Sheffield hospital garden wins top prize at Chelsea Flower Show

A garden designed for a Sheffield hospital has won the top prize at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Horatio’s Garden was created to provide a therapeutic haven for spinal injuries patients at the city’s Northern General Hospital.

It was named Best Show Garden by judges on Tuesday.

The design, inspired by Sheffield’s steel industry and geography, is set to be recreated at the hospital’s Princess Royal Spinal Injuries Centre next year.

Designers Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg, from Harris Bugg Studio, consulted patients and NHS staff as they developed the garden, which is intended as “immersive, restorative” space for people recovering from life-changing spinal injuries.

The design was commissioned by Horatio’s Garden, a charity which creates outdoor sanctuaries to nurture spinal injury patients’ wellbeing.

It features a water table at wheelchair users’ level, inspired by Sheffield’s steel industry, and stone cairns similar to those seen in the Peak District.

The garden has cement-free terrazzo-style paths that can be accessed by patients in beds and wheelchairs, as well as layered planting to allow interaction from various levels.

Ms Harris said the design was about “getting people out” away from the “bleeps and buttons” of the “sterile” hospital environment.

Dr Olivia Chapple, founder of Horatio’s Garden, said the award was “absolutely incredible” and “amazing for Sheffield”.

She added: “It means a huge amount for the charity because what we want to do is be able to create gardens in all the spinal injury centres.

“Nobody should have to go through a life-changing spinal injury and not have access to somewhere that’s beautiful.”

The garden was also awarded a gold medal at Chelsea, where it was visited by Queen Camilla on Monday.

Horatio’s Garden is seeking to raise £1.75m to fund the Sheffield garden’s construction.