We’ve been busy sprucing up a pair of flowers beds at Ottery St Mary Hospital! The makeover was in response to a plea last year from hospital nurses asking Otter to help improve the flower beds for the benefit of both staff and patients.
They had become neglected due to greater concerns about the fate of the hospital which was for some time under threat of closure; as a consequence, the flower beds were full of woody shrubs and brambles with no blooms to be seen.
Initially, all the woody shrubs and brambles were removed ready for planting up this year. At the same time, the hospital team – led by Gary Tootell – extended a small patio area for patients and colleagues at the hospital to sit out and enjoy the area.
Petal power brightens up Ottery Hospital
Otter team members, brothers Kevin and Neil Palfrey visited the hospital on June 20 to plant up the two flower beds. They arrived armed with some farmyard manure and good quality soil to improve the beds prior to planting, with help from Gary and Russell from the NHS Trust.
The displays of cottage garden plants were chosen to make the borders a riot of colour and life and include lavenders, verbenas, dahlias, salvias and gaillardia.
Ottery St Mary Hospital now has a very busy oncology unit onsite. Now, while patients are waiting for treatment they have the option to walk or sit outside and enjoy the flowers, which will also be appreciated by bees and other pollinators.
There are further plans for other areas to be revitalised during the year, to provide Winter and Spring gardens giving interest and pleasure throughout the seasons.
Our MD Jacqui said: “If you are feeling unwell, then having the chance to get outside for a while and enjoy flowers and nature can help to bring calm and lift the spirits.”
This is an ideal time to add cottage garden plants to gardens; they are full of flowers making it easy for the novice gardener to get an idea of which plants will look nice in specific areas. They will need occasional watering, particularly in hot periods.
Jacqui added: “These are plants that pop into flower every year, with very little effort needed. We’re sure the hospital’s flower beds, with just a little TLC, will look equally stunning next year.”
Otter Garden Centres is proud to support the hospital through this donation, benefitting the local community and cancer patients visiting the hospital.
Facebook
YouTube
Instagram