Writer, broadcaster and regular panellist on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time, Matthew Biggs, has spearheaded a project to transform the garden at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre.

Matthew, who has been receiving treatment at the centre, said: “During my treatment, I would always try and get to look at the garden and even sat in it once, but it lacked plants and despite the best efforts of volunteers, offered little inspiration as a healing garden.

“I made it my mission to turn the outdoor spaces around the treatment centre and chemotherapy unit into a healing garden which will bring patients, staff, volunteers and members of the local community together.”

An anonymous donation of £30,000 helped to get the project off the ground along with funds raised from our appeal as well as a grant from the National Garden Scheme.

Matthew has also had the support of professional friends from the gardening community: Millie Souter from Tom Stuart-Smith Studio has designed the garden; Tom Stuart-Smith, internationally renowned landscape architect and garden designer, and his wife, Sue, psychiatrist and author of the bestselling book, ‘The Well Gardened Mind’, are also involved through their not-for-profit, ‘The Serge Hill Project for Gardening, Creativity and Health’.

The gardens have been constructed by Mark Gregory of Landform Consultants, who are multiple gold medal and ‘Best in Show’ winners at the Chelsea Flower Show.

New plants have been added and will be maintained by the Sunnyside Rural Trust, a social enterprise working with young people and adults with learning disabilities, as well as friends and volunteers from Mount Vernon Cancer Centre.

Sunnyside Rural Trust, which focus on people’s abilities rather than their disability, have propagated and grown many of the plants for the garden. Their gardening team will continue to look after the garden in the years to come.

Beth McNeil, head of fundraising, said: “We would like to say a heartfelt thank you to Matthew who has championed the project from the outset. He has put his heart and soul into making this happen as a thank you for the care he has received during his treatment. We are very proud to have such a highly esteemed gardener and broadcaster dedicating himself to improving the gardens to benefit others.

“We are also thrilled to have the cream of the crop from the gardening world helping create these beautiful garden spaces around our cancer centre. We know how vital gardens are for health and wellbeing. At the centre, they will be used by patients, their families and our NHS staff to enjoy all year round so we are incredibly grateful for every donation to help us transform and maintain them.”

Ginnie Abubakar, cancer support and information services manager at the centre said: “This has been a wonderful project working with Matthew and all the team to make this beautiful space for everyone to use. Matthew really has been the driving force behind it because he knows from personal experience what these spaces mean to everyone at the centre.

“We want to thank everyone involved. It has been a real community effort that has been for the benefit of everyone. This beautiful garden will make such a difference to everyone.”

Visiting the garden in early spring, Matthew added: “Sometimes words are totally inadequate to express feelings, but despite this I would like to thank everyone for the phenomenal effort that has been put into transforming the garden. It is going to be the most beautiful space for everyone to benefit from, and enjoy, including staff, patients, their families and friends.

“It would be wrong to thank everyone individually, because you have all given your time and every ounce of kindness, effort and talent you have for the cause – it already looks incredible and it is not even in flower!

“The project has been the result of astonishing teamwork and shows the irrepressible power of the human spirit. You have all overflowed with goodness – it has been there throughout the whole project and will continue to flow through the roots and spirit of the new garden until we finish.”

Phase two of the garden will continue later this year, with the front entrance of the centre and surrounding areas being developed and planted.

Funds are still needed to complete the project. The next major fundraising event will be the Mount Vernon Art Exhibition at Kingsbury Barn, St Albans, where Dione Verulam, Amanda Ross and Rachel Dein will be some of the artists exhibiting their work.