spending time in a garden.
Patient Margaret Kievel was interviewed, alongside charity co-founder and chair of trustees Dr Olivia Chapple, both of whom offered to share their unique experiences and insights into the therapeutic value of gardens and gardening.
As Dr Olivia Chapple mentioned in the report, initially Horatio’s Garden was simply about creating a beautiful space for patients and their loved ones in Salisbury. However, as the physical and mental benefits of having Horatio’s Garden became increasingly apparent, now the charity is at the forefront of a wider conversation regarding how gardens can help a variety of people across the country.
Of course, the charity specifically works to help all those affected by spinal injury and each of our gardens have been shown to help patients with both their physical and mental rehabilitation. This includes providing patients with somewhere to practice their wheelchair skills, as well as offering a space of community and kindness, which helps to improve people’s mood and mental wellbeing.
Margaret Kieval spoke of the ways in which she feels she has benefitted from the garden, saying “When you come out here, you don’t actually feel like you’re in a hospital. It’s the colours; it’s the birds; it’s just the tranquillity of everything.”
We are so grateful to Margaret for her wonderfully uplifting account of her time spent in Horatio’s Garden, and to all her family for taking part in the filming too.
If you would like to see the full report, please click here.
