Come and see our award winning garden!

Thanks to Project Giving Back our Silver Gilt award winning Chelsea Flower Show garden has been relocated at Alder Hey for full public access and enjoyment.

Designed by brothers Hugh and Howard Miller, and fully funded by our sponsors, Project Giving Back, the Alder Hey Urban Foraging Station is a woven landscape; it is about weaving together the young and old, green and urban, play and learning and Alder Hey Children's Hospital with its community. At its core is the aspiration to inspire children to lead active, healthy, pleasurable lives. The garden is infused with the magic of discovery inherent to foraging. Visitors first encounter the garden as nostalgic glimpses through rampant, blossoming hedgerows. Within, a sense of freedom prevails; explore, 'leave the path', get lost in your own world. A design language of woven forms associated with foraging are abstracted into a woven landscape. Precast concrete 'strands' make up a picnic blanket laid over an undulating landscape with edible herbs growing through (image right: Britt Willoughby Dyer)

Alder Hey Charity

Alder Hey is dedicated to going the extra mile to support the physical and mental health of every brave young patient who needs us. We pride ourselves on a child-centred approach and support the whole family to give their child the best start in life, from birth to early adulthood. Every penny raised through Alder Hey Charity’s current appeals delivers access to the best possible equipment and facilities, above and beyond what is available on our hard-working NHS. From keeping poorly tiny babies close to their loved ones, to providing a home from home for young people with complex and enduring mental health conditions, the difference our supporters can make is amazing.

Relocation of the garden

Alder Hey prides itself on a holistic approach to wrap around care, understanding that the wider family network requires support as they look after their poorly child. The Urban Foraging Station is being relocated to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital campus to benefit brave young patients, their families and the wider community.

Following a successful fundraising campaign for children’s mental health, Alder Hey Charity will be opening two new buildings to support mental health and wellbeing. Named by a group of young patients and inspired by nature, the Catkin Centre and Sunflower House will continue to reinforce Alder Hey’s place on the map as a centre for innovative and internationally recognised excellence. The garden is being located near the entrance to Sunflower House, an example of striking and functional modern architecture, clad in weathering Cor-ten steel and boasting design features drawn from the natural environment.

We have also recently started initial work on a brand new Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and the charity is supporting the £19.35m build with a £3m appeal. The new garden will be within easy reach of the new mental health units and the new neonatal unit, offering a place of peaceful reflection to parents and staff.

The Alder Hey Urban Foraging Station will provide a haven for wellbeing and togetherness for all families and staff at Alder Hey. It will also be openly welcoming to the wider community, encouraging local residents to benefit from this unique garden and the foraging experience. Situated within established parkland, Alder Hey has a unique vision and outlook, incorporating the benefits of being in nature and the powerful impact that green space can have on our mental and physical health.