Rutland Memorial Hospital garden, After Many Years, Work Start's on
Mr Toon's Memorial Garden, NHS Leicestershire
Landscape gardening expert David Penny and
Lara Hobbs get work under way as Rutland
Memorial Hospital revamps its courtyard garden.
Over the coming weeks Mr Penny’s team will be
transforming the area, which is overlooked by
Rutland Ward where health care assistant Lara
works, into a stimulating therapeutic garden for
patients, visitors and staff at the hospital in Cold
Overton Road, Oakham.
“Brightly-coloured plants with different leaf
shapes, sizes and textures have been chosen to
provide a constant display and to enhance the
colours of the blooms so that the garden offers
year-round interest,” said Mr Penny.
“Perfumes will also play an important role –
particularly for visually-impaired patients – so we
will be including plants that provide vanilla,
orange, lemon, mint and subtle aromatic scents.”
Mr Penny added that the garden has also been
designed to be low-maintenance and to take into
account soil and light conditions in the courtyard.
It includes raised borders, high-specification
artificial turf, wheelchair-friendly flooring and
contrasting pathways.
The £38,000 project is being funded using part of
a bequest from Uppingham businessman Edward Toon.
In 2012 this project was going to cost £100,000
http://prolandscapermagazine.com/disused-courtyard-at-hospital-will-become-100000-therapeutic-garden/
A plaque commemorating Mr Toon will be installed once work is complete and hospital
managers also hope to add artwork and installations by local artists to make the courtyard an
even more stimulating place.
An official opening ceremony is being planned for next spring but patients will be able to
spend time in the garden from late autumn.
