Butler Landscapes starts garden build for children in hospital

Fundraising for the garden at the Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt (RJAH) Orthopaedic Hospital in Gobowen, is still ongoing but, to date nearly £200,000 has been raised. This has allowed the landscaping and infrastructure along with a glass building for patients to undertake school work or play sessions all year round, whatever the weather. However further funding is still required to include play equipment, plants, tools and extras to complete the garden.

Work started on the project on September 9 with Paul Butler, Director of Accredited Contractor Butler Landscapes based in Tern Hill, Market Drayton, and team on site. It is anticipated the project of around 500square metres will take around eight weeks to complete.

The ‘Garden for Alice’ fundraising appeal is aims to create a stunning outdoor garden for paediatric patients and their families at the RJAH Hospital. Alice Ward, the dedicated children’s unit at the Oswestry-based hospital, provides specialist advice, diagnosis, and treatment for children between 0-18 years with bone, joint and muscular disorders. Funding is needed to enhance the current garden area to ensure it is inclusive for all the children RJAH cares for, while being accessible throughout the day and during the evening. The aim is to provide a private, safe, and stimulating environment which not only promotes health and wellbeing but will also offer a calming escape from the hospital environment for long term and returning patients.

The garden was originally designed by 17-year-old Olivia Copley, a volunteer who consulted with patients and staff in 2021 to create the original design which was then developed by the architects. Awscapes, the architects took that design and made it work and Butler Landscaping and Design were chosen after a tender process in April as the contactor.

Butler Landscapes has won multiple Royal Horticultural Society Gold Medals and are leading specialists in all aspects of garden design, landscape construction and garden maintenance.

Five years ago, they were also chosen to implement the planting scheme at Horatio’s Garden Midlands at the same hospital.

Horatio’s Garden Midlands was created by the national charity that builds and looks after beautiful, vibrant sanctuaries in the heart of NHS spinal injury centres for people adjusting to life-changing injuries. Horatio’s Garden is named after Horatio Chapple, who volunteered at the spinal centre in Salisbury and first had the idea to create a garden for people spending time there. Tragically, Horatio’s life was cut short in 2011 when he was 17, but there followed an outpouring of love and goodwill, with donations flooding in for the first Horatio’s Garden to be created. His legacy has continued to grow and there are now seven Horatio’s Gardens nurturing the wellbeing of thousands of people with spinal injuries, their families and friends, and NHS staff throughout the UK.

Sharon Butler, Director of Butler Landscapes said:

"We implemented the planting at Horatio’s Garden which was designed by Bunny Guinness, the six-time RHS Chelsea gold medal-winning regular panellist on BBC Gardeners’ Question Time. It’s an amazing garden and it’s so good for the patients as they recover as beds can be wheeled out to enable them to spend time outside in nature"

"We are very much hoping that Alice Garden will provide the young people being treated at RJAH with a similarly uplifting experience. The more money that is raised, the more the final project will be able to deliver. We are so delighted to be working alongside the RJAH Hospital again."

Paul Butler, Director at Butler Landscapes, a qualified landscape architect and garden designer, said:

"We are really honoured to work on projects like this as we want to be more involved with special spaces for people, and projects that can improve people’s physical and mental health. As the main contractor we feel really proud to have been trusted with this project. We always go the extra mile for our customers. We know that designers like working with us because we really respect design as I design many of our own projects. We understand construction at the same time as understanding what’s important for the design. We don’t do what’s easy we do what’s right for the space and the people who will be using it."

Michael Bowen, Capital Manager, at RJAH said:

"We are thrilled to be working with Butler Landscapes, who, with their experience in building Horatio’s Garden at our site, bring an understanding and appreciation of our unique environment. We are confident that they will create a wonderful, healing space for our children and families to enjoy.

"The success of this project would not be possible without the dedicated fundraising efforts and generous contributions from our supporters, and we look forward to seeing the Alice Garden flourish as a testament to our community’s commitment to enhancing patient care at RJAH."

Anyone wishing to donate to the project under the RJAH Charity, can do so via the Just Giving page here.