Noida hospital develops ‘Healing Garden’ for kids

Conceptualised as part of an initiative to blend medical care with therapeutic exposure to nature, it has been named “Healing Garden”

NOIDA: A piece of land lying unused between two hospital buildings at the Super Speciality Paediatric Hospital and Post Graduate Teaching Institute (SSPHPGTI), Noida, has been transformed into a special garden as a green retreat for child patients and their caregivers, officials said.

The garden includes a wheelchair-accessible walkway to enable children and caregivers to move around without any discomfort, and pause at shaded resting points. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Conceptualised as part of an initiative to blend medical care with therapeutic exposure to nature, it has been named “Healing Garden”. Last week during its inauguration, officials said the garden has been designed to offer children undergoing treatment a space for calm, emotional relief, and to connect with nature amid the hospital’s clinical environment.

“We wanted to create a space where patients and their families could experience calmness and psychological relief during their hospital visits and admissions. Integrating nature into the hospital in a structured manner also helps promote values of conservation and sustainability,” said SSPHPGTI Noida’s director Dr AK Singh.

The garden includes a wheelchair-accessible walkway to enable children and caregivers to move around without any discomfort, and pause at shaded resting points. It has medicinal plants besides some fruit-bearing trees such as lemon and orange, said officials.

Besides, a composting unit within the garden has been set up to generate manure from organic waste, while existing trees have been retained and supported through pruning and careful soil preparation.

Over 300 plants have already taken root, to draw birds and butterflies while lending vibrancy to the hospital campus, officials added.

Noida authority’s director (horticulture) Anand Mohan, who recently reviewed the site, appreciated the project for turning an idle corner of the campus into a functional and eco-friendly space. “This is a wonderful example of how hospitals can integrate natural spaces into their infrastructure to support recovery and wellbeing, especially for children,” he said.

The project, officials said, is a collaborative effort between Child PGI, Adobe India, the Give Me Trees Foundation, a community based tree planting organisation, and the Doctors For You, an NGO.

On Wednesday, representatives from the partner organisations were acknowledged with artwork created by kids being treated at the hospital - in a symbolic gesture showcasing the facility is children-centric.

“The garden will remain open between 10 to 11am, and 2 to 4pm for patients and their families,” said chief medical superintendent (SSPHPGTI) Dr Mukul Jain.

Visitors welcomed the move. “Hospitals are stressful places for both kids and parents. Even a bit of open space and colour makes a difference. You don’t expect to hear birds in a hospital, that itself feels healing”, said Jyoti Singh, a Noida resident who frequently visits the hospital for her child’s treatment.

While Adobe India supported the initiative and committed volunteers for plantation and future upkeep, the Give Me Trees Foundation handled site cleaning, soil preparation, sourcing of saplings, and ongoing maintenance. Doctors For You helped in developing the walkway within the garden.

With its mix of greenery, inclusivity, and community involvement, the Healing Garden stands as a small but meaningful step towards reimagining hospital spaces as places of both treatment and emotional healing, officials said.

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