Harefield Healing Gardens

Last year, we discovered the beautiful Harefield Healing Garden at Harefield Hospital in Uxbridge. This serene outdoor space was established by Rosie and Catherine, who, after witnessing their own family members receive care at Harefield Hospital, sought to create a sanctuary for staff, patients, and families in need of a moment of peace. The garden was expertly designed with the help of leading landscape and garden designers Bowles & Wyer. James Smith, a Gold Medal-winning Garden Designer from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, crafted the layout. His design incorporated valuable insights from patients, their relatives, doctors, nurses, psychologists, Occupational Therapists, and other hospital staff. Thanks to their extensive experience in creating hospital gardens, they have brought this accessible and therapeutic space to life at Harefield Hospital. 

At Alitex we are passionate about helping charities and causes where we can, so when Rosie reached out to us we were more than happy to help. At the 2023 Chelsea Flower Show, Rosie spotted our Alitex Cold Frames on display and immediately thought how perfect they would be for the Harefield Healing Garden. Intrigued, she reached out to us to ask what would become of the cold frames after the show. Deeply impressed by the garden and its mission, we told Rosie that if they could prepare a suitable base for the cold frames, we would gladly donate it to them.  

Since we installed the Cold Frames last year, the Healing Garden team have been putting them to good use. They set out to use the cold frames to propagate plants from seedlings and expand their wildflower meadow area. The Cold Frames have allowed them to do just that, extending their growing season and providing protection for more delicate plants. The Cold Frames have also allowed them to host workshops for staff, patients and volunteers to learn about gardening and experience its many benefits firsthand. 

The double-span, freestanding cold frames in the Healing Garden have been set on a wooden base by the team. Crafted from durable aluminium and finished with powder-coated paint in the colour ‘Downland Stone’. They can be installed on the front or side of your greenhouse or used as standalone units. For more information or to enquire about our cold frames, please visit the accessories page or contact our customer service team.