Patients receiving intensive care at King’s College Hospital in London can now experience fresh air, greenery, and natural light while remaining connected to full life-support systems, thanks to a new rooftop critical care garden.
The King’s Critical Care Roof Garden is the first outdoor critical care space of its kind in the UK. Located on the roof of the hospital’s 60-bed intensive care unit, the garden was created to support not only patients’ physical recovery, but also their emotional well-being.
Some critically ill patients spend weeks or even months in intensive care, often surrounded by medical equipment and artificial lighting. Doctors say this environment can sometimes cause confusion, hallucinations, or delirium, which may slow recovery and increase distress for both patients and families.
The new garden allows up to six patients at a time to safely receive intensive treatment outdoors without being disconnected from essential medical support. Each bed space is connected to specially designed weatherproof units providing power, data, and medical gases, ensuring patients continue to receive the same level of care as inside the unit.
Doctors and researchers at King’s hope the calming effects of nature will help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve recovery outcomes. The hospital also plans to study how access to fresh air and sunlight may affect patients’ long-term physical and psychological health, as well as the well-being of family members and healthcare staff.
Dr Tom Best, Clinical Director of King’s Critical Care, said many patients in intensive care face frightening experiences during treatment and that spending time in nature may help improve both recovery and quality of life.
The garden was funded through a £2 million donation from King’s College Hospital Charity, together with additional support from the Trust. Charity representatives described the project as a way to bring more dignity, humanity, and compassion into intensive care medicine.
The space was designed by landscape architect Nigel Dunnett and garden designer Sarah Price, using aromatic herbs, native plants, and tactile greenery to create a peaceful environment that encourages patients and visitors to actively connect with nature.
The opening of the roof garden also carries an emotional significance following the recent death of Nigel Dunnett at the age of 63. King’s College Hospital paid tribute to his important contribution to the project, describing him as central to bringing the vision of the healing garden to life.
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