Wellbeing garden to be built at one of Europe’s largest teaching hospitals

Adam Frost, award-winning garden designer, has designed a hospital garden for NHS staff, patients and visitors to be built in the grounds of St James’s University Hospital in Leeds

An NHS wellbeing garden will open in St James’s University Hospital in Leeds in 2025. The garden will provide a place to relax and reflect for those working in or visiting the hospital.

St James’s (or Jimmy’s as it’s known locally) is internationally famous as one of Europe’s largest teaching hospitals and is home to the Bexley Wing, a state-of-the-art cancer centre that opened in 2008.

NHS staff were involved with the design through a consultation process, to ensure the garden addresses the needs of staff and patients. Leading garden designer, Adam Frost, has won seven Gold medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and is an RHS Ambassador.

“Being able to support NHS staff and patients in this way means the world to me. I hope the garden provides people with a chance to connect with nature, and that it attracts new visitors like bees and butterflies, too.”

Adam Frost, garden designer

Key elements of the garden include:

  • A range of seating including picnic benches in shared, communal spaces as well as benches and seats in more private, quiet areas 
  • Accessible paths through the garden and raised, moveable growing beds
  • ​An all-weather shelter with a green roof, which can be used for outdoor events 

  • New pollinator-friendly planting to boost biodiversity
  • New trees suitable for the local habitat
  • Access for all, inclusive and welcoming for whole community

To ensure the ongoing sustainability of the garden and to support NHS staff wellbeing, the RHS Community Outreach team runs workshops onsite, with sessions including bulb planting and making bee homes. A gardening club has been set up, made up of residents and NHS staff, who are learning how to look after the gardening spaces around the hospital, alongside the hospital estates team.

What is a wellbeing garden?

Our scientific evidence underscores the vital role of gardens in health promotion. Gardens in healthcare settings play a crucial role in promoting good health outcomes, preventing poor health and supporting increased recovery time.

The RHS is committed to delivering a Blueprint for Wellbeing Gardens in 2025, a set of evidence-based principles to develop spaces that can be used to support human wellbeing in a universal garden context. We hope to continue to work with the NHS and healthcare providers to ensure that the blueprint is stronger and widely applicable to the needs and range of NHS and community healthcare organisations across the UK.

Funding behind the project

The St James’s University Hospital Wellbeing Garden is funded separately from funding used for frontline care. Thanks go to the funders: Oak Foundation, Leeds Hospital Charity, Marks Family Charitable Trust, and Lord Barnby’s Foundation. The RHS has also made a contribution.

Visit our funding pages to find out how you can contribute to future NHS wellbeing gardens.

Support NHS wellbeing gardens

Help us build and grow NHS wellbeing gardens around the country by donating today. Your gift will help us realise our vision to create safe and welcoming green spaces for hospitals and their local communities. From providing quiet respite areas to reflect, to active gardening groups bringing people together, the NHS wellbeing gardens will bring a vital boost to the wellbeing and environment at NHS hospitals.

You can donate online, or call 020 7821 3125.

Donate now

More from the RHS
RHS Communities newsletter

Stay connected to RHS Communities with our monthly email newsletter to keep up to date with the world of community gardening, including helpful tips, advice and stories.

Sign up

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.