Outdoor spaces


The flower beds, many well established with mature shrubs and some freshly planted, are full of life, colour, and interest. Tom and Lee also run the popular Garden Club which gives residents the opportunity to really get stuck into the garden. In the winter months, that even involves sowing seeds and potting up indoors. They provide specially extended long-reach tools which help residents tend to the seedlings and plants, even from a wheelchair or for those who could not otherwise reach across raised beds or vegetable plots easily. Home grown herbs and vegetables including greengages,


broad beans, potatoes, apples, and strawberries are used in the kitchen, and are used by residents to make the exclusive Goodwins Hall chutney.


An invaluable contribution With over a decade of care sector experience behind her, Lisa Vile, Athena Care Homes sales & hospitality manager, knows what makes a good care home tick. She maintains that gardens should make an invaluable contribution to a positive care home all year round – not just at the height of the summer. Lisa also confides that at Athena Care Homes, Goodwins Hall is known as the


A garden adds years to your life and life to your years


Granddaughter to prolific 20th century gardening writer and RHS member Alec Bristow, Amanda Hensby is a garden maker and horticulturalist. Like her grandfather, her mother Jane was also a knowledgeable gardener and inspired Amanda to continue the family tradition. When asked what makes a good care home garden, Amanda instinctively considers the residents first. It will reflect many of the attributes that featured when residents were setting up their own homes and raising their young families, maybe 50 years ago. A lot has changed since then. Gone are the proud front gardens, most of which are now buried under driveways. Gone are the clipped hedges, neat borders, and striped lawns. Many plants have fallen out of fashion, too. Even fruit trees and vegetable patches are scarce in modern gardens. Given that being outdoors can stimulate the memory, try to incorporate some of those garden features from yesteryear into your outdoor space. Lawn is good but not ideal for less mobile residents. It is also quite high


maintenance. Paving is more practical and encourages mobility. If paths lead somewhere intriguing, all the better. Build in resting places with benches or small patio sets – a long walk is discouraging to many residents, but a series of short strolls will be much more attractive. Blend surfaced slopes into the plans (no more than a 1:12 gradient for independent users) rather than ‘ramps’ to link different levels. This will help to create a more homely feel. Lighting is very important – not just to illuminate walkways. Strategically placed lighting can draw the eye to design features, making the view more interesting and stimulating. Tall architectural plants have a place,


but avoid spikey varieties like yucca or holly in areas which are easily accessible as sharp leaves can be lethal. Raised beds are a great way of making sensory plants really engaging. Try Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla Mollis) as the leaves feel soft and furry, and they collect droplets of water which look like pearls after a shower. Climbing Jasmine (Jasminum) and Evening Primrose (Oenothera) give off wonderful, evocative scents. Seasonally planted beds add spectacular and invigorating bursts of colour. Familiar old favourites like marigolds, geraniums, winter pansies, petunias and dahlias are bound to stimulate the senses. Having said all that, the most important feature of a care home garden is… a carer. Lead by example and use the outdoors as much as possible – your residents and their families will thank you for it.


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‘Party Home’ as the residents are especially happy, sociable, and engaged. Maybe that proves the theory that fresh air really is good for you?


Taking their connection to outdoor spaces


to the next level, Athena Care Homes have also planted a forest of trees across the world in a drive to become more sustainable. They plant a tree for each new resident. So far, an astonishing 10,000 trees have been planted with environmental organisation Ecologi.


Joined up thinking In the same way that the best interiors do not happen by accident, great outdoor spaces also need solid design, quality build, appropriate furnishings, and joined up thinking, too.


Leafing back (pun intended) through


The Care Home Environment archive, it is interesting to read the research findings that garden designers Debbie Carroll and Mark Rendell from Step Change Design uncovered. The research found that creating outdoor space for residents does not necessarily mean it will be used in the way the designers intended. They found that “It is not likely that making it prettier, redesigning it, and introducing new materials, features, planting and colour, are going to make it any more integrated into the care culture in the long term. In fact, it could be a waste of money.” According to Step Change Design, residents who have a meal or drink outside spend up to 80 per cent longer in the garden, so good garden furniture has a vital role to play in encouraging the habit. Bearing that in mind, what does a professional garden designer take into account when planning an outdoor space? We spoke to Amanda Hensby to find out (see box, left).


Blurring the lines So, the benefits of connecting with the outdoors are undeniable. The reality for some residents, however, is that can be easier said than done. More severe mobility issues and a stubborn mindset sometimes get in the way. Similarly, our climate is unpredictable and some residents will be particularly susceptible to the cold – and not everyone likes the rain as much as the flowers! Sometimes it is just not practical to get outdoors as often as we would like. Smart garden designers will blur the


lines, however – bringing the outdoors inside for residents to enjoy at any time of year. Conservatories, orangeries – even


covered pergolas – all have a part to play www.thecarehomeenvironment.com June 2024


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