Horatio's Garden Scotland

Horatio’s Garden is a national charity creating and nurturing beautiful gardens in NHS spinal injury centres to support everyone affected by spinal injury. We grow thriving communities to support patients, their families and friends facing long stays in NHS hospitals.

Leading landscape designers create these stunning sanctuaries, working in collaboration with prominent architects to design garden rooms ensuring the space can be used all year round. The gardens become an integral part of people’s lives throughout their time in hospital.

The charity is named after Horatio Chapple, a volunteer who had the original idea of creating a garden away from the wards for patients and their families.

Spinal cord injuries are traumatic, life-changing events. Patients often have little or no access to the outside world during their hospital stay. However, research shows that being in contact with a natural environment contributes to an improved sense of wellbeing, which can have a positive impact on patient rehabilitation. 

In each project the charity funds a Head Gardener who leads a team of volunteers caring for the garden and offering creative and therapeutic activities. These include gardening, art, live music, seasonal events and artists’ residencies, as well as endless tea and homemade cake. All our volunteers share an enjoyment of being in the garden and contribute to the happy, uplifting atmosphere which permeates each Horatio’s Garden; some are former patients and some are young ‘Volunteens’ seeking life experiences.

To date we have opened five gardens in Salisbury, Glasgow, Stoke Mandeville, Oswestry and London. We are currently building a new garden in Cardiff and are also developing our seventh garden in Northern Ireland. In time, we plan to bring Horatio’s Garden to all the 11 spinal injury centres in the UK.