TV star, Toby Buckland, guest of honour at opening of Bethlem Hospital garden
FORMER BBC Gardeners World presenter, Toby Buckland was the guest of honour at the official opening of Bethlem Hospital's new occupational therapy walled garden. The launch followed three years of hard work by service users and staff and will give service users an opportunity to learn gardening skills, grow their own fruit and vegetables, and gain therapeutic benefits from working with nature in the open air. The plot includes a vegetable garden, greenhouse, wildlife garden, herb garden, wall-trained fruit, lavender walk and fruit trees. Thanks to a BIG Lottery grant, the garden also features a plot-to-plate food project where service users can grow and cook their own food. Venita Burnaby, horticulture instructor at the hospital in south London, said: "The walled garden is a fantastic opportunity for service users and staff to work together in a positive, therapeutic environment. As well as the newly-reclaimed orchards, service users have grown a whole host of fruit and vegetables from redcurrants and raspberries to sweet peas, pak choi and herbs. There is something for all tastes."
