News

scarlett’s story

Meet Scarlett  Scarlett is an active 11-year-old sitting her SATs. She shares her south London home with her Mum and Dad, three sisters and one baby brother. Like many schoolgirls she loves singing, dancing and drama, but loathes spiders and wasps! She has a pet tortoise called Harry. All sounds very normal and all was very normal until one day Read the Rest...

matt writtle’s photographic residency continues in horatio’s garden london & south east

Matt Writtle has once again returned to Horatio’s Garden London & South East and this time there were more people waiting to join him on his photographic exploration of the sanctuary.  The small group gathered outside to chat with Matt and get to know him a little better, before they headed off to take their own photos and put his technical advice into practice.  Two of those who joined have Read the Rest...

welcoming wrags trainee donna brogan to horatio’s garden scotland!

It’s been a pleasure to welcome Donna Brogan to Horatio’s Garden Scotland, who this week began working with us in her new role as a Work and Retrain as a Gardener Scheme (WRAGS) Trainee, an initiative run by the Women’s Farm and Garden Association (WFGA).  Already we’ve seen that Donna will be a warm, welcoming and enthusiastic presence in the garden, Read the Rest...

jayne woodhouse is our new creative writer in residence in horatio’s garden south west!

The arrival of summer has led to a whole host of artistic individuals joining us in the garden for a variety of residencies, including Jayne Woodhouse, who’s become our very first Creative Writer in Residence in Horatio’s Garden South West!  Jayne recently began visiting the garden and will be encouraging patients to join her amongst the planting every Monday afternoon from 2pm – 3pm until Monday Read the Rest...

michelle’s story: celebrating nhs, social care & frontline workers’ day

Today marks NHS, Social Care & Frontline Workers’ Day, the first event of its kind dedicated to showing our collective gratitude to all NHS and frontline staff who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to protect us and keep our essential services running, as well as a day to remember all those who have lost their lives from Coronavirus. The Read the Rest...

friends awareness month

Becoming a Friend of Horatio’s Garden is a wonderfully generous way to support the charity, which is why we’re dedicating the month of July to celebrating each and every one of our regular givers with the very first Horatio’s Garden Friends Awareness Month.  Please click here to discover more about becoming a Friend of Horatio’s Garden  Recognising the incredible contribution of our Friends is something that’s always been important to us Read the Rest...

tom stuart-smith visits horatio’s garden london & south east

It’s always a pleasure to welcome our designers back to each of our gardens and this week we were delighted to see Tom Stuart-Smith making a triumphant return to Horatio’s Garden London & South East.  Wandering through the sanctuary, Tom was thrilled to be able to quietly witness the garden being enjoyed by patients, families and NHS staff alike and was pleased too to discover just how well all Read the Rest...

octavia butler completes her half ironman challenge!

Fabulous fundraiser Octavia Butler has completed her very first Half Ironman challenge in support of Horatio’s Garden this weekend, smashing her fundraising target of £3,500 to raise an immense total of over £4,300!  To donate to Octavia’s JustGiving page, please click here  Octavia announced she’d be taking on the gruelling event just eight weeks ago and since then support has flooded in Read the Rest...

summer shopping with amazonsmile and give as you live

Did you know that this summer you can raise vital funds to help us continue supporting everyone affected by spinal injury by simply shopping with AmazonSmile and Give As You Live?   AmazonSmile Ordering with AmazonSmile is exactly the same as ordering with Amazon, only the best part is that every time you shop the company makes a 0.5% donation Read the Rest...

brilliant little brands are our new partners!

We’re thrilled to announce that Brilliant Little Brands (BLB) have become our latest partner, with the member brands generously donating 10% of every sale to Horatio’s Garden throughout June and July!  To shop with Brilliant Little Brands in support of us, please click here  With 1000s of inspiring gifts from a host of independent British brands, the online shop aims to be a win for charities, shoppers and Read the Rest...

artistry continues to be in abundance in horatio’s garden midlands thanks to claire waltier macgillivray

With an ever-increasing group of patients safely gathering in Horatio’s Garden Midlands to join artist in residence Claire Waltier MacGillivray, we’re thrilled to share that she’ll be extending her residency!  Whilst she was initially due to join us for six weeks, Claire’s been enjoying her time in the garden immensely and patients have been equally enthusiastic about her presence amongst the planting too.  Read the Rest...

celebrating volunteers’ week!

We’re celebrating Volunteers’ Week, an event run by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NVCO), to recognise and thank the millions of volunteers who generously give up their time to help others.  The event runs from 1st – 7th June, with the theme being ‘A Time to Say Thanks’. As usual, the occasion is an opportunity to celebrate the millions of volunteers working throughout the UK and the essential contribution Read the Rest...

creativity continues in horatio’s garden midlands with artist claire waltier macgillivray

Despite the inclement weather, artist Claire Waltier MacGillivray’s residency in Horatio’s Garden Midlands has been going wonderfully, with her third session due to take place this Tuesday from 12pm – 5pm.  Her second week as artist in residence brought the challenge of torrential rain, but whilst she was unable to sit outside to paint, Claire was still able to appreciate the garden in Read the Rest...

patricia samanta is painting a portrait in this week’s arty afternoon

Patricia Samanta is taking us to her outdoor studio in this week’s Arty Afternoon, which is where she’s currently working on creating a portrait of her daughter walking in the garden alongside the family’s beloved dog.  To watch and be inspired, please click on the ‘Play’ button below   She shares that much of her painting is done from resource photos, which Read the Rest...

tussie-mussies to celebrate international nurses day

Today is International Nurses Day, so in celebration of all the wonderful NHS nurses working in the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit, patients, volunteers and Head Gardener Sallie Sillars tasked themselves with creating traditional tussie-mussies in Horatio’s Garden Scotland. Tussie-mussies are essentially small posies of flowers, but the tussie-mussie term emerged in the reign of Queen Victoria (1837 – 1901) when the dainty bouquets Read the Rest...

amanda harris fundraises with immense coastal challenge

Amanda Harris, who some of you may remember completed a 146-mile cycle challenge in support of Horatio’s Garden Wales last year, is once again going on an incredible fundraising journey. To donate to Amanda’s Horatio’s Garden Coastal Challenge page, please click here   Since her spinal cord injury seven years ago, Amanda has thought almost every day about how easy it Read the Rest...

garden day uk

The buzz around Garden Day UK was fantastic this year, with plenty of people joining in online and The English Garden magazine sharing a little bit more about why Sunday 9th May was an important date that most certainly deserved to be in everyone’s calendar. Garden Day UK is simply about sitting back, donning a flower crown and spending time Read the Rest...

arty afternoons: exploring abstract art and colour with jane wachman

We’re escaping to a world of vivacious vibrancy in this week’s Arty Afternoon with abstract artist Jane Wachman!  To watch and be inspired, please click on the ‘Play’ button below   Jane spends much of her time in Wimbledon Art Studios and thought it would be nice to share a little more about how she works in the bright and beautiful place where she works. With almost every square inch Read the Rest...

dr olivia chapple talks the fabulous summer tea party on bbc radio wiltshire

You may have seen that we recently launched our fantastic fundraising campaign, The Fabulous Summer Tea Party, for the third year running, which Founder & Chair of Trustees, Dr Olivia Chapple, was invited to share more about on BBC Radio Wiltshire.  If you’d like to join in with the fun by hosting your own Fabulous Summer Tea Party this year, please click Read the Rest...

leading british artists support the horatio’s garden summer art auction

Over 60 of the UK’s leading artists have donated works to be auctioned online from Saturday 15th – Sunday 30th May 2021 to raise vital funds for Horatio’s Garden, a charity that supports patients, their loved ones and NHS staff affected by spinal injury through creating and nurturing beautiful, accessible, therapeutic gardens in NHS spinal injury centres. There are five Read the Rest...

arty afternoons: botanical painting with sally pond

This week we’re delighted to be welcoming Botanical Artist Sally Pond to our Arty Afternoon atelier, with her video studying a stunning Helenium.  To watch and be inspired, please click on the ‘Play’ button below Despite not being filmed specifically for our creative series, the video exhibits Sally’s careful painting process, which we think you’ll find is a source of immense Read the Rest...

easter celebrations in horatio’s garden

Despite there being a slight spring chill in the air, plenty of people ventured to Horatio’s Garden to celebrate the spirit of the season whilst basking in glorious sunshine this past Easter weekend. Each of our gardens across the UK enjoyed filling a few days with various culinary and horticultural indulgences, which naturally included lots of chocolate eggs, homemade cakes and a plethora of beautiful Read the Rest...

ashley edwards to appear on the charterhouse ‘ask the gardeners’ panel

Following the success of The Charterhouse’s online ‘Flower Power’ festival last year, this April they’ll be hosting a one night only spin off they’re calling ‘Ask the Gardeners’.  Our very Head Gardener of Horatio’s Garden London & South East, Ashley Edwards, will be there, along with Kate Robinson, Head Gardener of The Charterhouse, Sarah Whiting of Nettlewood Flowers and Charlotte Muswell of Boma Garden Centre.  From Read the Rest...

our first site visit of the year to horatio’s garden wales!

This month marked our very first site visit of the year to Horatio’s Garden Wales!  Together award-winning designer, Sarah Price, her colleague Emma, and Project Manager, Owen Hemmings of the Robert Lombardelli Partnership, went to safely visit the space at the Welsh Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Centre in University Hospital Llandough, which is being transformed into a horticultural haven as we speak.   This is the fourth Read the Rest...

artist miranda creswell brings the ripple effect to horatio’s garden south west

Some of you may remember Miranda Creswell as a former artist in residence in both Horatio’s Garden South West and Horatio’s Garden Scotland. She’s been a brilliant supporter of the charity for many years and now she’s returning to bring an exciting new project to the heart of our garden in Salisbury.  Last year, Miranda approached us about being part of The Ripple Effect, a public Read the Rest...

arty afternoons: painting daffodils in acrylic with angela corben

Akin to the weather over recent weeks, today’s Arty Afternoon has a decidedly spring-like feel to it, as artist Angela Corben is guiding us through how to paint a heavenly host of daffodils!  To watch and follow along, please click on the ‘Play’ button below Acrylic paints are Angela’s material of choice, not only because they allow her to create particularly bright colours, but also because they’re wonderfully Read the Rest...

dr olivia chapple joins helen fospero on the convex conversation podcast

The Convex Conversation is a weekly podcast series hosted by journalist and broadcaster, Helen Fospero. The episodes are an opportunity to listen to a wealth of inspirational life stories from a variety of people, including Susie Dent, Adil Ray OBE and Claire Lomas.  With such an impressive list of former guests, we’re thrilled to share that our very own Founder & Read the Rest...

karen camkin returns to our arty afternoons!

Karen Camkin is returning to our Arty Afternoons studio this week, bringing a touch of vibrance to everyone’s Wednesday by continuing the creative journey we began three weeks ago.  To watch and follow along, please click on the ‘Play’ button below Having grown up in Warwickshire and Gloucestershire, Karen has spent a lifetime roaming the countryside, with her appreciation for wildlife and green spaces inspiring Read the Rest...

arty afternoons: natural dyeing with harriet bilton

We’re taking a look at sustainable textiles and natural dyeing in this week’s Arty Afternoon, which happen to be two of artist Harriet Bilton’s creative passions.  To watch and be inspired, please click on the ‘Play’ button below Harriet lives and works in Salisbury and loves to experiment with mixed media, combining textile processes in her work. She has been an artist for 15 years and gained Read the Rest...

imogen jackson speaks to a gardening group in ohio!

We’ve made a virtual venture across the pond this month, which was all thanks to Head Gardener of Horatio’s Garden Midlands, Imogen Jackson, giving an online talk to a gardening group based in the USA.  It was a particularly exciting event for all of us, but particularly for Imogen, who has penned the short piece about her experience below to mark the occasion.  Happy Read the Rest...

a thoughtful gift in horatio’s garden midlands

A little story to go with a thoughtful gift…  Back in December, a patient spending time in the Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry spotted some Kilner jars online that she knew would be just perfect for her friend.  However, due to Coronavirus, delivery times were delayed and she knew they wouldn’t make it to her friend Read the Rest...

we host our first webinar: an evening of conversation with horatio’s garden

Yesterday we hosted our very first online webinar event, An Evening of Conversation with Horatio’s Garden, and were absolutely delighted to be joined by over 200 of our incredible supporters.  Our invitees gathered on Zoom for an informative hour of uplifting and insightful stories, which were all about how Horatio’s Garden has been helping patients, their loved ones and NHS staff throughout the past year, whilst also revealing a little more about Read the Rest...

‘my favourite place’ by head gardener amy moffett

Remarkably, it’s already been a month since Amy Moffett joined the team as Head Gardener of Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville and now she’s following in Horatio’s Garden Scotland designer James Alexander-Sinclair’s footsteps by appearing in Garden News magazine!  The ‘My Favourite Place’ feature is always an interesting read and having trained at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, it’s the Palm House that holds a special place in Amy’s heart.  Sharing stories Read the Rest...

jane’s volunteering story

Jane Fletcher, one of our wonderful volunteers, has been involved with Horatio’s Garden London & South East since August 2020. She helped to plant the 10,000 plants needed to get the garden started.   Jane heard about the charity when Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville was featured on BBC Gardeners’ World in September 2019. Her father, Bill Fletcher, had been a patient at The London Spinal Cord Injury Centre in the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Read the Rest...

arty afternoons with digital artist olivia tuppen

This week we’ve been incredibly lucky to receive three Arty Afternoons videos from 2D/3D artist Olivia Tuppen! To watch the short series, please click ‘Play’ below As an artist and crafter, she specialises in bringing animals and creatures to life, but is willing to try her hand at almost anything creative. Whilst she is fond of traditional mediums, including using acrylic paint, pencils and watercolours, Read the Rest...

bbc ‘soundscapes for wellbeing’ & the virtual nature experiment

Soundscapes for Wellbeing is a brand new BBC project which will run from Tuesday 25th January through until the end of February, simultaneously marking the launch of The Virtual Nature Experiment commissioned by both the BBC and University of Exeter. To find out more about Soundscapes for Wellbeing, or to take part in The Virtual Nature Experiment, please click here.   Rebecca Sandiford, BBC Music Commissioning Executive, Read the Rest...

arty afternoons return with painter karen welsh

Last year we launched our Arty Afternoons series on YouTube to encourage people with spinal injuries, their loved ones and all of our supporters to while away a lockdown afternoon or two getting creative.  To see the series, please click here  A whole host of artists generously gave up their time to film short videos, which we then shared with all of you Read the Rest...

ashley edwards appears on bbc radio’s gardeners’ question time

Following his December appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time programme, Head Gardener of Horatio’s Garden London & South East, Ashley Edwards, has once again featured in today’s broadcast!  To listen again on BBC Sounds, please click here  You’ll find Ashley’s piece approximately 29 minutes into the recording.  Whilst last time Ashley was sharing his advice on how to create your own naturally-inspired festive wreath Read the Rest...

welcoming head gardener amy moffett & garden administrator debs grigg to horatio’s garden stoke mandeville

The beginning of 2021 marks a bit of a change to the team in Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville, as we warmly welcome new Head Gardener, Amalia Moffett, and new Garden Administrator, Debs Grigg.  Amalia, known as Amy, is a Kew-trained horticulturalist with a fondness for all things bright and beautiful. She has 15 years of experience working in public gardens Read the Rest...

happy new year from horatio’s garden

True to Horatio’s Garden tradition, we’ve created this short video to wish all of our supporters a very Happy New Year. 2020 has been a year unlike any other and many of us, including everyone affected by spinal injury, have faced extraordinarily difficult times. However, your continued kindness and generosity has helped to ensure that Horatio’s Garden will always be Read the Rest...

horatio’s garden scotland in the scottish gardening magazine

Horatio’s Garden Scotland is taking centre stage in the winter issue of The Scottish Gardening Magazine.  If you would like to read the full article, please click here  The brand new title was established earlier this year and is dedicated to celebrating the diversity of Scotland’s gardening landscape. It incorporates an inspiring and informative mix of gardening, gardeners, gardens and growing taking place throughout Scotland in Read the Rest...

world premiere: three men went to mow present ‘digging deep for horatio’s garden’

You may rightly know of Cleve West, James Alexander-Sinclair and Joe Swift as three celebrated garden designers who have each created a Horatio’s Garden. However, they are also known by another name. Together, they make up the timeless trio that is Three Men Went to Mow. As luck would have it, today marks the exclusive world premiere of their latest Read the Rest...

horatio’s garden in which? gardening, penarth view and taspo garten design

This week we’ve been lucky enough to feature in three publications, with each highlighting a different aspect of our work.  We were enormously excited to learn that the opening of our fifth project, Horatio’s Garden London & South East, has been included in this month’s issue of Which? Gardening magazine.  The short piece appears in the early pages of the periodical, detailing some of the lesser-known facts about Read the Rest...

we feature in the good web guide!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  November naturally means lots of us will have a spot of seasonal shopping to do, but thanks to The Good Web Guide your search for the perfects cards and gifts will hopefully be that little bit easier.  The GWG team have put together a whole host of excellent Christmas recommendations and articles, ensuring you can treat all your loved ones this winter. Amongst them are Read the Rest...

join head gardener sallie at this year’s cih webinar series!

Our very own Horatio’s Garden Scotland Head Gardener, Sallie Sillars, will be speaking as part of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture’s (CIH) Grow Careers Scotland Webinar Series this November!  The series is running from Monday 16th November to Thursday 19th November, when the CIH will be joined from 1pm each day by a host of horticulturalists. The event will cover a variety of topical subjects and is aimed Read the Rest...

garden room build begins in horatio’s garden scotland

We recently had a far from average afternoon in Horatio’s Garden Scotland as work began on our beautiful new garden room! Designed by talented architect Andy Steel of DAS Design, the new garden room will offer a cosy, warm place for everyone to spend time in, whether that be quietly alone or with friends, family and colleagues. It’s currently being Read the Rest...

introducing horatio’s garden northern ireland on bbc radio ulster

Those of you who have read the new interview with our Founder & Chair of Trustees, Dr Olivia Chapple, in Gardens Illustrated may have seen that we have just started beginning to plan our seventh project, Horatio’s Garden Northern Ireland!  One such reader was David Maxwell, the presenter of the much-loved Gardeners’ Corner programme on BBC Radio Ulster, who we were absolutely delighted to hear from following the article’s publication.  David got in touch to tell us Read the Rest...

head gardener stephen writes for wiltshire life

Head Gardener Stephen Hackett was recently invited by Wiltshire Life to write a feature for their November 2020 issue, which resulted in him penning a timely piece complete with beautiful autumnal photographs of Horatio’s Garden South West.  The article spans three pages and thoughtfully begins by acknowledging the way in which Coronavirus and lockdown brought the importance and value of green spaces to the Read the Rest...

sue stuart-smith in conversation with dr olivia chapple at the chelsea history festival

From 17th – 27th September, the Chelsea History Festival will be hosting an immersive mixture of digital and physical events to celebrate various elements of the borough’s intriguing past.  The Festival was co-founded by the National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Chelsea and Chelsea Psychic Garden, who are proud to host an annual programme of talks from world-class speakers, authors, thinkers and historians.  Whilst the format Read the Rest...

the sgd awards support horatio’s garden

The Society of Garden Designers (SGD) have announced that the SGD Awards 2021 will be supporting Horatio’s Garden!  The SGD is the only professional association for garden designers, with its many national and international Members representing the very best of the industry.  Having been established by a group of eminent landscape designers in 1981, they have been championing excellence in garden design ever Read the Rest...

kitchen garden magazine feature horatio’s garden

Journalist Annabelle Padwick has kindly featured us in her recent article for Kitchen Garden Magazine celebrating every garden’s beneficial effects on our mental and physical wellbeing.  The feature was highlighting a few of the many charities that are all doing fantastic work in harnessing the therapeutic power of gardens and gardening, including our own.  Alongside Horatio’s Garden, the piece featured Thrive, Lindengate, Life at No. 27 and military rehabilitation charity, Highground. Each charity was Read the Rest...

celebrating horatio’s garden stoke mandeville’s second birthday!

It’s hard to believe that Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville has now been open for two years, but time has flown by and today does indeed mark the garden’s second birthday! To celebrate, Head Gardener Jacqui decided to do a special tour of the garden, which you can watch below.  Please click on the relevant link to read more about Horatio’s Garden Scotland’s fourth birthday Read the Rest...

we’ve partnered with mind, body & soil

We’re absolutely delighted to announce that we’ve partnered with Mind, Body & Soil, a brilliant subscription service that’s part of the SmartPlant family! Please click here to find out more Remember to use code HORATIO for 30% off your first box! Unlike anywhere else, Mind, Body & Soil emphasise the importance of self-care through plant care by delivering a new Read the Rest...

horatio’s garden midlands: one year on

As unbelievable as it may seem, Horatio’s Garden Midlands has now been flourishing in Oswestry for a whole year, so in celebration we thought we’d take a look back at a few of our fourth garden’s highlights over the past 12 months. When the garden first welcomed patients and NHS staff in late August it became immediately clear that it Read the Rest...

planting has begun in horatio’s garden london & south east!

This week our fifth garden at the London Spinal Cord Injury Centre in the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore has been a hive of activity as we’ve begun filling the flower beds with all manner of greenery. A fantastic team of volunteers have been working tirelessly to plant up the garden, which was a meticulously organised process, alongside Head Gardener Read the Rest...

arty afternoons: natural inspiration with louisa crispin

Louisa Crispin is the latest artist to create a video for our Arty Afternoons series, offering us all a little insight into how we can both capture and lose ourselves in the creative gifts of nature.   Having discovered a passion for drawing in 2010, Louisa often finds herself lost in a world of intricate natural observations. The self-styled ‘Artist Gardener’ is entranced by Read the Rest...

an artist in lockdown by katy mcintyre-brown

Some of you may remember Katy McIntyre-Brown as one of our former Arty Afternoon contributors, where she gently taught us about capturing the beauty of bluebells on canvas. Despite having already lent us her artistic talents, this week Katy is back with a new video offering a glimpse into her creative world through lockdown, as well as providing advice on Read the Rest...

head gardener imogen on bbc radio shropshire

Head Gardener of Horatio’s Garden Oswestry, Imogen Jackson, featured on BBC Radio Shropshire today, speaking to Adam Green all about gardening in lockdown. If you missed Imogen’s interview, click here to catch up. You’ll find us around 2 hours and 10 minutes into the programme. Adam enthusiastically introduced the charity and Imogen, who began by telling listeners all about the Read the Rest...

remembering rose paterson

Everyone at Horatio’s Garden is extremely sad to learn of the loss of Rose Paterson at the end of June. Rose was a wonderful friend to Horatio’s Garden. As an appeal patron, Rose helped tirelessly and generously with the fundraising for Horatio’s Garden Oswestry at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital and we will be forever grateful for her kindness Read the Rest...

raising awareness of horatio’s garden wales

Our new project, Horatio’s Garden Wales, has been featured in both the Cardiff & Vale Health Charity Newsletter and Welsh Country, a magazine dedicated to life in the Welsh countryside.  Each piece explains how we’re collaborating with Cardiff & Vale Health Charity in order to create our sixth exceptional garden, which will be part of the new, state of the art Welsh Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Centre. Both Read the Rest...

coronavirus update: horatio’s garden stoke mandeville

Another month of 2020 has passed in the blink of an eye, which means we have more stories for you from each of our beautiful gardens around the UK. Whilst lots of you reading this will know how important outdoor spaces are for everyone’s health and wellbeing, this year has truly placed the value of nature at the forefront of our collective consciousness. Just as your gardens, local Read the Rest...

bbc news feature amanda harris’ cycle challenge

Some of you may be aware that incredible supporter Amanda Harris recently completed her 150-mile at-home cycle challenge to raise funds for Horatio’s Garden Wales and now the story has captured the attention of BBC News!  To read the BBC Wales article, please click here.  To watch the BBC Wales report, please click ‘Play’ on the video below. BBC News Wales Read the Rest...

health is made at home – new book by lord nigel crisp

Lord Nigel Crisp, former Chief Executive of the English NHS, has recently written a new book entitled Health is Made At Home, Hospitals are for Repairs: Building a Healthy and Health-Creating Society.  Lord Crisp led major NHS reforms between 2000-2006, whilst he was also Permanent Secretary of the UK Department of Health. Since then, he has worked globally, with an emphasis on Africa, where he Read the Rest...

grow to give news

Lots of you have been getting involved with our new national fundraising event, Grow to Give, this summer and we’ve loved hearing how some of your garden gate sales have already raised incredible amounts for the charity! Grow to Give is all about small acts of kindness. At the beginning of lockdown, we began by encouraging everyone to leave fresh Read the Rest...

coronavirus update

Throughout the Coronavirus crisis, Horatio’s Garden has been a lifeline for patients with spinal cord injuries and NHS staff who are currently living and working in hospital. “I am so proud of all the patients and staff, many of whom have been helping in the garden. To see everyone outside, not dwelling on their worries and hearing them chat and Read the Rest...

virtual rhs chelsea flower show

Today we would have been ready and waiting on Cross Way to welcome fellow garden enthusiasts to the world’s greatest flower show.  However, whilst we might be unable to celebrate with you in person this year, we will still be joining in with everything the RHS have planned as part of their Virtual RHS Chelsea Flower Show week.  Click here to visit the Read the Rest...

the story behind our new tea towel

Click here to purchase our brand new tea towel.  Katy McIntyre-Brown has painted all her life.  Growing up between Highbury, North London and a rambling water mill on the Somerset coast, she was always drawn to the calming power of nature, particularly as it contrasted the harsh architectural forms of the city.  Her passion became her profession in 2005, when Katy and her Read the Rest...

photography with richard foster

We’ve been supported by some fantastic artists throughout our Virtual Arty Afternoons series on YouTube and this week is no different! Our latest video comes from professional photographer, Richard Foster, who has generously taken the time to create this brilliant video to help all of us take the perfect picture with just an iPhone (or equivalent). As a leading specialist Read the Rest...

anneka rice mentions horatio’s garden in the daily mail

Veteran broadcaster and keen artist, Andrew Marr, recently launched the ‘Britain in Spring’ art competition in a long form article for The Daily Mail.  As the competition’s Head Judge, Marr explained that the competition is all about capturing any stunning ‘spring-scapes’ currently flourishing in the UK. Quoting artist David Hockney, who recently said under lockdown in France “Do remember they can’t cancel Read the Rest...

horatio’s garden in the times

This week we were mentioned in Alice Thomson’s column for The Times which argued that the joy of gardens and gardening should be open to all.  The piece illustrated how lockdown has led to more people spending time in their gardens and indeed gardening than ever before, citing that nearly a third of a million people visited the RHS website to learn how Read the Rest...

horatio’s garden in pro landscaper magazine

Pro Landscaper magazine recently featured a brilliant article about Horatio’s Garden which asked the rather timely question of ‘How do gardens make a difference?’ As many of you will know, Horatio’s Garden regularly contributes to such discussions by demonstrating the various ways in which gardens have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of both patients with spinal injuries Read the Rest...

virtual tour of slade in support of the national garden scheme

Click to watch Rosamund’s Tulip Tour of Slade.  As some of you may know, Rosamund Davies was due to open her beautiful garden in Slade in support of the National Garden Scheme this month. However, as Coronavirus has caused the National Garden Scheme to shut all its gardens for the foreseeable future, now Rosamund is giving you the opportunity to virtually visit her stunning garden as part Read the Rest...

virtual arty afternoons

We’re giving everyone the chance to join in with our new Virtual Arty Afternoons, with the aim of gently encouraging people everywhere to embrace their creative side. The first two videos have been created by wonderful young artist, Alice Penrose, who is currently studying Biology at University of Oxford. Prior to her beginning her undergraduate degree, Alice gained a Foundation Read the Rest...

the shropshire star feature imogen’s fundraising adventure

Senior Reporter for the Shropshire Star, Deborah Hardiman, recently visited Head Gardener, Imogen Jackson, in Horatio’s Garden Oswestry to find out more about her adventure walking John Muir Way. Over 10 days, Imogen, husband Allan, friend Andrew and dog Toby walked the 134-mile coast-to-coast route in order to raise money for the charity. The group camped along the way, which Read the Rest...

waitrose continue supporting horatio’s garden

Another two wonderful Waitrose stores have been supporting Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville over the past month, raising almost £600 for the garden between them. Shoppers in Waitrose Windsor and Waitrose High Wycombe have been generously voting for the charity with their green tokens over recent weeks, helping to raise vital funds for the charity. Now that the month has drawn Read the Rest...

spring supper at pythouse

We recently hosted a spring supper at the idyllic Pythouse Kitchen Garden which was attended by many wonderful friends and supporters of Horatio’s Garden. The cosy evening was organised by volunteer Elaine Vaughan, who thought it would be a lovely way to share with over 60 guests how far the charity has come in just a few short years. Many Read the Rest...

breaking ground in horatio’s garden london!

We have officially begun our fifth project at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore (RNOH) this week, with the help of our wonderful celebrity ambassador Anneka Rice.  To date we have planted hope for patients, their families and friends in Salisbury, Scotland, Stoke Mandeville and Oswestry. Now, having raised an incredible total of £1.2 million, work on Horatio’s Garden London is underway.  Read the Rest...

thank you all waitrose shoppers!

A selection of Waitrose stores having been supporting Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville this year as part of their Community Matters scheme. Waitrose stores in Thames, Buckingham and Welwyn Garden City have currently presented us with cheques equalling a grand total of £1,138, which has all been raised by the many wonderful shoppers who have voted for us with their green Read the Rest...

horatio’s garden scotland on beechgrove repotted

We were very excited to see that Horatio’s Garden Scotland featured on yesterday evening’s episode of Beechgrove Repotted! The segment about Horatio’s Garden begins at approximately 8 minutes 30 seconds. CLICK HERE TO CATCH UP The Beechgrove Garden team previously visited our garden at the Queen Elizabeth Spinal Injuries Unit in Glasgow back in 2017, speaking with Founder & Chair Read the Rest...

horatio’s garden takes part in the big garden birdwatch

The RSPB’s annual Big Garden Birdwatch took place this year from 25th – 27th January and Horatio’s Garden certainly enjoyed getting involved.  The Birdwatch is the world’s largest wildlife survey, with over half a million people regularly taking part. It’s been taking place for the past 40 years and enables scientists to monitor trends and helps them to understand how wildlife Read the Rest...

lillian’s volunteering story in the glasgow evening times

The Glasgow Times have recently begun a weekly column about volunteering in Glasgow and featured Lillian, a volunteer in our Scotland garden, in their very first edition! Lillian kindly shared her wonderful story, which told the audience all about the charity and why she feels that volunteering in Horatio’s Garden is “worth its weight in gold.” We are so pleased Read the Rest...

katy mcintyre-brown is our new artist in residence in salisbury!

Self-taught, professional artist Katy McIntyre-Brown will soon be joining us in Horatio’s Garden Salisbury.  Katy will be starting her winter residency in the garden on Wednesday 15th January and thereafter will be in the garden every Tuesday from 4th February until then end of March. Patients, families and friends will all have the opportunity to paint alongside Katy, or can Read the Rest...

festivities in horatio’s garden

There have been a whole host of festivities taking place in each Horatio’s Garden across the UK, bringing a touch of Christmas magic to patients, families, friends, NHS staff and our wonderful supporters.  In Salisbury, an overwhelming number of people came along to the garden’s annual Christmas Fair, with many commenting they’d found more than a few ideal gifts for Read the Rest...

winser london support horatio’s garden stoke mandeville

On Monday 11th November, luxury womenswear label Winser London held an exclusive shopping evening in support of Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville. The event was incredibly well-supported, with over 25 happy shoppers joining us in Marlow for the occasion. The evening raised over £700 for the garden, thanks to Winser London generously donating 20% of all sales to Horatio’s Garden. We Read the Rest...

barn dancing fun in aid of stoke mandeville

On Saturday 9th November almost 100 people dressed in their country best and joined in with a fabulous Barn Dance in aid of Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville. The event was kindly organised by a group of Stoke Mandeville volunteers, who decided to go above and beyond in order to raise money for the garden. Guests were treated to a delicious Read the Rest...

pennant magazine features horatio’s garden

Pennant is the magazine of the Forces Pension Society and is published bi-annually containing an entertaining mix about life in the Forces, news, opinions and views, member’s feedback and much more.  In their autumn edition, they chose to feature the story of Horatio’s Garden across a generous double-page spread, which details where the charity came from and where it hopes to Read the Rest...

horatio’s garden in the cardiff times

This November we will be officially launching the capital appeal for Horatio’s Garden Cardiff, but already the Cardiff Times is busy spreading the word to everyone in the city.  The magazine kindly published an article this weekend that introduced our sixth project to the local community, including details of Sarah Price’s designs and a wonderful quote from Professor Charles Janczewski, interim Read the Rest...

a day of song in oswestry

Patients, staff and volunteers were all taking part in the RSPB’s ‘Birdsong Takeover’ event on Thursday, which was part of their national Let Nature Sing initiative.  The sweet sounds were played all afternoon throughout the garden room and Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries, helping the RSPB to reach its aim of bringing the music to around five million people’s ears. The Read the Rest...

artist keith jansz paints in horatio’s garden stoke mandeville

Professional artist Keith Jansz, a world-renowned mouth painter, will be painting in Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville on Thursday 10th October from 12pm – 5pm. Keith feels a connection with this particular garden as he previously spent six months in the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville following a car accident in 1995. When Keith returned home after his time Read the Rest...

advent of change support horatio’s garden

To pre-order your Children’s Advent Calendar or ‘World Changer Wall Calendar’, please CLICK HERE. From Monday 7th October, both calendars will be available to purchase online via the Advent of Change Website and John Lewis & Partners. They will also be be stocked in John Lewis stores across the country. * Horatio’s Garden are delighted to announce that they are Read the Rest...

bbc gardeners’ world film in stoke mandeville

If you missed the episode, CLICK HERE to watch it on BBC iPlayer. The piece on Horatio’s Garden begins at 24 minutes 50 seconds. We hope you enjoyed watching BBC Gardeners’ World on Friday 27th September 2019! We were delighted to welcome Joe Swift back to Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville, along with the rest of the team from the beloved Read the Rest...

horatio’s garden oswestry in the telegraph

In an incredible double-page spead, Bunny Guinness introduced Horatio’s Garden Oswestry to readers of The Telegraph in style last weekend!  Bunny wrote a wonderful piece that not only describes the thought and time that went into designing the garden, but also how lovely it is to now see the garden being treasured by so many.  She recalls having ‘no doubts’ when Founder and Chair of Read the Rest...

gold for stoke mandeville in aylesbury in bloom 2019

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that the team at Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville have been awarded GOLD in the Aylesbury in Bloom 2019 Communal Gardens category! The award was presented to Head Gardener Jacqui Martin-Lof by the Mayor of Aylesbury, Councillor Mike Smith, at a presentation held in the beautiful gardens of the Lindengate Mental Health Charity in Wendover. Read the Rest...

a busy week in horatio’s garden oswestry

Aside from BBC Shropshire’s special live broadcast in the garden on Sunday 8th September (which you can read more about by clicking HERE) a lot has been happening in the short time since our garden opened to patients, volunteers and NHS staff. Head Gardener Imogen, with support from staff from the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH), has Read the Rest...

wiltshire life magazine features horatio’s garden

Horatio’s Garden Salisbury volunteers have been featured in the October edition of Wiltshire Life following their achievement of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.  As many of you will know, the award is the highest honour given to UK volunteer groups and is equivalent to receiving a group MBE. It was announced in June that the group had won the award and a special Read the Rest...

patricia samanta is our new salisbury artist in residence

Volunteer and fine artist, Patricia Samanta, is returning to Horatio’s Garden Salisbury as our new artist in residence.  Patricia will be in the garden every Tuesday afternoon between 12-3pm from Tuesday 10th September until the end of October. She will be creating her own artwork inspired by the garden and will also be on-hand to offer gentle encouragement to patients pursuing Read the Rest...

the shropshire star feature horatio’s garden oswestry opening

The Shropshire Star have kindly featured Horatio’s Garden Oswestry once again, celebrating the garden’s opening to patients and their loved ones earlier this month.  The newspaper details various elements of the design, giving readers an insight into just how thoughtful designer Bunny Guinness was when she first imagined the garden back in 2018. It also mentions the wildlife that is already in abundance in Read the Rest...

horatio’s garden oswestry is open!

Horatio’s Garden Oswestry opened for the very first time this week, with patients, volunteers and NHS staff all making their way to the garden for a celebratory cup of tea and slice of homemade cake.  The afternoon was an immensely happy, emotional occasion which saw everyone chatting and getting to know both each other and the beautiful space Bunny Guinness initially Read the Rest...

national garden scheme open days

This September we’ll be opening each Horatio’s Garden in Salisbury, Scotland and Stoke Mandeville in support of the National Garden Scheme.  This is your opportunity to explore these unique, thriving spaces and learn more about how Horatio’s Garden supports people’s physical and mental rehabilitation as they learn to live with life-changing injuries. Both Horatio’s Garden and the National Garden Scheme Read the Rest...

pipers corner school support horatio’s garden

Pipers Corner School, which is based near High Wycombe, have been enormously supportive of Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville throughout the past academic year. From hosting a Fabulous Summer Tea Party to performing for patients in the garden, students across all years have been enormously enthusiastic as they embarked on their charitable endeavours.  In the past two weeks alone the pupils have supported the Read the Rest...

read the latest from dr olivia chapple in gardeners’ world magazine

As some of you may know, this year Dr Olivia Chapple was invited to be part of a panel contributing to Gardeners’ World Magazine’s ‘Grow Yourself Healthy’ campaign.  Olivia has now contributed to two issues alongside Margaret Kievel and Victoria Theakston, who have both spent time in the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre in Salisbury.  In the magazine’s May Read the Rest...

head gardener stephen hackett’s full article for salisbury life magazine

Our Salisbury Head Gardener, Stephen Hackett, recently wrote a brilliant article for Salisbury Life Magazine which has been featured in their July issue.  The piece, entitled ‘Let It Grow’, features a variety of Salisbury gardeners who all make it their mission to contribute to the local community by creating and nurturing beautiful spaces. Each is also committed to offering a Read the Rest...

caroline may will be our new artist in residence at stoke mandeville

We are delighted to welcome Caroline May back to Horatio’s Garden, who will this summer be our new Artist in Residence at Stoke Mandeville.  Last year Caroline was our Artist in Residence in Scotland, encouraging patients and visitors to be creative, whilst also creating numerous beautiful works herself. She recently exhibited a collection of her final pieces in Spring 2019, Read the Rest...

volunteers featured in the salisbury journal

The achievements of the Horatio’s Garden Salisbury volunteer team have been featured this June in the Salisbury Journal.  Following the incredible news that the group had been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the Journal decided to spread the word of their recognition throughout the local community. Many people in Salisbury have supported Horatio’s Garden since the beginning, and Read the Rest...

cecil’s volunteering story

Today we’re featuring Cecil, who below tells the story of how he came to volunteer at Horatio’s Garden Salisbury. It’s a short, but immensely uplifting tale which we hope you enjoy reading. * “For many years I have been a patient of Mr Chapple’s at Salisbury District. Over the years I have had many spinal surgeries under different consultants. In 2012 I Read the Rest...

head gardener imogen jackson welcomed by the shropshire star

Recently appointed Head Gardener for Horatio’s Garden Oswestry, Imogen Jackson, has been warmly welcomed to her new home in Shropshire by the team at the Shropshire Star! The newspaper published an article all about Imogen today, introducing both her and the charity to the local community. The article tells the story of Horatio’s Garden, as well as detailing Imogen’s background Read the Rest...

lillian’s volunteering story

As part of our continued celebration of Volunteers’ Week we would love to share Lillian’s volunteering story with you.   She currently supports our Scotland Garden, and as you will see below, her experiences in Horatio’s Garden have been both humbling and incredibly rewarding.  *  I have only been at Horatio’s Garden for a matter of a few months in Read the Rest...

volunteers receive the queen’s award for voluntary service

Volunteers at Horatio’s Garden Salisbury, based in the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre of Salisbury District Hospital, were honoured on 2nd June 2019 with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. This is equivalent to a group MBE and is the highest award given to UK volunteer groups.  As our Salisbury garden was the first to be opened back in 2012 many Read the Rest...

the duke of buccleuch visits horatio’s garden scotland

On Monday 20th May we were delighted to welcome The Lord High Commissioner, His Grace the Duke of Buccleuch to Horatio’s Garden Scotland. Head Gardener Sallie, Volunteer Co-ordinator Yvonne, and a host of patients and volunteers were making the most of the sunshine in the garden, offering the Duke an authentic Horatio’s Garden experience. The whole team worked incredibly hard Read the Rest...

summer newsletter 2019

To celebrate the beginning of our week at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show we are today releasing our brand new Summer 2019 Newsletter! Click the PDF button on this page to read all about the first half of our year at Horatio’s Garden.

we’re looking for a regional fundraiser in stoke mandeville

Horatio’s Garden is a national charity that aims to improve the lives of everyone affected by spinal injury through creating and nurturing beautiful gardens. We grow thriving communities to support patients, their families and friends facing long stays in NHS hospitals. Horatio’s Garden: Regional Fundraiser Based: Stoke Mandeville, Aylesbury The charity is looking to appoint an experienced fundraiser to generate the Read the Rest...

fundraising dinner at newbury racecourse

Thank you so much to Charlotte Crawley for organising an evening of wonderful floral fun for over 350 guests at Newbury Racecourse on Friday 26th April.  The idea to host an event in support of Horatio’s Garden came to Charlotte following her spinal operations in the summer of 2017. With the support of her mother, Minty Crawley, and a brilliant committee, Read the Rest...

melanie reid features horatio’s garden in the times

Horatio’s Garden we’re delighted to hear the news that award-winning journalist and charity ambassador Melanie Reid very kindly featured the charity in her most recent article, which was published on Monday 15th April.  After attending our Glasgow Drinks Party at Edrington last week, an event celebrating our loyal supporters, Melanie shared the charity’s vision and mission with her Times readers and offered her Read the Rest...

garden therapy in stoke mandeville

Some wonderful stories have been shared with us recently from our Stoke Mandeville garden and art therapy groups, and we thought it would be lovely to offer everyone an insight into the wonderful difference Horatio’s Garden makes to patients on a daily basis.  Four patients, Ted, Emerson, Alfie and Pauline have all been keen gardeners since discovering the space, and with the help Read the Rest...

horatio’s garden glasgow on bbc radio scotland

Sallie Sillars, Head Gardener for Horatio’s Garden Glasgow, recently welcomed BBC Radio Scotland reporter John Beattie to the garden to find out more about the charity and the support it offers to patients and their loved ones.  John cycled to the garden to chat with two patients currently staying in the Scottish National Spinal Injuries Unit, as well as Head Read the Rest...

toasting an incredible night of fundraising at the wild by tart dinner

Horatio’s Garden is thrilled to announce that the Wild by Tart fundraising dinner, held in London on Wednesday the 27th of March, raised a phenomenal £296,000 for the London Garden capital appeal. The event was attended by 200 of the charity’s supporters and their guests, including Anneka Rice, Tom Stuart-Smith, Joe Swift and Frank Gardner.  Dinner guests enjoyed the most sublime Read the Rest...

national garden scheme donation announcement

On March 27th the National Garden Scheme excitingly announced at London’s Royal Festival Hall that they are donating £75,000 to Horatio’s Garden London and announced a ten-year commitment to the charity and its projects.  Co-founder and Head of Trustees Dr Olivia Chapple and long-time trustee Victoria Holton were present, along with celebrated garden designer Joe Swift who created the beautiful Horatio’s Garden at Stoke Mandeville.   Read the Rest...

head gardener for Horatio’s garden scotland receives certificate from the earl of wessex

Our very own Sallie Sillars, Head Gardener for Horatio’s Garden Scotland, was present at the High School of Glasgow earlier this month when Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex made a special visit to meet pupils and staff involved in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards Scheme. High School of Glasgow pupils have been volunteering at Horatio’s Garden Scotland as part Read the Rest...

CALLING ALL ARTISTS! SUBMIT YOUR WORK FOR THE HORATIO’S GARDEN SECRET ART SALE

We are delighted to announce that we are once again looking forward to holding the Horatio’s Garden Secret Art Sale at our annual Chelsea Drinks Party, after the great success of the inaugural event last year – and we’re on the hunt for artists to help us! The Chelsea Drinks Party will take place at the National Army Museum from Read the Rest...

catch up on the building work at horatio’s garden oswestry

We’re delighted to share the news that the building work at Horatio’s Garden Oswestry is well under way, with the steel frame of the garden room and the outline of planting beds and pathways starting to take shape. The recent wintery weather has proven to be no problem for the dedicated workers on site who have carried on turning the Read the Rest...

david c. h. austin snr obe vmh, founder of david austin roses ltd, has died peacefully at home

It is with great sadness that the Austin family announces the passing of David C. H. Austin Snr OBE VMH, rosarian and founder of David Austin Roses Ltd. David Snr died peacefully at his home in Shropshire on Tuesday 18th December 2018, surrounded by his family. He was 92.  

horatio’s garden runner up at social change awards

On the 11th December 2018, Horatio’s Garden was so grateful to receive the runner up award for The Everyday Impact – Long Term Enterprises at a wonderful event, hosted by the Directory for Social Change Social Change Awards and held at the House of Lords, presented by The Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC. Thank you to everyone who voted and Read the Rest...

stoke mandeville christmas tree

Thank you to Tom from Forest and Fir for donating the most beautiful Christmas Tree to Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville.  It has been fabulously decorated by our volunteers and takes pride of place in the Garden Room. 

nsic christmas fair

Thank you to the team from Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville for running the stall at the NSIC Christmas Fair.  Thank you to everyone who came and supported us. You can still purchase gifts and stocking filler for Christmas online via our shop HERE. 

kathy hinde art installation coming to horatio’s garden salisbury

Kathy Hinde will be showing her work in Horatio’s Garden Salisbury. Kathy’s work grows from a partnership between nature and technology expressed through audio-visual installations and performances that combine sound, sculpture, image and light. She has shown work extensively across Europe, China, Pakistan, USA, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil and New Zealand. The work will be exhibited in the apple archway in Horatio’s Garden. It’s called Read the Rest...

read the horatio’s garden oswestry press release

meet bianca, one of our trustees

Horatio’s Garden is run by a board of trustees who give their time voluntarily. Their varying talents and experience help us to meet our charitable goals and objectives, whilst keeping the costs of running the charity to a minimum.  Meet Bianca Roden. Bianca trained as a speech and language therapist and worked in various hospitals and schools with both adults and Read the Rest...

meet the designer

Designer of our hugely popular and fast selling 2018 Christmas cards is Martha Solloway.  Get to know Martha and her inspiration for her art below. “I am an artist and illustrator from Dorset and have studied art at both Kingston and Brighton Universities. I work from a wide range of subjects, which tend to revolve around my interest in people Read the Rest...

salisbury volunteer visit to stoke mandeville

On the 18th October the volunteers from Horatio’s Garden Salisbury went to visit the newest Horatio’s Garden in Stoke Mandeville. 

edinburgh drinks event

Thank you to everyone who attended the Edinburgh evening drinks event in support of Horatio’s Garden Scotland.  It was a wonderful evening with special thanks to James Alexander-Sinclair for his speech. 

horatio’s garden stoke mandeville is open!

On the 9th September 2018, the third Horatio’s Garden was officially opened by guest of honour Mary Berry. “Of course, a garden is never truly finished; it is an ever evolving story which will develop over the years with patients and our volunteers” – Garden designer Joe Swift. Going forward, Head Gardener Jacqui and her team of amazing volunteers will Read the Rest...

cornerstone volunteers at horatio’s garden scotland

Many thanks to the Cornerstone volunteers for coming and lending a helping hand in Horatio’s Garden Scotland on 17th August.    

Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville is near completion

The garden in Stoke Mandeville is nearing completion. The third Horatio’s Garden, this space will serve patients at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire. 

Sweet peas in Scotland

Sweet peas are in full bloom at Horatio’s Garden Scotland. Gorgeous scents are filtering through the air in the garden activity area and everything has taken on a beautiful freshness that only gardens can give. A real sensory for delight for all visitors and regular users of the garden.   

Cleve West visits Salisbury

Cleve West came for a visit around the garden in Salisbury this morning, to enjoy a walk around the planting and a catch up with Head Gardener Stephen Hackett. 

A perfect activity for the longest day of the year

Patients were strawberry picking yesterday at Horatio’s Garden Scotland, making for a rewarding therapy session. Grown in the garden itself, the strawberries were washed and enjoyed by everyone!  For more information on patient activities in Scotland please see Activities for Patients on the Scotland Garden section of the website or ask Head Gardener Sallie how she can help.     

Joe Swift’s designs are coming to life

This week at Stoke Mandeville a lot of progress has been made. Joe Swift’s designs are leaping ahead, with the garden now looking more like a useable, tranquil space for the patients.  Head gardener Jacqui, who has been overseeing the build has describes this weeks progress as “a butterfly unfolding”. 

National Garden Scheme Gardens and Health week

It is well documented just how much of a positive impact gardens can have on a persons health. The National Garden Scheme launched their first Garden and Health week in August 2017, promoting the positive impact gardens have on heath and wellbeing. This year Gardens and Health week is taking place on the 18th-24th August and all the gardens that Read the Rest...

Horatio’s Garden features in The BMJ Medical Journal

18/12/2017 Horatio’s Garden has featured on  The British Medical Journal website in an article called ‘Hospital gardens are making a comeback’. The article focuses on the importance of gardens in hospital spaces, the evidence behind it and how hard it is to find funding to create these spaces. To read the article in full click here  

Glorious gardens open for NGS Festival Weekend

18/05/2018 The National Garden Scheme’s Festival Weekend 2018 will see gardens open for charity in all counties across England and Wales on 2nd and 3rd June – giving everyone access to private gardens in their area during one of the most beautiful months of the gardening year. Held annually and now in its sixth year, Festival Weekend celebrates glorious gardens Read the Rest...

Spire Removals Support

09/05/2018 Spire Removals are generously supporting Horatio’s Garden by providing the transport to the Chelsea Flower Show and back. We are hugely grateful for their generosity and kindness in giving their time and expertise.  

Gardeners’ World filming at Stoke Mandeville

30/04/2018 Last week a team from Horatio’s Garden Salisbury went to the newest Horatio’s Garden, currently being built at Stoke Mandeville. Gardeners’ World were filming with Joe Swift and new Head Gardener, Jacqui Martin-Lof, who made her television debut! The majority of plants and trees are in place, and the foundations for the Garden Room and Greenhouse are laid, all Read the Rest...

Inter Spinal Unit Games

20/04/2018 Huge congratulations to all 105 participants who competed in the Inter Spinal Unit Games this week at Stoke Mandeville! A special mention to the team from Salisbury who finished the week victorious! To see some of the images from the week’s sporting action, please click here

Inter Spinal Unit Games

16/04/2018 This week teams from all 14 Spinal Units across the UK will be taking part in the Inter Spinal Unit Games at Stoke Mandeville Stadium. The Games are held annually and 100 patients with 60 support staff will experience first-hand what can be achieved following a spinal injury. Good luck to everyone taking part! Find out more about the Games Read the Rest...

BritSpine 2018

19/03/2018 Horatio’s Garden is delighted to have been the charity beneficiary of the BritSpine Conference in Leeds last week. This year’s biennial conference and exhibition took place at the University of Leeds. Horatio’s Garden had a stand at the BritSpine Exhibition and Dr. Olivia Chapple gave a presentation at the conference dinner where there were table top collections and a Read the Rest...

New for 2018 – Volunteer recipes

13/03/2018 The Volunteer Recipe of the Month is a new feature. Each month one of our lovely volunteers will kindly share a favourite recipe. This month we have Sheila’s delicious cheesy biscuits. These biscuits are quick and easy to make and are a firm favourite in the Horatio’s Garden office. Happy baking.

Horatio’s Garden at the BALI Awards

We are delighted to announce that Endrick Landscapes have won a BALI Special Award for Outstanding Charitable Contribution and an award for Hard Landscaping Construction for 2017 for the work they carried out at Horatio’s Garden in Glasgow.  Receiving a BALI National Landscape Award is one of the landscape industries’ highest accolades and is recognition of a high level of achievement from within the Read the Rest...

Horatio’s Garden features in the Telegraph

An article in the Telegraph covered how ‘Horatio’s Garden is harnessing plant power with the help of a medical herbalist’.  Catherine Marshall described how her products, made for Horatio’s Garden, were “designed with the idea of a therapeutic, feel-good, healing garden in mind, intended to transport you back to the herb garden.”  The article covers how the surroundings of a garden Read the Rest...

Horatio’s Garden Scotland wins award from BALI

Endrick Landscapes are to receive an award for Horatio’s Garden Scotland, from the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) in the Hard Landscaping Construction sector, at the awards ceremony on 1st December. Receiving a BALI National Landscape Award is one of the landscape industries’ highest accolades, giving recognition of a high level of achievement from within the industry. The garden was judged by a Read the Rest...

Emma Bridgewater Collector’s Day Raffle

Horatio’s Garden has been lucky enough to host a stand and give a talk at the coveted collector’s days at Emma Bridgewater’s home.  Whilst at the collectors day, Horatio’s Garden and Emma Bridgewater ran a raffle, giving guests a chance to win a collection of goodies and the raffle raised £850.00! The team at Horatio’s Garden would like to thank everyone Read the Rest...

Building begins at Stoke Mandeville today!

Building began at Stoke Mandeville today to create the third Horatio’s Garden. Designer, Joe Swift, dug the first spadeful of earth with Horatio’s brother, Titus Chapple. The building will last six months. Once completed it will feature a garden room, a communal space outside for lunches and live music, a large greenhouse specially equipped for patients and a whole range of perennial and evergreen Read the Rest...

Newport Dragon’s star makes headlines

Newport Dragon’s player Ed Jackson, who was a patient at the spinal unit in Salisbury, has recently featured on the BBC Sport news page, talking about his spinal injury after diving into a shallow end of a swimming pool.  “After hitting my head on the bottom I realised I couldn’t swim to the surface because I’d lost movement in my legs Read the Rest...

Brewin Dolphin sell plants from Chatsworth for Horatio’s Garden

The Brewin Dolphin garden by Jo Thompson at RHS Chatsworth Show has sold off all the plants in support of Horatio’s Garden and raised over £2,000. Jo Thompson’s beautiful FreeForm garden won the “People’s Choice” at the show. Brewin Dolphin have donated plants and sculptures from their 2012 and 2016 Chelsea Flower Show gardens to Horatio’s Garden Salisbury and Scotland.  Jo’s garden Read the Rest...

Nelsons sponsor Chelsea flower Show

Horatio’s Garden had a very successful Chelsea Flower Show. The stand was visited by many guests including Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice. Baroness Masham, Joanna Lumley, Anneka Rice and Alan Titchmarsh were all impressed with the beauty of the stand as well as the many supporters who visited during the week. The most popular merchandise item was the new garden Read the Rest...

Michael Bowyer Flower Arranging Day

Guests were treated to a wonderful afternoon of flower arranging demonstrated by the very talented Michael Bowyer MBE at the Guildhall in Salisbury. Michael put together over 10 superb designs to a full crowd and each piece was raffled over afternoon teas with all profits generously donated to Horatio’s Garden. The event raised over £2,000! Our thanks go to Michael and Read the Rest...

Give as you Live

Supporters of Horatio’s Garden can raise free donations simply by shopping online using Give as you Live. Shop at over 4,100 leading online stores including Amazon, eBay, Tesco, John Lewis, Sainsbury’s, Just Eat and Booking.com, to name but a few! Give as you Live is a shopping and price comparison website that donates funds with every purchase to Horatio’s Garden. You can shop for products Read the Rest...

Oswestry Design Consultancy Day

The Horatio’s Garden Team visit the Midland Spinal Centre at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry. Bunny Guinness and Olivia Chapple presented the plans to the Executive team, the Nursing staff and current and former patients of Oswestry. In the consultation both the staff and patients put forward ideas that will be included in the final designs. The promotional Read the Rest...

Points of Light Award

Horatio’s Garden has been awarded a Points of Light Award by the Prime Minister.  In a letter to Olivia Chapple Teresa May said “The beautiful gardens you have created are having a positive impact on people being treated for spinal cord injuries and are a wonderful tribute to Horatio’s memory. By making peaceful and serene places for patients and their Read the Rest...

Salisbury International Arts Festival

We are delighted to announce a partnership with the Salisbury International Arts Festival 2017. This partnership helps bring culture and entertainment to patients in hospitals. Horatio’s Garden Salisbury will be hosting a reception for the festival in April and a live performance in the gardens on 4 June. The Salisbury International Arts Festival commences on 26 May until 10 June 2017.

Visit from appeal Patron Gregor Fisher

Gregor Fisher, appeal Patron of Horatio’s Garden Scotland, visited the new Horatio’s Garden at the Scottish National Spinal Unit this week. Gregor, currently starring as an ugly sister in Cinderella at the Kings Theatre in Glasgow, met with patients, volunteers and staff and toured the project. Much fun was had by all! STIHL kindly donated a Compact Cordless Blower which Read the Rest...

Bruce Munro’s ‘Reflections’ – an installation in Salisbury

There is a wonderful new addition coming to the Garden Room at Horatio’s Garden in Salisbury. We are delighted that British artist Bruce Munro, who is best known for producing large immersive light-based installations, including a stunning projection piece at Salisbury Cathedral in 2014, is producing a new series of beautiful and immersive audio visual digital animations for Horatio’s Garden. This will be shown for the first time on Wednesday Read the Rest...

Write on Kew

Catalina Willis the artist and writer of two Horatio’s Garden books will be performing at Write on Kew on Saturday 24th September 1-3pm. Catalina’s books can be purchased here The 16 year old artist Catalina said “It means a lot to me that the book helps people remember Horatio and raises some funds for his charity.” 

Summer Newsletter 2016

Take a look at our summer newsletter here – if you would like to receive our bi-annual newsletters through the post please register here

National Gardens Scheme

Horatio’s Garden has been selected by the National Gardens Scheme to become a beneficiary charity. At a press launch today the charity announced a donation of £130,000 to Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville capital appeal. Dr Olivia Chapple, Chair and Executive Trustee of Horatio’s Garden, commented: “We are absolutely thrilled to be joining forces with the NGS whose aims are very Read the Rest...

Gregor Fisher visits Horatio’s Garden Scotland

Front page of the Herald – Gregor Fisher’s visit to Horatio’s Garden in Scotland as the building starts.

NGS to support Horatio’s Garden

The fantastic news that the National Gardens Scheme (NGS) is to support Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville was announced in today’s Telegraph. The NGS has an interesting history dating back to the 1850’s that has always been closely related to health and nursing. Since its foundation, the National Gardens Scheme has donated over £45 million to its beneficiary charities, of which nearly Read the Rest...

Newsletter – Winter 2015

DO read our first newsletter – this will be a bi-annual production and if you would like to receive it by post please contact us here

Head Gardener for Horatio’s Garden Scotland

We are looking to appoint a head gardener for two days a week for the second Horatio’s Garden at the Scottish National Spinal Injuries Unit at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow. The head gardener will be responsible for the maintenance of the garden, organise the volunteer gardener team and garden therapy for patients in collaboration with the occupational therapy Read the Rest...

Anneka Rice

In the Daily Telegraph, on Saturday 26th December, India Sturgis interviews Anneka Rice about her involvement as an Appeal Patron of Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville. Read the article here.    

Sunday Telegraph Living

Read the Judith Woods interview with executive trustee Victoria Holton and her reasons for supporting Horatio’s Garden, in the Sunday Telegraph Living section. “There was no outside space when I was admitted, just a bleak expanse of ground. I’d wheel myself to the car park just to escape the ward.”  

Simon Gudgeon

Sculptor Simon Gudgeon and garden designer Monique Gudgeon from Sculpture by the Lakes visited Horatio’s Garden Salisbury to plan an exciting sculpture exhibition for next summer. One of Britain’s leading contemporary sculptors, Simon Gudgeon, has a signature smooth style that marvellously concentrates spirit and nature. His minimalist, semi-abstract forms depict both movement and emotion of a moment captured with a Read the Rest...