A sensory garden unveiled at Sandwell Hospital will provide a peaceful and colourful space for patients, visitors and staff.
Arts company Spectra has transformed a grassy area outside the main entrance of the hospital in West Bromwich into an interactive community garden called Buzz Stop – boasting wildlife-friendly plants.
Artist Hayley Guest said: “Buzz Stop is an island full of wildlife-friendly plants, insects such as butterflies and ladybirds and an all-round treat for the five senses.
“All visitors are able to explore a wealth of colour, textures, smells and sounds all found within an area of the hospital site. It creates a perfect place for rest, reflection and restoring your bond with nature.”
The garden area has been designed and built through the ideas of a team of artists, designers and gardening experts and funded by Your Trust Charity, the registered charity for Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, as well as Arts Council England, West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and Heart of England Community Foundation.
Amy Campbell, Creative Producer and Project Manager for Your Trust Charity, said: “We are really pleased to be working with Spectra again after the success of last year’s Abundance garden at City Hospital as part of the Birmingham 2022 cultural festival.
“We recognise that artists help to make the important link between creativity and living well and are grateful to Arts Council England and WMCA Green Grants for supporting this project.
“As a small park, sometimes knows as a pocket park, ‘Buzz Stop’ will be the perfect place for patients, visitors and staff to find stillness in their busy lives and will hopefully shine a light on the important relationship between nature, health and wellbeing.”
Community workshops will be taking place throughout the month and into August at the garden which has been designed to be wheelchair accessible and has audio descriptions and translations throughout the space.
For further information, visit https://wearespectra.co.uk.