Posted on 26 July 2023
The finished garden!
The Pharmacy team at Milton Keynes University Hospital now have a relaxing space to take a break! We were involved in talks about the project back in 2020/21 and work finally began in mid July 2022. MK Friends paid for most of the hard landscaping such as wood, gravel, ballast, sand, soil and soil conditioner and cement fixings totalling £3,000. The Pharmacy department raised over £2,000 which went through MK Hospital Charity which enabled them to pay for the Charlotte Designs mural - £3,200 and plants at £750. Richard of Abbotts Fixing paid for the grid system and underlay - £600. Marcus of PCI paid for the skip and labour to fill it, taking all the rubbish out of the old garden.
Our Chairperson Clare Hill was the lead and horticultural landscaping expert and of course none of this would have been possible without our fantastic volunteer helpers who accumulated over 300 hours of labour between them. A massive thank you to Clare, Susan, Andrew, Matt, Richard, Mandy, Theo, Gill, Elaine and Andy for all their hard work!
See our storyboard below showing how the garden was transformed!
The garden before all the hard work! The pharmacy team cut back the worst of the shrubs.
The rubber base had to be removed that had been there for years. This was an immense task that took 3-4 people several days to complete.
Company volunteer days were a great help! Matt, Susan and Richard (who avoided the camera!) from Network Rail and Andrew from Shoesmiths helped clear the site ready for building the garden.
A central raised bed for shrubs and perennials. Two square planters from sleepers will be planted with Abelia Grandiflora which will grow into large bushes with scented white flowers from the end of July to October. A low raised bed at one end for wild flowers and bulbs.
Paving was laid at one end for seating. The rest of the area was laid with Rite-Pave, a grid system with weed control fabric, this was then covered with gravel. This allows for good drainage.
To ensure there is colour in the garden throughout the year and to give a feeling of space, Sarah from Charlotte Designs was commissioned to paint the murals.
At the other end of the garden, a rainbow was painted complete with pot of gold!
The last part of the project was the planting in the raised beds and among the gravel.
The pergola was made to allow for three climbers. Two hydrangeas, one at each end. A climbing rose in the middle in memory of a member of the pharmacy team.
Your support will help MK Friends fund more items for Milton Keynes University Hospital.
