Hospiscare’s garden is the backdrop to a new film about Hospice UK’s entry at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Ahead of the Hospice UK Garden of Compassion’s unveiling at the prestigious Chelsea show, the film stars Catherine Bosworth, Hospice UK Director of Income Generation and Grants, with Katrina Hurford, our Head of Marketing and Communications.
The Hospice UK garden is fully-funded by Project Giving Back, who also produced the film:
Catherine and Katrina are seen describing the impact and value of gardens in holistic hospice care, while walking around Hospiscare’s garden.
“There’s a really huge link, I think, between gardens, nature and hospice care,” says Catherine in the film. “They have huge restorative power.
“Hospice care is a very holistic approach to caring for somebody. It’s about providing dignity, compassion, and support at those really difficult times at the end of life, when you need it most.”
Katrina explains how hospice gardens help create a “home away from home”. She says the Hospiscare garden helps patients and their loved ones connect with nature, manage anxiety, and become more present, adding “the garden plays such an important role in hospice care”.
“Our job is to give the best possible care we can to people who are at the end of life,” she adds. “Our philosophy is that every day matters and that hospice care is about living, and making the most of the time that you’ve got left.”
The film also stars the Garden of Compassion’s award-winning designer, Tom Hoblyn, and Devon-based craftsman Mark Turngate, seen creating the garden’s uniquely-styled bench.
Tom explains how his design is inspired by the Olive Houses in Mallorca – a site of ancient olive trees and stacked terraces, where architecture and natural landscape exist “in perfect harmony”.
He adds: “When you walk through, it’s got this marvellous feeling of grounding and solace, and that’s what I want to bring to Chelsea.”
The Hospice UK garden will be based on a series of rooms, all connected by a “wonderful sinuous bench” called the Together Bench, which will weave through the garden “like a stream”.
Designed with unique curves and breaks, the bench will enable hospice patients in wheelchairs and beds to more comfortably be among their loved ones.
The film’s footage shows Devon-based craftsman Mark Turngate creating the bench, carefully steaming and bending the wood.
Hospiscare’s Ribbons of Remembrance
During the film, Catherine speaks about the importance of hospice gardens for bereaved families to reflect and remember loved ones, and visits Hospiscare’s wall of ribbons. The Hospice UK garden at Chelsea will contain ‘together pebbles’.
The Hospice UK Garden of Compassion will be on display at RHS Chelsea Flower Show from May 20 to 24.
After the show, Project Giving Back will fund the garden’s relocation to St Cuthbert’s Hospice in Durham, for patients and loved ones to enjoy it for many years to come.
