Royal visitor marks a year of Horatio’s healing garden
A HEALING garden in Glasgow’s super hospital received a royal visit one year since it opened.
Princess Eugenie visited Horatio’s Garden Scotland to meet patients, volunteers and staff at the Scottish National Spinal Unit, which treats all Scottish-based patients with spinal cord injuries at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
The outdoor retreat was opened in August 2016 in memory of Horatio Chapple, who was killed by a polar bear while on an expedition to the Arctic Circle.
Before his death, the 17-year-old aspiring doctor came up with the idea for a garden for patients with spinal injuries – where they could rest and enjoy peace and quiet away from the wards.
His mother, Olivia, said the Horatio Garden – the second to be built in the UK, and the first in Scotland – was a fitting tribute.
Speaking after its opening, she said: “Horatio loved the outdoors and he was troubled by the thought of spinal injuries patients – many of whom had led adventurous lives like his before their catastrophic accidents – being trapped indoors in a hospital for months on end.
“Patients told him they wanted a really beautiful, accessible garden they could use as an escape, somewhere they could be alone if they wanted away from the busy ward.
“He was really excited about this idea of a garden because he felt it was a tangible thing he could do to help people.”
Princess Eugenie’s visit was inspired by her time at the Chelsea Flower Show where she met garden designer James Alexander-Sinclair who designed the Glasgow garden.
The BBC presenter and leading garden designer, said Horatio’s Garden Scotland was “the most important garden I have ever designed”.
The garden has been divided into six distinct spaces which are designed to stimulate the different senses and provide a sense of wellbeing, with pods for patients to enjoy the garden whatever the weather. Every window on the ward now has a view of the garden, which also includes a woodland area to encourage wildlife to visit and a physiotherapy garden for an important part of patient rehabilitation
The Princess spoke to patients and former patients over tea, including disabled journalist Melanie Reid.
Horatio’s Garden’s Chair of Trustees, Olivia Chapple, said: “We are so delighted that Princess Eugenie has seen the extraordinary benefits that a beautiful garden can bring to patients facing long stays in hospital. Her visit has brought joy to patients and volunteers.”