“The garden allowed me to reconnect with myself and the world in so many ways. I did yoga, pottery, photography, listened to live music and even sang alongside one of the musicians. It’s such a good way of relieving stress.”
“Anybody who’s got a spinal injury, sometimes thinks ‘oh, why me?’, whereas you should be thinking ‘why not me?’. Don’t be afraid, because coming here will give you a tremendous number of benefits. ”
“The first weeks I spent in hospital were enlightening. The staff are lovely, they can’t do enough to help you and they’re very informed on how to make the situation you’re living in better. ”
“Helping something to grow has had a really positive impact on me, because I feel like I’m looking after something and it takes my mind away from everything, which is lovely. The garden is just a really nice, safe space.”
“I have made so many memories in Horatio’s Garden. The memories of people I’ve met, their journeys, my journey as well as all of the crafts I have made will always be with me.”
“Horatio’s Garden has been a sanctuary for me and my family. It has given me a bit of home away from home where we can all sit peacefully together and enjoy the garden.”
“The garden makes a big difference! All the greenery helps to cheer you up as you can look out of a window and it’s just beautiful.”
“With home over three hours away, the garden kept me busy and I immediately felt the benefits. I loved planting bulbs and seeds in the garden, as well as all the creative workshops. I’ll always treasure my memories of being in Horatio’s Garden.”
“Once I was out of isolation, I used the garden every day! Whenever I wasn’t in physio, at the gym, or with doctors, I was in the garden.”
“The garden is such a good space for socialising with other patients and I have made some really good friends here. We have a good laugh which really uplifts our mood.”
“The garden soon became a haven for me as a tranquil sanctuary which distracted me from the noise of the ward.”
“The garden gave me that safe space mentally and emotionally. I could use the small garden rooms to write, to draw, to paint, to meditate, and the garden offered me the chance to learn skills and hobbies that I never would have tried prior to my injury.”
“The arts activities in Horatio’s Garden are a really good distraction from the difficulties of spinal injury, and they’re brilliant social times too.”
“Horatio’s Garden has been wonderful. It’s amazing, awesome, inspirational, motivating, and I think the most important thing is that it gives you space.”
“The garden, and in particular the garden room, has given me a reason to get out of bed. I now get up early in the morning so I can go into the garden and take a paper or a book. It is great escapism, which brightens up my day, lifts my mood, and gives me the feel-good factor.”
“I will always remember the flowers and plants, but most importantly, the people. The generosity that I've seen here is admirable.”
“I am so thankful for the peace, tranquillity, and fresh air. I often find myself looking out across the countryside to the distant waters of the Bristol Channel. The garden gives me a chance to clear my head.”
“Just two days away from graduating, Katie was busy living her life of passionate reckless abandon and love. Just two days away from graduating, Katie had an accident that would change her life forever.”
“The garden was a place where I could find some tranquillity from the busy ward. It gave me the space to contemplate, read and a chance to reconnect with nature by just watching the bees, birds and squirrels go about the garden.”
“It’s also wonderful for visitors to come to a joyful garden rather than a hospital. Spending time as a family together in Horatio’s Garden makes visiting a much happier occasion. The kids really love the garden too, as they get to run around and play on their scooters.”
“I really appreciated having such a beautiful space to unwind in and enjoy some autumnal sunshine! The fact that the design of the garden allows everyone to access it directly from their bay is great – it felt good to have that freedom to just pop outside easily.”
“Horatio’s Garden is well-known for providing valuable respite from the pressures of life on the ward, but for children who have no experience of being in hospital it is especially valuable. In the weeks Scarlett has spent there, as well as keeping all her schoolwork up to date, she has taken an active part in ‘garden life’”
“My whole experience here would have been so much harder without the garden. The garden offers you solitude from the ward, lending you time to think and reflect, which is a particularly wonderful thing to do in such a nice environment.”
“It is so beautiful in the garden room; I absolutely adore it! It is so hygge. Hygge is everything warm, comfortable and cosy. It often involves wood and a fire (which you have here!), friends and family.”
“It’s great talking to Sallie and doing activities in the garden. I have loved harvesting and eating the fresh fruit and vegetables, particularly making up recipes with them and sharing what we made with others.”
“It’s a nice feeling to just be in the garden, whether I’m doing something or not. I come out for fresh air, sunshine, to just sit, look at the birds and have a relaxing moment.”