St George’s impresses judges to win new garden to benefit those living with dementia
A sensory garden for people living with dementia will be created at St George’s after the nursing team entered and won a national competition.
The dementia team at St George’s will be given £2,500 worth of gardening equipment after scooping the ‘Nominate Your Community Space’ competition by retailer Robert Dyas.
The finished garden will not only be enjoyed by those living with dementia receiving care at St George’s, their carers and hospital staff alike, but it will also benefit the wider community through an outreach project.
The project will see vegetables grown in the garden and donated to good causes in the community.
A gardener from the Alzheimer’s Society helped the team design the winning garden, which will enhance the wellbeing of those living with dementia by stimulating their senses and memories.
This space will be turned into a sensory garden
The design includes fragrant and colourful flowers, raised flower beds, plants, herbs and vegetables which can stimulate patients’ memories and cognitive activity – and will provide a quiet and calm outdoor space.
Kate Slemeck, Managing Director at St George’s, said: “A huge thank you to Moira, the wider dementia team and to John and our grounds team for always thinking of our patients to give them the best possible experience while in our care.
“I am really looking forward to the garden take shape over the coming months and seeing our patients, staff and our local communities enjoying the peace and serenity it will bring.”
Moira Rowan, Dementia and Delirium CNS Team Lead at St George’s, said: “This is amazing and means our patients will be able to enjoy a wonderful sensory garden filled with flowers and plants. The garden will be such a relaxing and comforting space for our patients, their carers and hospital staff.
Fruit and vegetables are currently grown in the space
“We are delighted to have been chosen and this will also benefit the wider community with the donation of fresh vegetables that will be grown in the garden.”
A panel of judges including Robert Dyas owner and former Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis picked St George’s as the winner after being impressed by the design.
Rich Redman, Robert Dyas’ Garden Guru and one of the judges, said: “While it was a difficult decision due to the high calibre of entries, the other judges and I concluded that St George’s hospital was a worthy winner due to the cause, the community outreach and the value the prizes on offer could bring. It was wonderful to review – congratulations to them!”
