June 2002

Garden gift for hospital

The Royal Children’s Hospital has received a very special gift—a garden!

It’s not just any old garden either.

It’s Peter Rabbit’s Gardenworld—a magical sensory garden created specifically for children.

The garden comes straight from the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.

It is filled with wonderful things to touch, hear and smell and the aura of Peter Rabbit.

It was donated, designed and installed by the team from Gardenworld.

‘Gardenworld wanted to contribute to the hospital in a way which was not just giving children toys to play with but a gift to experience and enjoy,’ said Executive Manager Collin Sainty.

‘Hopefully, we’ve provided something to help children temporarily forget why they are at the hospital.’

Peter Rabbit’s Gardenworld is totally interactive—designed in consultation with the hospital’s remedial therapist to engage children through different contact mediums and fun-filled physical activities.

It features several elements specifically built for patients at the hospital.

These include:

• Three curving parallel paths, one to feel different textures under bare feet, a wheelchair path with a colour square sequence game painted on it and a path for nurses;

• Two sets of huge metal rabbit ears, at wheelchair height, through which the whispers of the trees can be heard;

• Fragrant plants;

• A large metal xylophone on which children can test different sounds experimenting with timber, steel and rubber;

• A hopscotch game and a mini basketball game;

• Giant, green rabbit burrows for children to climb through;

• A frog which croaks whenever someone walks past.

The garden is located outside of the main cafeteria and is surrounded by roses.