Green Health Autumn Round Up
Out and About: Activities and Enhancements
Western General Hospital
Our RSPB Nature and Wellbeing Officer, Beth, has been working with NHS staff, patients, and volunteers to bring nature closer to everyday life at the Western General Hospital. The benefits are clear: connecting with nature improves wellbeing and inspires care for the natural world.
Beth is currently working on enhancing patient balconies on Ward 6, supported by our FACE (Fighting Against Cancer Edinburgh) fundraising group, creating calming spaces where people can connect with nature.
Plans are also underway for Staff Growing, with raised beds due to be built and filled before year-end, ready for planting in 2026. If you’re interested in growing food at the Western, contact Beth: [email protected].
Our partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh continues to thrive. Staff enjoyed recent tours and an afternoon in the Botanics Cottage Kitchen for seasonal baking and a nature mandala session, facilitated by Nicola (Teenage Cancer Trust) and Beth. The Botanics team is also developing a new wellbeing resource, ‘Botanics in a Box’, which we’ll trial with staff before adapting for patient use. If you’d like to explore this for your team, get in touch!
Finally, thank you to everyone who joined our November Nature Connection activities – from bulb planting and wildflower seed collecting to bird walks and winter bird care.
December drop-in sessions at the Western:
Tuesday 2nd December 12-1pm, AFB café – coffee catch up with WGH estates team.
Tuesday 9th December 10am–1pm, Meeting outside Wellbeing Wing – Beth will be making a dead hedge to extend the wildflower area outside the wellbeing wing, followed by a walk around the site to identify best places for bird boxes and feeders. Any NHS staff are welcome to drop in give a hand – or have a chat – even for 5mins.
Sunday 14th December 10am–3pm approx. Edinburgh University conservation volunteering society, The Dirty Weekenders, will be on site helping with a range of hands-on tasks to support more wildlife at the Western. Any NHS staff are welcome to drop in give a hand – or have a chat – even for 5mins! You can find us on the day by calling Beth on 07516588271
Want to get involved or bring nature to your department? Get in touch with Beth: [email protected].
A big thanks to our charity partners, Dentons, who helped spruce up garden spaces around the Edinburgh Cancer Centre so that patients can access welcoming green spaces around the Centre.
Bioquarter: Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh & RHCYP/DCN
It’s been a busy couple of months for our RIE Nature Rehabilitation Ranger, Lou! Working with the NHS Estates team and a range of partners, Lou has been transforming spaces across the site so staff, patients, and visitors can enjoy greener, more welcoming areas.
By the main entrance bus stops and along the Wellbeing Walk outside RHCYP, 15,000 crocus bulbs have been planted – promising a burst of early spring colour and nectar for pollinators. The grass bed between the Chancellor’s entrance and the back of RHCYP has had a full makeover too, with new naturalistic planting designed to provide year-round interest and plenty of nectar-rich blooms.
In the Bramwell Courtyard, Lou teamed up with the DCN therapies team to add bulbs and grasses to planters, bringing a splash of life and colour for everyone passing through. And it’s not just planting – seven young people from the renal peer support group joined Lou for a creative session making beautiful willow stars.
And we’ve got lots coming up too!
If you’d like to explore how we might work together please contact [email protected]
A big thanks to NHS Lothian Analytical Services, Medtronic and Free Agent who all braved some terrible weather to help out.
Upcoming Activities at RIE
Drop into the Charity/Work Well Hub on Tuesday 16th December and make some natural material crafts to take away or learn how to make a willow lantern. From 2.30 on the 16th December, we will be ‘lighting’ (battery lights) the lanterns and serving hot drinks from the OPD6 Staff Wellbeing courtyard.
Fancy joining the RIE Chilli Challenge? All RIE staff are invited to have a go at growing a chilli plant on their windowsill at home. You will be supported to grow a chilli plant from seed throughout 2026 – you can enjoy the activity by yourself at home or perhaps take it further and use it as an opportunity to build your team.
Exciting News: RIE Staff Wellbeing Courtyard is now open!
Finding calm in a busy hospital isn’t easy – but now there’s a space designed for just that, right off the OPD 6 corridor at the Royal Infirmary. Opened in September, the new Staff Wellbeing Courtyard offers a peaceful retreat to relax, reflect, and connect during the day. With seasonal planting, flexible seating, and thoughtful design, it brings nature closer to the workplace.
The courtyard is already proving popular. Staff are using it for breakfast before shifts, lunch breaks, or simply a quiet moment outdoors. There are ten benches, a dozen chairs, and five tables that can be moved around – perfect for individuals or groups.
Planting has been chosen for year-round colour and interest. Even in November, blue geraniums, yellow achillea, and purple verbena are still blooming, alongside grasses, ferns, and miniature pines. Over time, Amelanchier and silver birch trees will add height, while clematis will climb the pergola.n
Creating the garden was just the first step – now comes caring for it. Hinterland Studios have provided a maintenance plan, and staff volunteers Julie (Physiotherapy) and Jennifer (Minor Injuries) are helping keep it tidy. A box of tools will soon be available on-site to support too.
Got ideas for the courtyard? We’d love to hear them! Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
Astley Ainslie Hospital
Feedback about the newly created meadows has been great. Staff frequently described the plots as “splendid” and “lovely”. One staff member commented on the quick transformation:
I just wanted to say how lush the wildflower meadows are looking after the rain the last few weeks, really beautiful to see, so thanks!”
There was a great turnout at the scything festival from NHS Lothian staff and volunteers to learn more about traditional meadow management and have a go themselves. The REH Grounds and Gardens team got hands-on training from scything experts while volunteers from NHS Lothian and TCV tackled the wider areas.
Working with a scything expert from The Conservation Volunteers, we are now following this up with an “aftermath” scythe which helps restore balance in meadow plant communities. After the main summer hay cut, studies have shown that the late summer/autumn aftermath management has the next biggest influence on the long-term structure and diversity of the sward.
Royal Edinburgh Hospital
The Royal Ed is the only hospital in Scotland to have a Green Flag award and the site is very proud of it. Throughout the autumn, we have been working on projects to make the grounds more welcoming for everyone, new signage has been installed and beautiful murals created by our Tonic Arts colleagues.
Volunteers have been supporting the improvement of the gardens on and off the wards. We have been diversifying some of the woodland areas with volunteers prepping the ground for sowing wildflower seed. Keep your eyes peeled in the REH Community Gardens for these cheeky sculptures created by one of the Garden volunteers Paul, using willow from the site.
Thanks to TCV Scotland for helping tidy up the staff garden at the Hospital. This area is a great haven for staff to take a break outside during busy days.
St John’s Hospital
It is with a mixture of sadness and immense gratitude that we announce that Paul from the The Conservation Volunteers is leaving the Wild Ways Well project at the end of this month. Paul has been an invaluable member of our team, dedicating his time and expertise to enriching the project and positively impacting countless participants.
We want to extend our deepest thanks to Paul for his hard work, commitment, and passion. He will be genuinely missed by everyone involved with Wild Ways Well. We wish him the very best in his future endeavours!
This departure means a new chapter for the project, and we will soon be looking to fill the gap. Please look out for future recruitment opportunities.
Network
Green Health Network Event – 22 October – Round Up
Wildflowers on the NHS Estate – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Thank you to everyone who joined our recent Network Gathering where we explored how therapeutic landscaping can enhance NHS spaces, using the Astley Ainslie Hospital wildflower meadow as a case study. The session shared practical lessons, successes, and engagement strategies for creating green spaces that support wellbeing.
Don’t worry if you missed it, you can catch up on the highlights in Ian’s blog: https://greenhealth.nhslothiancharity.org/2025/11/network-update-wildflowers/
Next Network Event: Garden Volunteers – how can they add value but not undermine core service!
Our next network event will take place online on 11th February 2026 from 12-1pm.
This network meeting is your opportunity to discuss how we work with volunteers to grow our impact. Volunteers support our work in many different ways, from individuals in the community gardens to corporate group days.
You will be able to share your experiences, and explore new ways to unlock the potential of volunteers to enhance the natural environment of our NHS estates while promoting health and wellbeing.
This is a space to celebrate successes, troubleshoot challenges, and gain practical inspiration for future projects. Whether you’re involved in planting, nature walks, therapeutic gardening, or conservation, your contribution is vital, and this session is dedicated to supporting your growth.
Make sure you sign up to our network to receive your meeting link.