Staff at Otter Nurseries have helped create a ‘getaway’ garden for families staying with critically or terminally ill relatives in hospital.

The garden centre worked together with Exeter Leukaemia Fund (ELF) to complete the exterior of its family suite at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.

Garden designer Anna Childs and her team, Mike Keane and Kevin Hill, prepared the ground and put in place a variety of seasonal plants.

Anna said: “The garden is really meant for the family members to get away. It’s really private.”

As well as the plants, Otter Nurseries provided white chippings and pearl white cobbles for the gardens.

ELF launched a £420,000 project to build a family suite on the Yarty Ward to allow families to enjoy home comforts during difficult times. Some £4,000 still needs to be raised for the facility, which will comprise of a living area, family en-suite bedroom, patient bedroom and private garden.

Mags Naylor, ELF chief executive said: “ELF is grateful to Otter Nurseries for providing plants and working on the garden to make it a serene space for families to enjoy together.”

The first families are set to use the suite at the end of the month.