A new garden has opened at Foresterhill Health Campus, creating a welcoming outdoor space where patients, visitors and staff can take time away from the clinical hospital environment and connect with nature.
The Nature Garden has been funded by NHS Grampian Charity and developed in partnership with NHS Grampian’s sustainability team, providing a new biodiverse greenspace in the heart of the hospital campus.
The project has been made possible thanks to an £87,400 grant from the Greener Communities Fund. The fund was launched in 2022 by NHS Charities Together in partnership with Starbucks and environmental charity Hubbub to help NHS charities create and improve green spaces.
Designed as a comfortable and central place to spend time outdoors, the Nature Garden aims to improve the experience of patients, their families, visitors and staff while they are Foresterhill.
Whether someone is looking for somewhere quiet to sit, an opportunity to take a break from treatment or appointments, or just a chance to spend a little time surrounded by nature, the Nature Garden is open to all.
The garden is home to a range of nature plants, trees and wildflowers which have been chosen to support biodiversity and attract birds, insects and other wildlife.
Educational signage throughout the garden also helps visitors learn more about the plants and creatures they may encounter, and the important role that greenspaces can play in supporting biodiversity.
Lisa Duthie, Charity Lead at NHS Grampian Charity, says, “Being in hospital can be a difficult and sometimes overwhelming experience, and we know how valuable it can be for patients and their families to have somewhere they can step away from the clinical environment, event for a short time.
“The Nature Garden is a beautiful, welcoming space where people can sit, spend time together, and enjoy being outdoors.
“It’s a great example of how charitable funding can enhance our hospital environments and make a meaningful difference to the experience of patients, families and staff, and we are incredibly grateful to the Greener Communities Fund for their support in bringing the idea to life.”
The Nature Garden forms part of NHS Grampian Charity’s wider commitment to improving hospital environments and creating spaces which support the health and wellbeing of patients and their families.
Greenspaces across Scotland have declined in recent decades but, thanks to the support of funders and the generosity of those who donate, NHS Grampian Charity is working to create and improve gardens and outdoor spaces at hospitals across Grampian.
Alison Evison, chair of NHS Grampian, says, “While the care NHS Grampian provides is focused on treating a patient’s clinical needs, we also recognise how important their wider physical and emotional wellbeing is during their time in hospital.
“Being in hospital, whether as a patient or as a family member supporting someone you care about, can be stressful and overwhelming.
“Having a welcoming outdoor space like the Nature Garden is an important part of creating a hospital environment that looks after the whole person, as well as the families and loved ones who are alongside them throughout their care.”
Ellie Orton, OBE, chief executive at NHS Charities Together, says: “Access to green spaces and the benefits that this brings to our health and wellbeing should not be something limited to a lucky few, but available to everyone across the UK no matter where they live. This latest round of funding, in partnership with Starbucks and Hubbub, will build on our achievements and learnings to date and enable even more NHS charities to create and enhance green spaces that support the physical and mental health of NHS staff, patients and local communities.”
Rachel Roberts, NHS Grampian’s environmental manager, says, “The health and wellbeing of communities is at risk due to the serious decline of biodiversity, both locally and across the world.
“As well as supporting bees and butterflies – our vital pollinators – the native plants, trees and wildflowers in the Nature Garden will help enrich the soil and attract bugs, providing food for larger species and enabling the ground to hold more water which helps provide protection against flooding.
“Spending even short amounts of time in nature produces chemicals in the brain that are linked to reducing stress levels and helps to lower blood pressure. Trees, plants and other vegetation also play a significant role in reducing the amount of airborne pollutants in the air we breathe. With poor air quality now cited as the most serious environmental risk to public health in the UK, we need trees and plants more than ever.
“We look forward to welcoming visitors to the Nature Garden to enjoy the space, experience the benefits of spending time surrounded by nature, and to learn more about the natural environment around them and the importance of creating and protecting greenspaces like this.”
The Nature Garden is now open to visitors. It is located in the heart of Foresterhill Health Campus, between Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, and the new ANCHOR Centre. You can also click here to view the garden location on Google Maps.
Want to support the creation and enhancement of more gardens and greenspaces at NHS Grampian hospitals? Click here to donate.