A hospice is celebrating its 50th anniversary with garden events and a show garden at a major horticultural show.
Dorothy House, which provides palliative and end-of-life care, is marking the milestone with two garden-related tributes to honour its legacy and future vision.
The first garden event takes place on Friday, June 14, at Well Cottage on the Badminton Estate, the private home of Dorothy House patron Her Grace Miranda, Duchess of Beaufort.
Open to the public from 10am to 4pm, the event offers a rare opportunity to explore the Duchess’s personal garden, featuring cottage borders and vibrant seasonal displays in a tranquil countryside setting.
The second project is a collaboration with garden designer Charlotte Sanderson.
It will see Dorothy House represented at the Royal Horticultural Society’s inaugural Badminton Estate show in Gloucestershire from July 8 to 12.
Ms Sanderson’s ‘Shared Breath’ Pocket Garden will be on display at the RHS event.
After the show, it will be rehomed at the hospice’s Winsley site.
Katy Hancock, head of communications at Dorothy House, said: "At Dorothy House, nature is a great ally, offering calm when emotions feel heavy and connection when people need it most.
"These two exciting gardens offer more opportunities for people to connect with the holistic work of Dorothy House, have honest and accessible conversations about death and find connection in nature."
The garden will become part of the landscaping around the new Bath Institute for Supportive Care, a pioneering centre dedicated to bereavement support, education and collaborative research.
Supportive care—addressing the emotional, physical, psychological, and social needs of patients and families—remains under-developed in the UK.
This centre will transform access to specialist support, strengthen professional skills across the system and generate evidence to shape national practice.
The 'Shared Breath' garden design highlights the collective reliance of all human beings on a finite, shared resource: oxygen, and the fundamental interconnectedness of all living beings, ecosystems and humanity.
It aims to create a contemplative space for visitors to reflect during difficult times.
The sustainable garden design includes a narrow path of recycled crushed shells and a small table made from porous, low carbon green naturally treated cement to attract lichens and mosses.
A shallow dish made of the same material will be partially buried in the ground to gather rainwater for visiting wildlife.
Dorothy House has offered free, personalised palliative and end-of-life care to thousands of people for 50 years.
Its holistic approach combines medical care with practical and emotional support for both patients and families.
The hospice continues to rely on community support to deliver these vital services.
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