A new wellbeing garden has opened at The Royal Oldham Hospital, supported by GARDENA, Europe’s leading watering and hand tools brand. The space, designed for patients, families, staff, and visitors, offers a place to pause, recharge, and connect with nature.
Built on the site of the former Fountain Garden, a cherished part of the hospital grounds since the 1930s, the new garden honors its legacy while creating a more accessible and biodiversity-friendly space. The project is a partnership between the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, NorthCare Charity, and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
GARDENA donated gardening tools and provided hands-on support through employee volunteers who helped with planting. Rebecca Robertson, Senior Digital Marketing Specialist at GARDENA, said, “We’re incredibly proud to have played a part in bringing The Royal Oldham Hospital’s new wellbeing garden to life. At GARDENA, we’re passionate about helping more people experience and enjoy green spaces, so it has been fantastic to support a project that will make a real difference to people using the hospital.”
Led by award-winning environment designer and RHS Ambassador Adam Frost, the redesign includes new seating and climate-resilient, wildlife-friendly planting, such as fruiting trees, shrubs, and pollinator-friendly species. The garden opened on October 21.
Speaking at the opening, Claire Matterson CBE, Director General of the RHS, said: “This is a garden that has been part of the hospital for almost a century. It means a great deal to staff, to patients, and the local community, so we had to approach this with care, patience, and with great respect. Gardens and restorative outdoor spaces should be considered an essential part of healthcare design and investments.”
Kevin McGee, Interim Chief Executive at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, said: “In a clinical environment, where we are dealing with some of the most difficult things that people can imagine, both from a personal and a family perspective, being able to step outside into a space like this and decompress is something you simply can’t put a pound value on.”
