Growing greener spaces at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital – Spring Round Up

by Becky Brazil, Arts and Greenspace Manager

Across the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, a range of projects are underway to make outdoor spaces greener, calmer and more welcoming for patients, visitors and staff. From refreshed courtyards to exciting new designs, these spaces are evolving into places where people can relax, connect and spend time away from clinical environments.

Revitalising existing spaces

Recent work has focused on improving and refreshing some of the hospital’s key outdoor areas.

At the Hive Garden, part of the in-patient activity centre, volunteers from TCV have been working hard to transform the space. Through planting, tidying, repainting furniture and laying woodchip, the garden is becoming a more inviting place where patients can sit, reflect and enjoy time outdoors.

Similar improvements are underway in the Craiglockhart Ward Garden, with the first phase complete and further work planned soon. Together, these updates are helping create spaces that feel more comfortable, accessible and restorative.

Small changes, big difference

Elsewhere on the site, smaller updates are making a real impact.

The Divert Suite Garden, previously a more functional and uninspiring area, is being refreshed with new planting, painted seating and improved wooden features — helping to create a brighter, more welcoming environment for a busy ward.

Ongoing improvements to courtyard and shared garden areas are also supporting both day-to-day use and longer-term biodiversity, contributing to aspirations for future Green Flag Award recognition.

Creating space to pause

At its heart, this work is about more than landscaping. It’s about creating environments that support wellbeing — offering moments of calm, connection and breathing space in what can often be busy and challenging settings.

As these projects continue to develop, they are helping to transform the hospital environment one garden at a time.

Community Garden Patient Activity

The beautiful community gardens at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital and Midlothian Community Hospital are also supporting patients directly.

With funding from NHS Lothian Charity, two new fantastic projects have launched alongside an existing programme that continues to grow.

The focus is on providing opportunities for patients facing health inequalities to access greenspaces. We will be providing meaningful activities to help build a sense of community while increasing skills, knowledge and passion around nature and the outdoors.

What the sessions look like:

Therapeutic Gardening: Delivered by Cyrenians, these small group sessions are tailored to patient needs in partnership with OT and nursing staff. Inpatients gather to connect, grow local produce, and enjoy the healing benefits of nature.
Garden Buddies: Trained volunteers work closely with NHS staff and specific patient cohorts, building trusted, lasting relationships through shared time in the garden.

Looking ahead: new spaces and creative designs

One of the most exciting developments is the planned transformation of the Orchard Clinic courtyards.

Working with garden designer Matt Nelson and artist Fraser Gray, these spaces will be reimagined to include new planting, thoughtful layouts and a striking mural for the Redwood Courtyard walls. Patients and staff have already been involved in creative workshops, helping shape the designs and bring a sense of ownership to the project.

Alongside this, plans are underway to create a brand-new garden for the ADC, developed in collaboration with the hospital community. This will provide a completely new outdoor space where none currently exists — offering more opportunities for rest, reflection and connection with nature.

Royal Edinburgh Garden will also be hosting a booking reading with local author Alexander McCall Smith on August 12th; at the event there will be plants and refreshments for sale. This event is aimed at patients and NHS staff.

A shared effort

Behind all of this work is a strong sense of collaboration. Volunteers, partners and staff are all playing a part in shaping and caring for these spaces, helping them grow and thrive over time.