by EMILY HEWARD, Manchester Evening News, June 25, 2014
The Royal Manchester Childrens Hospital’s rooftop garden
Photo: Sean Hansford
Source: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
The sensory space is being built by Manchester Metropolitan University students and Unilever staff as part of the Manchester Children’s Book Festival
Shakespeare’s flowery prose has inspired a new rooftop garden being built for young patients at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
Plants and herbs mentioned in some of the Bard’s most famous plays will be grown in the sensory space, which is being created as part of Manchester Children’s Book Festival.
Poorly patients will be able to visit it to learn why fennel was mentioned in Hamlet, or what the connection is between Othello and lettuce, as part of the hospital school’s curriculum.
Sarah Naismith, the hospital’s head of charity, said: “The hospital school and therapeutic and specialised play services were keen for the garden to be educational, as well as therapeutic and a place for patients to have fun.
“The Shakespearean theme is a wonderful way to engage the patients.”
Among the plants will be thyme from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, lavender from A Winter’s Tale, rosemary from King Lear and parsley from The Taming of the Shrew.
The garden will also feature solar lights and wind chimes.
It is being built by students from Manchester Metropolitan University’s urban gardening society and staff from Unilever, whose tea brand PG Tips has also donated £2,000 towards plants and equipment.
Manchester Children’s Book Festival partner ReadWell will also be donating books for the hospital school as part of the project.
Sarah said: “We are extremely grateful to Unilever and Manchester Metropolitan University for the time and effort they’ve committed to building the sensory roof garden.
“It will make a valuable addition to the outdoor play area and it’s fantastic that it will be up and running ready for summer.”
Scott Tanswell, a second year history student at MMU who is project managing the garden, said the society had jumped at the chance to work in such an unusual spot.
He said: “The terrace is a lovely space, but there’s no greenery up there so it was an ideal spot to make the garden.
“It will have a huge impact on these children who aren’t very well, and will hopefully help aid their recovery.”