Coronavirus: Chelsea Flower Show plants donated to Derriford Hospital

Garden designer Tom Massey with the plants donated to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth

Flowers grown for the Chelsea Flower Show have been donated to a hospital after the event was cancelled due to coronavirus.

Garden designer Tom Massey was due to plant a garden for dairy company Yeo Valley at the show in May.

He said he hoped the flowers, due to be in full bloom by May, would provide a "boost" for NHS staff at Derriford Hospital.

They have been planted in a courtyard at the hospital in Plymouth.

After the show was cancelled Mr Massey started looking for an alternative home for the plants and came across a message on social media asking for donations to brighten up the intensive care unit courtyard.

Mr Massey and a group of volunteers planted the new garden while observing social distancing advice

Mr Massey, from London, said the courtyard had been pretty "dreary" and Yeo Valley agreed to donate 350 perennials and grasses to brighten it up.

On Sunday he was joined by a small group of volunteers who planted the new garden while observing government social distancing guidelines.

Critical care matron Judy Frame said the garden was usually a rehab space for patients and they were lucky to have it replanted.

She said: "We are planning to use this garden now not so much for our patients but for our staff just to help support them at what is going to become a very difficult time.

"To help with their psychological resilience and a space where they can take a little bit of time out of their day when they are working in very, very difficult conditions."

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