Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie visited Horatio’s Garden Scotland on Monday 24th July and met patients, volunteers and the staff at the Scottish National Spinal Unit, which treats all Scottish-based patients with spinal cord injuries and is based at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. This visit highlighted the extraordinary work carried out by the charity in just five years and raised awareness of the important role of healing gardens in the wellbeing of spinal cord injury patients.
Princess Eugenie’s interest in Horatio’s Garden, and in this garden in particular, was prompted following a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show earlier this year where Her Royal Highness met garden designer James Alexander-Sinclair who designed the Scottish garden. Mr Alexander-Sinclair, BBC presenter and leading garden designer, proclaimed Horatio’s Garden Scotland to be “the most important garden I have ever designed”.
During her visit, Princess Eugenie enjoyed a tour of every aspect of this special garden, observed garden therapy in action as patients used the landscape to learn wheelchair skills, and helped patients to plant a grapevine in recognition of her visit. Her Royal Highness also took the time to chat to patients and former patients over tea, including the award-winning Times journalist Melanie Reid.
Horatio’s Garden’s Chair of Trustees, Olivia Chapple, said; “We are so delighted that Princess Eugenie has seen the extraordinary benefits that a beautiful garden can bring to patients facing long stays in hospital. Her Royal Highness’s visit has brought joy to patients and volunteers.”
