Chelsea Flower Show garden moves to Leeds hospital

A show garden which was on display at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show has now been relocated to a hospital in West Yorkshire.

The Stroke Association’s Garden of Recovery featured at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May.

Now, thousands of plants and four large trees have been moved 200 miles (322km) from London to Leeds and are being replanted at Chapel Allerton Hospital.

The garden's designer, Miria Harris, from London, suffered a stroke in her early 40s, which at first left her with aphasia, affecting her ability to speak and form words.

“When you’ve had a stroke, you feel enclosed in hospital and enclosed in your body. After a brain injury your body doesn’t do what you want it to," Ms Harris said.

“I wanted to be away from the built environment and I longed for some outdoor space to rest and reflect and come to terms with what had happened to me.”

Ms Harris said nature played a big role in her recovery and she felt motivated to create a beautiful, calm space to support other stroke survivors to achieve their best possible recovery.

Juliet Bouverie OBE, chief executive of the Stroke Association, said the garden would create "a beautiful, lasting legacy which will support stroke survivors throughout their recovery for many years to come".

Meanwhile, Craige Richardson, director of estates and facilities at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Not only will it increase the biodiversity of the landscape, it will provide our recovering stroke patients with direct access to nature and the positive impact on well-being that comes with it.”

The garden should be completed at Chapel Allerton Hospital in the next couple of weeks and it is due to be officially opened for stroke patients and their families later in the summer.

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