Rain garden built at hospital to prevent flooding

The garden provides a peaceful place to relax for staff and visitors

A new rain garden has been built on a hospital site as part of moves to reduce flash flooding.

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and hospital staff created the peaceful area in Gloucestershire Royal Hospital providing natural flood management.

More than 23,000 homes in Cheltenham and Gloucester are vulnerable to flooding each year and organisers said the new garden would be able to capture 800 litres of water, which would slowly release back into the watercourses.

"The impact of flooding on local rivers and communities is extraordinary, but projects like this showcase the benefits that nature can bring to urban spaces," said Andrew McLaughlin, head of the county's wildlife trust.

Gloucester MP Richard Graham joined hospital staff planting the new garden

The trust built the garden as part of the Gloucester and Cheltenham Waterscapes project, in partnership with RSA Insurance.

Surface water flooding can negatively affect wildlife, so sustainable urban features such as the rain garden can help reduce this impact.

Simon Wadley is managing director of Gloucestershire Managed Services, which looks after the Gloucester hospital's buildings and facilities.

"By harnessing nature's innate ability to manage storm water, we not only enhance the beauty of our surroundings but also contribute to the well-being of our community and the planet at large," he said.

"It's a small yet impactful step towards a greener, more resilient future."

Located outside of the A&E department, the garden includes a large raised planter surrounded by a carved wooden bench.

Other work under the waterscapes project includes the construction of a large swale in Naunton Park and enlarging the Plock Court wetland area in Gloucester.