DESIGN work is underway to transform the gardens of a Gloucester neurological centre and create new sensory gardens to support patients.
The Dean Neurological Centre in Longford is a residential unit that works with patients with a range of complex conditions, including severe brain injuries.
The centre provides complex disability management and rehabilitation services and is a specialised nursing home, providing 24-hour nursing care and therapy services for people over the age of 18.
Students from Pershore College have stepped in to use their expertise to design and create new sensory gardens for the centre.
Design work is expected to be completed in February 2021 and the newly created spaces will then be presented to the centre.
Eight students will be involved in the project and all are studying for their part-time Diploma in Garden Design from Pershore College.
The students from the college in previous years have designed a range of successful projects including at a retirement centre in Pershore and St. Richards Hospice in Worcester.
They were approached by Jill Gould, who is a member of the Friends Group at the Dean Neurological Centre, to take on the project.
Jill said: “While everyone at the Dean enjoys sitting out on the decked area of the garden, we were looking for a professionally designed sensory garden to replace the current neglected lower section of the garden.
“The students will help us to turn the neglected space into a lovely sensory garden for our residents.”
Mike Roberts, Lecturer in Horticulture and Landscape Design at Pershore College, added: “We are always looking for ‘real life’ design projects for our students to embark on as part of the course.
“When we were approached by the Dean Neurological Centre, the students jumped at the chance to support such an important resource in the region.
“They met the staff earlier this month to survey the area and will produce the design plans as part of their course in garden design.
“We hope that when completed the gardens will bring great benefits to patients and staff at the centre, and look forward to working closely with the team at the centre throughout the project.”
For more information on the Dean Neurological Centre visit https://www.neurologicalservices.co.uk/our-centres/the-dean-neurological-centre
To find out more about studying garden design at Pershore College visit www.wcg.ac.uk/study
