The Colchester Hospital Wellbeing Garden, a transformative project realised through a collaboration between the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and the East Sussex and North Essex Foundation Trust (ESNEFT), is now complete.
The garden, designed by renowned garden designer and RHS Ambassador Adam Frost is strategically located at the hospital entrance near the dedicated Cancer Wellbeing Centre.
This new green space is much more than an aesthetic enhancement, it is a vital hub for health and wellbeing. The garden will host a variety of activities aimed at promoting mental and physical health, serving as a restorative space for NHS staff, patients and visitors. Among the planned activities are ‘gardening for wellbeing’ sessions specifically created for NHS staff and patients offering therapeutic engagement with nature.
Blakedown Landscapes, as principal contractor, played an essential role in bringing this project to fruition. Their work included the demolition and clearing of existing vegetation, and the creation of hard landscapes with pathways made from self-binding gravel, resin bound gravel, and Chelmer Valley Derby clay pavers. These pathways weave through a carefully designed landscape of trees, wildflowers, and diverse plantings. The garden also features outdoor seating and an all-weather wildflower-topped shelter, providing a space for relaxation and activities in any season
Sustainability was a cornerstone of the garden’s construction. Site-won spoil was reused to form rolling banks planted with wildflowers, and the soft landscaping included the planting of fruit trees, heavy standard trees, and 2,000 new plants. These plants were chosen for their drought tolerance and resilience to climate change, addressing Essex’s status as the driest county in the UK. Additionally, the new planting adjacent to the car park will help to reduce noise and pollution. Volunteers, including RHS volunteers, hospital staff and both current and former patients, were integral in the planting process.
Claire Custance, RHS Community Outreach Manager South, East and Yorkshire, said: “We are delighted to have worked with Blakedown to realise Adam Frost’s designs for the new wellbeing garden at Colchester Hospital. Collaborating with the NHS on this project embodies our commitment to supporting people’s health and wellbeing through the healing power of plants and being in nature. 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.”
Chris Wellbelove, Director of Blakedown Landscapes, commented, "Our team worked diligently to ensure that the garden not only met but exceeded the expectations set by the RHS and the NHS, a testament to our commitment to sustainability and high-quality workmanship. This project marks our second collaboration with the NHS and RHS, following the successful completion of the University Hospital Lewisham Wellbeing Garden last year.”
To ensure the ongoing sustainability of the garden, the RHS Community Outreach team has partnered with local volunteers to create a gardening club that will manage and maintain the garden once it is established. The gardening club has already begun tidying up and planting in existing spaces around the hospital. Additionally, the RHS Community Outreach team is conducting gardening for wellbeing activities on-site for NHS staff and patients over a three-year period, promoting health and wellbeing through the therapeutic benefits of gardening.
These co-created gardens within NHS settings align with the NHS's strategic shift towards social prescribing and preventative health interventions. They also contribute to the NHS 'Net Zero' strategy, which aims to address the climate crisis by developing green infrastructure on NHS sites
