The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust are set to open a new garden at St James’s University Hospital in Leeds this September for patient recovery and staff wellbeing that will demonstrate the power of nature in healthcare.

The garden – which has been designed by renowned landscape designer and RHS Ambassador Adam Frost - will provide a space to relax and reflect for those working in or visiting the hospital.

Gardens are known to play a vital role in health promotion and overall wellbeing, with studies showing that simply looking at greenery can speed up recovery time. NHS staff were involved with the design of this garden through a consultation process, to ensure that it addresses the needs of both staff and patients. The plans include a range of new seating areas, an all-weather shelter complete with green roof and plenty of pollinator-friendly planting.

Honouring the vital role that gardens and cultivated plants play in supporting biodiversity, the new plans will see the existing mown lawn transformed into a complex garden habitat with over 200 square metres of mixed beds. In addition, new trees and specimen shrubs will be planted, comprising a mix of native and non-native species selected for maximum benefit to wildlife.

Woody species to be planted include native hawthorn, hazel, spindle and field maple as well as some non-natives, like Ginkgo biloba and flowering dogwood, to increase plant variety and provide year-round structure and interest.

The planting palette for the mixed beds will include structural fruiting blackcurrant and gooseberry hedges, small ornamental shrubs, mixed herbaceous perennials and drifts of bulbs. Across the garden all the new plants are suitable for the site’s south east facing position and resilient to the pressures of the extreme weather events caused by the changing climate, with species including acanthus, alchemilla, hellebores and salvias.

In homage to the adjacent Thackray Museum of Medicine – the UK’s largest independent medical museum - medicinal plants such as valerian, evening primrose, lemon verbena and hyssop will be incorporated into the garden. The medicinal benefits of many plants were well known to ancient Greek, Roman and Arab physicians, with some of the earliest forms of managed gardens created specifically for healing purposes, so these species will not only enhance the garden's aesthetic appeal but also serve as a living link to the rich history of medicinal botany.

Ahead of the opening a gardening club is being set up, which will be made up of local residents and NHS staff, who will ultimately look after the gardening spaces around the hospital, alongside the hospital estates team. To ensure the ongoing sustainability of the garden and to support NHS staff wellbeing, the RHS Community Outreach team will run workshops onsite, with sessions including bulb planting, willow weaving and making bee homes.

This project is part of a national initiative from the RHS in partnership with the NHS to create a network of wellbeing gardens across England. These gardens address the need for staff to have spaces to rest and recharge, which was especially highlighted during the pandemic. The first garden in this scheme opened at University Hospital Lewisham in 2022, where over 70% of staff surveyed reported improved mental health, citing the Wellbeing Garden as a crucial space for decompression and recharge during challenging periods. A second garden opened last summer at Colchester Hospital.

Case studies from the project will feed into the RHS Wellbeing Garden Blueprint which is being developed this year. The Blueprint will provide a set of evidence-based principles to develop spaces that can be used to support human wellbeing in a universal garden context.

Adam Frost, RHS ambassador and award-winning landscape designer and television presenter, said:

“Creating spaces that offer a moment of calm and reflection is crucial, especially in such a busy setting as a hospital. Being able to support NHS staff and patients in ways that support their day to day care giving and recovery is so important and we’ll be drawing on findings from previous gardens to inform its design and planting. I hope the garden provides people with a chance to connect with nature, and that it attracts new visitors like bees and butterflies, too.”

Dame Linda Pollard, Chair of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said:

“We are thrilled to be working with the RHS to create this wellbeing garden at one of our hospitals. And I’d like to thank all those who have funded this, including our own Leeds Hospitals Charity, who fully support this wellbeing project. We know how important access to green spaces is for both physical and mental health, and this new garden will provide a much-needed sanctuary for our staff, patients, and visitors.

“By transforming a simple lawn into a thriving, biodiverse space, we are not only enhancing the hospital environment but also supporting the wellbeing of everyone who passes through our doors. This project is a testament to the power of nature in healthcare, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on our community.”

For more information about the St James’s University Hospital Wellbeing Garden and about the health benefits of gardening please visit here.