Ben Reid Garden Centre in Aberdeen has taken its most unusual delivery – an entire garden − a Gold medallist in the Show section of this year’s Chelsea Flower Show.

Simon Fraser, owner of Ben Reid Garden Centre, explains: “The delivery of several mature dogwoods and crate after crate of plants, from Aquilegias to Verbascums, is all for  the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary Roof Garden project – the first of its kind in Scotland. We will store and tend the plants while preparation for the roof site and fundraising continues."

The original 'Blue Water Roof Garden' (pictured above), which wowed the crowds at Chelsea this year was donated to the roof garden project by the Royal Bank of Canada.  It was designed by Prof. Nigel Dunnett − he also created the meadows for the Olympic Park − and The Landscape  Agency. Prof Dunnett will also design the new garden for inpatients and their families in Aberdeen.

“We are proud to support local projects and this one is dear to my heart – as a nurseryman I see every day how flowers, plants and shrubs, as well as being outdoors and breathing fresh air, make a huge difference to our customers," said Simon.

"Imagine being indoors for days, weeks or even months without fresh air and the chance to see growing plants – that’s what it can be like for a patient who is confined to bed, or has difficulty getting about. I am also a founding member of the project’s steering committee, advising on the gardening aspect of the initiative, so we have a lot of very interesting work ahead.”

The Aberdeen Royal Infirmary Roof Garden project was launched last year and has attracted substantial support, both financially and ‘in kind’, like Ben Reid Garden Centre’s support, and that of transport firm ARR Craib who brought the planting and all the other materials, such as decking pebbles and terracotta pipes, to Aberdeen. 

Aberdeen Royal Infirmary serves the whole of the North East of Scotland and also receives many patients from the Northern Isles and neighbouring areas.

The campaign for the therapeutic roof garden is being led by the Rev James Falconer, the Chaplain at NHS Grampian.

He said: “We are extremely grateful for the generous support of Ben Reid Garden Centre and for Simon’s continuing and excellent advice. The garden will make an amazing difference for patients − I know this from listening to former patients and from clinicians. We look forward to creating a space filled with nature where people can relax and reflect and in a green sanctuary.”

Pictured below: Ben Reid Garden Centre take delivery of the plants from the Chelsea Gold medal winning garden.