CRIC Wellbeing Staff Garden | Bristol

The outdoor area runs along the side of the CRIC hospital building located on St Michael’s Hill. An entrance from the street leads to a paved courtyard retaining the existing mature trees and underplanted with new shade tolerant planting. Below this a gated entrance leads to a stepped garden than runs inside the historic boundary wall. From a scruffy and littered environment which was the target of anti-social behaviour a new protected space for the staff has been created.

In order to make the space useable in all weathers, a sheltered terrace with table and chairs is framed by new planting.  This leads down to another sunny area with paving and a pergola, the whole framed by scented, diverse perennial planting, and sheltered by mature trees.  The garden enhances the amenity of staff working in the hospital, providing a space to relax and support their health and wellness. Our strategy was to create a number of different places to sit so both the steps, seats outside and under cover can extend the time that the garden is useable. The lush new greenery will significantly improve the quality and appeal of the lower garden to the enjoyment of the staff.

The scheme was intended to make a comfortable and safe space exclusively for staff, so that they could benefit from this multi-sensory experience, and gain respite from the green environment.

• A space to relax, spend time outside the hospital, have lunch or an informal meeting
• New planting, seating and covered spaces
• Rainwater capture within the garden and new biodiverse planting
• Sensory experience with scented planting
• Secure access to the garden