The Asthma and Lung UK Breathing Space Garden
Artist Sketch
The Garden
This tranquil woodland-edge garden reflects the voices of people living with lung conditions, offering a calm, supportive ‘breathing space’ in which to recover and reconnect with nature.
Accessible paths, graded steps, and seated rest points lead to the heart of the garden, where two structural pine trees, known for their natural antioxidant and immune-boosting qualities, anchor a ‘floating’ platform. This sheltered space is designed for breath-supporting therapies such as yoga and tai chi. Running water and a still pond introduce soothing sound and reflective calm.
A restrained planting palette of green and white is lifted by highlights of purple and orange, with pockets of low-allergen plants chosen for their gentle impact.
Sustainability notes
The garden incorporates innovative sustainable materials and practices, including trials of Seratech cement blended with biochar and oyster shells to lock in carbon. Biochar is also used as a planting mulch and plants are grown in biodegradable pots. FSC-certified timber is used for fencing and the cantilevered canopy roof. Recycled aluminium oxygen cylinders have been repurposed as a water spout and channel drain. A symbolic touch comes from the inclusion of coal dust sourced from the UK’s last coal-fired power station, marking the country’s historic transition as the first in Europe to fully close down coal power.
Hear from the charity – Asthma and Lung UK
“We’d like visitors to be inspired to think about their own breathing, and take a moment to exhale during their busy day and experience a moment of calm. We also want to highlight the invisible impact of breathlessness for the one in five people in the UK who will develop a lung condition in their lifetime, and for people to be more aware of Asthma and Lung UK’s vision of a world where everyone has healthy lungs.”
Garden legacy
The garden will be relocated to the Breathing Space lung rehabilitation centre in Rotherham, supported by Asthma and Lung UK. There, it will become a permanent therapeutic space offering holistic support for people living with lung conditions, maintained in partnership with the local community.
