A brigade of volunteers from Hillingdon joined Nick Knowles and his DIY SOS team on the roof at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).
A special episode aired last night (November 10) on BBC One where viewers saw Hillingdon Council staff help as a crane lifted 73 times, two storeys up, to transport 30 trees and hedges, 2,000 plants and 56 tonnes of soil, to bring to life a disused rooftop in under three weeks.
The success of the project to move the gold-medal winning RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden to the roof of the hospital touched the hearts of many families.
Chris Beardshaw, the garden’s designer, said: “This project is one of the most significant and poignant gardens of my career and I feel fortunate to be able to partner with Morgan Stanley in creating what will be a lasting legacy for parents and families of the children who will be treated at GOSH now and in the future.
"I hope the garden will provide a reflective and restorative space for those who use it and provide a nurturing world away from its urban surroundings.”
The heartwarming hour-long episode featured hospital staff and patients including families like Rosie's who was treated at the hospital for heart failure.
Other little soldiers who appeared on camera included Dylan, aged six, who suffers from a rare and undiagnosed condition where he has no immune system to fight infection and can stop breathing at any moment, and 10-year-old Maisy who has epidermolysis bullosa (EB or ‘butterfly children’), a rare, life-limiting skin condition where any type of friction can cause painful blistering of the skin.
Their families talk about their experience of spending months in the hospital and the want of a place that offers calm and serenity as they face some of the toughest challenges in life.
Dylan's mother Danielle said: “Dylan's much like a sunflower, his health is stable during the summer so a beautiful garden is a perfect place for Dylan.
“Thank you doesn't seem enough.
"To now have this place of retreat to be able to go and reflect whilst our children are in hospital is quite unbelievable.”
Tim Johnson, chief executive of children's charity GOSH, said: “We are so very grateful to Chris Beardshaw, Morgan Stanley, the BBC DIY SOS team and all the volunteers for creating this amazing garden.
"Being located in central London, green space is precious and this garden will make a real difference for families of children in the hospital’s care, providing them with a quiet, reflective space when they need time out from the ward.”
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