Expansion of former RHS Flower Show garden at Clatterbridge Hospital
A former RHS Flower Show garden donated to Wirral University Teaching Hospital has been expanded to help provide an enhanced space of tranquillity for staff, patients and visitors.
The Constructing Minds Garden was donated from the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park in 2023 and rebuilt on the site of Clatterbridge Hospital.
Constructing Minds with Nature, a landscape design studio for Charitable and Community Gardens led the installation of the garden. Last year they proposed that they would like to extend the garden to include a Butterfly Meadow and Woodland Walk with seating areas at no cost to the Trust.
Themed around mental health, the garden is intended to provide a space of tranquillity for staff, patients and visitors. It is aimed at supporting wellbeing by reducing stress and anxiety. Volunteers at Constructing Minds with Nature gave a lot of their spare time to develop the garden.
People were invited to a special opening of the newly expanded garden to view the new Butterfly Meadow and Woodland Walk on Friday 26th June.
Jon Jarvis, Founder of Constructing Minds with Nature, said “We formed a not-for-profit team called Constructing Minds with Nature with a vision to provide green spaces to enhance human wellbeing and the environment. After donating our award winning RHS show Garden to Clatterbridge, we could see an opportunity to develop the surrounding spaces so staff and patients could connect to nature to reduce stress and anxiety. This reflects the growing recognition that human health and the natural environment are intertwined.”
Carolyn Hardern, Founder of Constructing Minds with Nature, added: “With this, our largest project to date, it would not be possible without the amazing generosity from sponsors. Jon, the sponsors and I are pleased to be able to provide an accessible tranquil space for staff, patients and visitors to Clatterbridge Hospital to enjoy.”
Janelle Holmes, Chief Executive at Wirral University Teaching Hospital, added: “I would like to thank the team at Constructing Minds with Nature for all their hard work in creating this wonderful space, and to all the volunteers who gave their time. The garden will be an outdoor wellbeing space that will provide real benefit to staff, patients and visitors.”
Photo, left to right: Alison Hughes, Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications, Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (WUTH); Paul Watson, Breedon Special Aggregates; Clare Jefferson, Associate Director of Estates, Facilities and Capital Governance and Sustainability, WUTH; Jon Jarvis, Constructing Minds with Nature; Victoria Cavanagh (Volunteer), Catering Business Support , WUTH; Gary Graham, Breedon Special Aggregates; The Mayor of Wirral, Councillor Mary Jordan; and Carolyn Harden, Constructing Minds with Nature.