This award-winning sanctuary, which captivated visitors at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025, and earned a prestigious Gold Medal in the Container Garden category, has been reimagined as a permanent haven for wellbeing within the hospital grounds.
Sponsors, supporters, and friends of the garden gathered to celebrate this addition to the hospital. While the garden is now open to patients, visitors, NHS staff, and the wider local community, an official launch event is scheduled for spring 2026, when the garden will be in full bloom.
Conceived and gifted by designers Jen Donnelly and Catherine Gibbon, the Room to Breathe Garden was initially created for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show to support the Tuberous Sclerosis Association (TSA). It was inspired by Donnelly’s experience of waiting in hospital while her son, who has the rare genetic condition Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC), underwent brain surgery.
Its transformation into a hospital courtyard sanctuary ‘underscores how green spaces can enhance both mental and physical wellbeing within healthcare settings’.
The rebuild and installation of the Room to Breathe Garden were made possible through the support of the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Charitable Fund, the Amersham Hospital Garden Project Volunteers (for the rebuild and ongoing maintenance), and headline sponsors, The Landscape Group – Hospital Garden Landscaping. Additional thanks go to TenderCare Nurseries, Denham for their donation of plants.
Bridget O’Kelly, Chief People Officer at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust said: “We’re delighted to see this inspiring garden find its permanent home here at Amersham Hospital. It offers a restorative space for patients, visitors and colleagues and is a beautiful reminder of the power of nature to support wellbeing and healing.”
Jen Donnelly, garden designer, said: “What began as a personal story has become something much bigger. A garden for everyone. I’m so grateful to see it rooted here at Amersham Hospital, serving our community and celebrating the healing power of nature.”
Catherine Gibbon, garden designer, said: “This project has always been about people – parents, caregivers, NHS colleagues, volunteers and the local community who make Amersham so special. We hope this garden becomes a shared space where people can pause, reflect and feel restored.”