Now the shortest days are behind us, the Bioquarter is buzzing with early signs of spring, with hazel catkins appearing and bird activity picking up across the site. We’re looking forward to seeing spring bulbs start to peek through for a beautiful display in March.

Our Nature Ranger, Lou, has also been helping staff reconnect with the outdoors throughout the winter months, through seasonal creative sessions and nature based activities.

Festive Wellbeing Activities and Tailored Support
Lou’s festive wreath making sessions brought staff together for a welcome creative break, with bespoke wellbeing activities for teams who couldn’t easily join group sessions. As part of this, Lou has also been co creating and trialling nature boxes with Allied Health Professionals to enhance their therapeutic work on the wards, offering another meaningful way to bring nature into daily care. These shorter, workplace adjacent activities remain a popular way for teams to relax and connect with nature.

Connecting Young Patients With Nature
Working alongside the Renal Young Adult Support Worker, Lou created simple nature based activities designed to offer moments of calm and connection for young patients at the RIE.

Transforming Outdoor Spaces
With support from NHS Lothian Estates and corporate volunteers, Lou has also been busy revitalising planting beds around the RIE, DCN and RHCYP. Grass beds in Hospital Square have been cleared and replanted to create more seasonal interest and better habitats for wildlife.

Across the site, 15,000 spring bulbs have been also planted, promising a vibrant, pollinator friendly display in the months ahead.

A Growing Hub for Staff Wellbeing
The recently created staff wellbeing courtyard continues to flourish. Whether dropping in for a quiet moment, joining a planned activity, or simply enjoying a breath of fresh air and a chat over a cup of tea, staff are making the most of this relaxing space.

Over the winter months, Lou has been busy planning an exciting programme for the year ahead. Working with the Work Well team, she’s developing a new series of drop in sessions to help colleagues make the most of the courtyard throughout the seasons. And returning for 2026… the much loved windowsill growing workshops are back.

Chilli Challenge 2026
Excitement is already building for this year’s Chilli Challenge. A total of 172 staff growers from clinical services to administrative and portering teams have signed up, with nine teams embracing a competitive spirit, with others keen to take time out at home to nurture, grow and coax their plant. Growing kits will be distributed in early March, and Lou will offer workshops and updates throughout the season.

Lou has been working with staff at DCN to rejuvenate the sensory planters to support the therapies team with their work. Lots of wonderful birdsong on the balcony as well.

Staff have been learning the simple steps to growing their own windowsill garden and how to take cuttings, discovering how  these mindful activities can promote calm and reduce stress.

A huge thank you to everyone who came out to help us plant these beautiful containers at the entrance and create a more welcoming and calming environment for patients, visitors and staff as they enter the hospital. Everyone who participated also learned some useful tips about container gardening that they can take home and use to create their own beautiful outdoor spaces. Thanks also go to Caledonian Horticulture for the generous donation of compost for this activity.

We’ve now given them a refresh for summer!

Well done to everyone who braved the colder weather and helped us plant4,000 crocus bulbs alongside the wellbeing walk. These will provide a pop of colour in early spring and much-needed nectar for bees. We can’t wait to see them spring up!

Even as the days shortened and the temperatures dropped, Lou was able to show staff what opportunities exist indoors to unwind and connect with nature. Her no soil growing workshop with renal and liver support service provided an engaging indoor activity to enhance wellbeing and demonstrate sustainable and space-efficient gardening practices.

We also got into the festive spirit, leading 30-minute workshops on how to make and decorate simple garlands and table decorations from natural materials. We were delighted to see all the creativity and provide an activity where staff could take a much-deserved break from work to enjoy themselves and unwind.

“It was nice to switch off for a bit and do something creative and also have something nice to take home from the day, especially on the back of high pressure/demand work that can sometimes just feel like firefighting.”

The Panda Courtyard will continue to focus on patient activities such as gardening and low impact movement with the surrounding gardening to stimulate the senses. We have completed design options for enhancements of the Panda Courtyard and are working with teams on site to look at how these can be implemented.

Work is commencing on designs for how we can enhance this peaceful space at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.