A Forest of Calm

A Forest of Calm

Designed by Leigh Johnstone & Lily Clarke

Beyond our back gardens there are incredible natural landscapes waiting for us to escape into, forests of calm that can inspire, restore and help us heal.

With mental illness accounting for 23 per cent of all ill-health in England, our National Parks can play an important role in helping to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the nation.

A Forest of Calm seeks to capture the beauty of the New Forest National Park. The garden features a native woodland edge, a place of enjoyment and adventure, which opens out onto the iconic heathland landscape that humans and animals share together, including the famous New Forest pony. The garden was created using the ideas and experiences of New Forest residents, many of whom have been affected by poor mental health, in the hope that it encourages more of us to get out into nature.

With thanks to garden suppliers: