Horatio's Garden Midlands - Oswestry
We worked with award-winning garden designer Bunny Guinness to transform the garden around the Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries into a beautiful sanctuary for patients and their loved ones.
The garden is the fourth of its kind to open in the UK and it has been wonderful to see Bunny Guinness’ thoughtful designs being brought to life by an incredible team. The project was once again expertly managed by Owen Hemmings of the Robert Lombardelli partnership, whilst Read Construction and Butler Landscapes worked together to ensure the garden became the gentle, welcoming space that Bunny first imagined.
The garden room is a spectacular element of the garden too. It was designed by Andrew Wells of 3W Architecture and features a stunning ceiling painted by artist Martin Rodgers. The garden room and adjacent courtyard form the social hub of the garden, offering patients and visitors the opportunity to gather together in a warm, welcoming environment. The garden also features many secluded areas, where patients can quietly reflect amongst the planting.
It is thanks to the support of many wonderfully generous individuals, donors, businesses and organisations that we have been able to take another step forward on our journey to support everyone affected by spinal injury throughout the UK.
Now that the garden is open, we ask for your continued support. Not only will this help us to tend the garden, it also means we can offer patients the opportunity to be involved in all kinds of events and activities. No donation is too great or too small – anything you can give makes an enormous difference to everyone spending many months in hospital.
“To see our patients enjoy this Garden is the most rewarding sight. It really is heaven.”
If you feel inspired to support the garden, either by volunteering, becoming a Friend, donating, or fundraising we would love for you to be a part of the story of Horatio’s Garden Midlands.
BUNNY GUINNESS
Bunny Guinness is well known as a Gardeners’ Question Time panellist on Radio 4 and writer for the Telegraph. Her sensitive designs include a spectacular garden room so patients can enjoy the garden whatever the weather and a fabulous greenhouse within a horticultural therapy area. A social area will provide space for patients to gather and enjoy live music and events hosted by the charity, whilst private areas will offer patients the space to escape and contemplate.
“Hearing from people who have benefited from the other Horatio’s Gardens has inspired me. The gardens provide all the benefits of a beautiful outside space to people who really appreciate them. For the patients, it may well be their first venture into the outside world again, for their friends, families and staff the gardens provide a softer more personable space away from the ward. I am privileged to be involved in this exciting project at Oswestry.”
The Design
Bunny Guinness’ designs carefully reflect the needs of patients and their families. The main garden wraps the spinal unit on two sides, with the planting in the existing courtyard areas being enhanced so that all patients’ bedroom windows have a view of nature. The garden is all on one level, with smooth paths throughout ensuring that it is easily accessible to patients in beds and wheelchairs. The essential design features are a social space, private areas for patients to seek solitude or share with a family or friend, flowing water in a rill, a garden room, a garden therapy area, greenhouse, wheelchair skills area and children’s play area.
“This is going to help our patients a lot. It will not only help them in their physical wellbeing but more so in their psychological well being. Once their mind is in a better place, I would expect them to be participating lot better in rehab and it might actually reduce their hospital stay” – Joy Roy Chowdhury, Consultant Surgeon.
Read more about the design HERE
IMOGEN JACKSON
“I have worked in mental health for many years, always using horticulture and the natural environment to help people to improve their mental wellbeing by enabling and encouraging them to connect with nature. I now feel honoured to be a part of the Horatio’s Garden team, to be maintaining such an amazing garden and supporting so many people in the first steps in their journey to a new life. The enormous benefits of the garden to patients, their visitors and NHS staff is undeniable, and I am very proud and delighted to be part of the process.
The garden offers a total escape, a step into another world, for patients whose lives have been turned upside down. It provides a space for privacy, for relaxation, and for the ever changing sights, sounds and scents of nature to work their magic. Being able to empower patients to either continue gardening, or to learn new horticultural skills, as well as to open people’s eyes to a world they may have never noticed before is extremely gratifying, a real privilege.”
Click below to hear more from our Head Gardeners about how to get the best out of your gardens all year round!
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Find Us
Horatio's Garden Midlands - Oswestry
The Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital
Gobowen
Oswestry
SY10 7AG
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