AMAFFI Perfume House gifts scented garden to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in tribute to the NHS

Hundreds of aromatic plants and shrubs from the planned AMAFFI RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden 2020have been gifted by the perfume brand to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital as tribute to NHS frontline workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Award-winning plantsman and RHS Ambassador Jamie Butterworthcreated the scented oasis in just three days of what was to be RHS Chelsea Flower Show week.

The 250 sqm flower-filled perennial garden will now provide a year-round aromatic and calming retreat for the hospital staff and patients at the hospital from Friday 22 May. AMAFFI, which recently opened its Sloane Street boutique, gifted the garden to the hospital as a token of gratitude, enlisting expertise of Butterworth Horticulture to repurpose the plants. 

“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,” said Butterworth. “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.”

Butterworth and his London-based team worked around the clock to transform the large outdoor space into the restorative garden. 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.  

“[We] sympathise with and care for the millions of people affected by COVID-19 worldwide,” AMAFFI founder M. Amaffi said. “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.”

“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!” said Rob Hodgkiss, Deputy Chief Executive and COO of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. “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.”