Hatherleigh Nursing Home unveils spectacular garden renovation

The team at Hatherleigh Nursing Home have been excitedly working with their green fingers to breathe new life into their garden. The newly renovated garden has been completed just in time for the spring sunshine to be enjoyed by the residents, who are fondly referred to as family members.

Plants have been carefully selected to introduce a variety of colours, textures and smells into the environment, as well as beautiful flowers specifically chosen to encourage the bees to visit. Ellie, Jamie and Dave, the team behind the garden project wrote up a plan of where they wanted the plants to go depending on height and spread, and where the shadiest and sunniest parts of the beds were.

To ensure the new garden is accessible for everyone, gravel has been laid down for wheelchairs to easily roll over. This particular area of the garden saw the most footfall and could become muddy and slippery, so the gravel will provide good drainage and a safe surface to walk on, use a frame or wheelchair.

A new water feature has been installed which has been elevated with a plinth, bringing it to a height to be enjoyed through touch. Having interactive features in the garden offers the family members not only sensory stimulation but also a sense of purpose. Those with an interest in gardening can plant, water, and weed their garden as they would their own. Otherwise, there are plenty of board games and al fresco dining to enjoy with friends.

There is also fresh decking that has been laid which will be used as a barbeque area, beautifully framed with tulips and daffodils. Ellie commented “It just goes to show, with all the planning in the world, you just can’t know what your garden is going to surprise you with; I had not originally planned for the daffs and tulips to flower together, more to overlap each other slightly, but the two together are a lovely surprise as they work beautifully together.”

A brickwork spiral has been placed to compliment the wooden archway and outdoor seating. It has been planted with ferns and cyclamen which are beginning to unfurl after their winter dormancy.

Finally, all brickwork and plant pots have been given a fresh lick of paint in terracotta to bring it all together. The garden is a labour of love and has become a popular place for everyone to spend time together to socialise, enjoy hobbies and bathe in the sunshine.

Hatherleigh Nursing Home is based in the small market town of Hatherleigh near Okehampton, Devon. It’s approach to life recognises the values, beliefs and identity of each person. Each person that may need support is unique and by understanding one’s life history, one’s journey in life, by striving to be a true continuation of home, the team at Hatherleigh Nursing Home create a place where everyone feels safe and never alone.

To find out more about Hatherleigh Nursing Home, visit: https://www.hatherleighnursinghome.com