I’m John, and I’m 68 years old. I’ve lived in Cardiff all my life, working first in telecommunications before starting my own business in the automotive industry. After 36 years of hard work, I recently retired – a milestone that felt both exciting and well-earned.
My accident happened while I was skiing in Val-d’Isère with some friends. I fell, breaking my neck and back in two places, damaging my spinal cord, and dislocating both shoulders. A helicopter airlifted me off the slopes and took me to a local hospital. From there, I was transferred to another hospital in France for two weeks before making the long journey home to Wales by road ambulance. I spent a week at Heath Hospital before being moved to University Hospital Llandough in Cardiff where I first discovered Horatio’s Garden Wales.
I came across the garden soon after arriving, and it instantly felt like a magical place, full of life and nature. At first, I could only visit in my wheelchair, but now I make my way there using my walking frame. It’s where I come to relax, reflect, and think optimistically about the future.
I love the live music, the gardening, the artwork, and the glassmaking – there’s so much creativity in the air. But what I value most is meeting others with similar injuries, away from the clinical side of hospital life.
The garden room is a peaceful space where we can connect, both with nature and with the outside world. I’ve had incredible support from my friends and family, though I know this has been incredibly hard on them too. This experience has been a life lesson for all of us – things can change in an instant. In the garden, we find a sense of normality, a place to talk and reflect in a truly special setting.
There are so many moments in the garden that will stay with me forever listening to the blackbirds’ spring song, sharing light-hearted banter with fellow patients and visitors, and feeling the warmth and dedication of the volunteers and staff. It’s something I will always hold close.
Horatio’s Garden has given me belief in my recovery. My injury has changed my life; I struggle to walk, have limited use of my arms, and have little sensation on my right side and below my knees. It hasn’t been easy, but I’m hopeful that, in time, I’ll be back walking in the countryside, sharing my love of nature with others. Ornithology and natural history have always been passions of mine, and I can’t wait to go birdwatching and fishing again.
This garden has been a place of healing, not just physically but emotionally. It builds self-confidence, encourages self-belief, and reminds you that there is still joy to be found after a life-changing event. There’s a whole world of happiness out there, and we can still be part of it. I’m so grateful to everyone involved in creating this incredible place of recovery and feel very grateful that such a traumatic experience was made more bearable through the gardens.
Since my discharge from hospital in Spring 2023, I’ve made remarkable progress, thanks to the support of my family, friends, and Horatio’s Garden. By the summer, I was able to go on limited distance flat walks, exploring places like Newport Wetlands and the converted railway lines. Horatio’s Garden kept my love for nature alive during my hospital stay and gave me hope for the future.
In September 2023, I passed my driving assessment and had my license reinstated. This gave me back my independence and freedom to go on walks, visit places, and reconnect with friends and family.
Much of my mental recovery has been down to the therapeutic impact of Horatio’s Garden. The positive spirit shared among fellow patients, the incredible volunteers and staff, and the sense of community there has been a lifeline. I have enjoyed revisiting on several occasions and intend to keep doing this – to give something back to this place of positivity, having received so very much from it.
