Colchester Hospital's wellbeing garden has grand opening

The wellbeing garden was officially opened yesterday at 11.30am outside the front of  Turner Road site.

This space was a joint project between the Colchester & Ipswich Hospital’s Charity, The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), and the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT).

The NHS Charities Together organisation was also involved in its creation, with the garden designed by landscaper Adam Frost, known for presenting Gardeners World.

Event - attendees at the garden's opening (Image: Newsquest)

Beautiful - some of the planted flowers in the garden (Image: PR)

Its purpose is to provide NHS staff, patients and visitors with a calming space to rest and will become a vital activity hub for the community.

The garden is located near the entrance of the hospital right next to the cancer wellbeing centre.

A series of paths have been put in place, as well as new benches and tables.

Visitors will be able to enjoy trees, wildflowers, and grasses, which have all been planted by a team of volunteers.

A section of the garden is still fenced off while they allow seeds to settle.

Presenter - Adam Frost in the garden (Image: PR)

Cutting the ribbon - RHS director general Claire Matterson and East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust boss, Nick Hulme (Image: PR)

Adam said: “It’s been an honour to design this garden as I know it’s going to be an invaluable resource to so many people working at and visiting Colchester Hospital.

“People need somewhere tucked away where they can pause before going through the hospital entrance; I want people to feel cloaked and comfortable.

“On a personal level, this is my way of saying thank you to everybody that works hard in the NHS.”

Claire Custance, RHS community outreach manager south, east and Yorkshire, said: “This collaboration embodies our commitment to supporting people’s health and wellbeing through the healing power of plants and being in nature.

Helping hand - a group of garden volunteers who helped bring it to life (Image: PR)

NHS - Dr Becca Elson sat at one of the new benches in the garden (Image: Newsquest)

“Together, we are creating spaces that enable both peaceful reflection and hands on gardening activity, reflecting the profound impact of gardens on our overall wellbeing.”

Chief executive of ESNEFT, Nick Hulme, attended the opening and spoke to The Gazette on why it was so important to implement the garden on site.

He said: “We know that people who come to hospital, whether for treatment or to visit a loved one, it is a stressful experience.

“People get anxious, people get worried, people don’t quite know what is going to happen.

Green - another area of the space (Image: Newsquest)

Happy - ESNEFT boss Nick Hulme (Image: Newsquest)

“So often there isn’t anywhere comfortable, relaxing, and safe for them to sit.

“So, providing this garden gives people the opportunity to come out here, have a bit of time on their own, before an operation, before an outpatient appointment, or after some treatment, where it is just a quiet, beautiful space.

“The plants and everything that goes with it, that’s really important, it’s also for the staff, as they haven’t always got somewhere they can sit and take a bit of time out.

“So, they can come here, sit outside, look at this amazing garden, smell the plants, and just feel relaxed, it is all part increasing the wellbeing of staff, visitors, patients, and the public.”