The Room to Breathe garden, designed by Jen Donnelly and Catherine Gibbon for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025, has been moved from the show and made into a permanent feature at the hospital.
It has been set up with help from Wickes, who provided the materials to transform the garden for its new purpose.
Hospitals can be stressful environments, particularly for parents and carers of children receiving treatment.
The Room to Breathe garden is specifically designed to provide a peaceful sanctuary away from the clinical setting, while also enhancing the hospital’s entrance, creating a welcoming waiting area for visitors and offering a quiet space for staff breaks.
The previously unused courtyard at Amersham Hospital, which was covered in uneven paving, old tree stumps, and had limited greenery, has now become a calm and attractive area.
Hannah Randle Hockin, community engagement manager at Wickes, said: “We know how important community spaces are, especially those that offer a bit of respite when people are facing challenging times.
“The Room to Breathe garden at Amersham Hospital is a brilliant idea, focusing on the wellbeing of dedicated parents and carers.
“We provided the materials needed to help turn this design into a space that can be used by the local community for years to come.”
Hugh Chamberlin, garden volunteer at Amersham Hospital, said: “We are very fortunate that two award winning garden designers from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show have gifted their Room to Breathe garden to Buckingham NHS Trust, and it has now been installed in its permanent home at Amersham Hospital with the support of Jen Donnelly, Jen Donnelly Garden Design, and Catherine Gibbon, Botanique gardens.
“We’ve had such brilliant feedback from the hospital community about the amazing garden.
“Having the support of donated materials from Wickes helped transform an unused and unloved space into a beautiful, open courtyard that truly enhances the entrance area for everyone, whether they are staff, visitors, or patients taking a moment for themselves.”
The Wickes Community Programme has supported more than 4,500 charities and projects since its launch and is looking for more to support.
It has a product donation fund of £300,000 to support charities and community organisations.
For more information, visit the Wickes website.
Wickes is a home improvement retailer and has 230 sites across the UK.
It also has an extensive range of products and DIY brands, a kitchen and bathroom design and installation service, and a loyalty scheme for local trade.
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