AMAFFI Perfume House's scented garden gift to NHS staff

AMAFFI Perfume House has gifted an exquisite scented garden to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital as a lasting thank you to NHS staff

International luxury fragrance brand AMAFFI Perfume House has gifted an exquisite scented garden to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital as a lasting thank you to NHS staff.

Opened to staff and patients on Friday 22nd May, the plants and flowers have completely transformed the Hospital’s run-down outdoor space and provide a bright, cheerful and beautifully scented, plant-filled perennial garden, offering a sanctuary to lift the spirits of staff and patients alike.

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AMAFFI made the decision to gift the garden to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital as a token of their gratitude for their selfless work during the current pandemic. To repurpose the plants for the hospital garden, AMAFFI enlisted the expertise of RHS medal winning plantsman and RHS Ambassador Jamie Butterworth, who runs Butterworth Horticulture. Jamie and his small team, who are based in London, have been working around the clock this week to transform the large outdoor space into the luxurious and restorative garden. Ongoing complementary maintenance of the garden will be provided indefinitely to ensure it is always looking at its best for hospital staff and patients.

The inner courtyard has been completely transformed with large dramatic topiary domes and pyramids and several multi-stem trees including Cornus, Medlars and Virburnum. The tree canopy has been underplanted with lush foliage and combinations of bright and scented flowering perennials including roses, dianthus, Iris, alliums, lupins and salvia and scented evergreen shrubs including Sarcococca hookeriana and Osmanthus, to provide year-round structure.

The Founder and the President of AMAFFI Perfume House M. Amaffi said:

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‘AMAFFI Perfume House sympathises with and cares for the millions of people affected by COVID-19 worldwide. Many Londoners suffered the consequences of this debilitating pandemic. We are hugely grateful to doctors, nurses and key workers who each day heroically put themselves at risk to save lives. AMAFFI Perfume House sincerely hopes this garden, as a magical present, gives joy and positive thinking and the flowers inspire with their beauty.’

Rob Hodgkiss, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer from the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said:

‘I would like to say on behalf of the Trust, a huge thank you to AMAFFI Perfume House for donating the garden to us. This is an incredibly kind and thoughtful donation which we are truly appreciative of. Whilst not on show at the 2020 Chelsea Flower show, I’m sure if it was, it would have won a gold medal!’

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‘This will be admired and enjoyed by our patients, families, staff and local communities during these incredibly unusual times and beyond. We have been humbled by the generosity of local business and the public throughout this pandemic, and although we’ve all experienced incredibly challenging times, a garden space to admire and connect with nature is great lift for us all.’

Jamie Butterworth, MD of Butterworth Horticulture said:

‘It’s been an absolute pleasure to be part of this wonderful project and repurpose the plants and shrubs we were growing for the AMAFFI garden, to transform the space into a colourful, scented oasis as somewhere beautiful to rest and escape. The combination of perennial shrubs and flowers ensures that the Hospital staff can take time out and enjoy the most glorious fragrances and colours all year round.’

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Steve Ott

Steve Ott is editor of Kitchen Garden magazine and started his career as a professional grower, producing everything from cut flowers to vegetables. He has been growing fruit and veg all his life and spends most of his spare time in his garden in the East Midlands. He loves to experiment with crops and varieties he has never grown before and when he isn’t gardening is to be found out in the countryside bird watching and walking his dog Ted.