Horticultural businesses unite to create gardens for the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease

Some of the UK’s leading horticultural businesses have joined forces to design and deliver therapeutic gardens and outdoor spaces for the new Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds. Due to open later this year, the centre will provide state-of-the-art facilities alongside a calm, supportive environment for patients, families, and staff.

The collaboration has been coordinated by landscape contractor Gavin Jones and creative design consultancy specialising in landscape architecture and urban design, re-form landscape architecture. Determined to deliver the project at the best possible value, Gavin Jones invited trusted suppliers to contribute. Companies including Lindum Turf, Johnsons Nurseries, Green-tech and Van den Berk Nurseries pledged support, providing turf, soils, trees and thousands of plants, many at discounted rates or as goodwill donations, to ensure the gardens could be realised in full.

At the heart of the design is a therapeutic garden co-created with patients and families, featuring a circular walkway, sensory planting, “grow your own” plots and sociable spaces where people can sit, chat or listen to live music. Planting is designed to provide texture, colour and seasonal variety, while the northern entrance will be framed with woodland-style planting and new trees supplied by Van den Berk. Lindum Turf is supplying its premium Festival LT8 turf to create durable lawns and its award-winning wildflower turf to support biodiversity and pollinators. Johnsons Nurseries has supplied almost 6,000 plants, while Green-tech has delivered over 900 tonnes of soil and a wide range of landscaping materials.

“When I heard re-form were designing the scheme, I knew we had to be involved, and I wanted to bring partners with us. Rob is a hero to so many, and by joining forces we’ve been able to support this incredible cause with expertise and materials supplied for the greater good. Personally, with rugby league running in my family, it’s a privilege to help create such a meaningful space.”

Ricky Whiteman, Head of Estimating (North), Gavin Jones

Hannah Thompson, Associate Director at re-form, said: “Being entrusted with the landscape architecture for the Rob Burrow Centre was a profound responsibility. Our design process was deeply collaborative, rooted in listening to the experiences of patients, families and clinical teams. We wanted to create more than just a garden, we aimed to design a sanctuary that extends the Centre’s compassionate care into the outdoors, offering a space for quiet reflection, family connection and moments of peace. It is a privilege to help shape a place that will offer comfort and hope for years to come.” 

Graham Richardson, group managing director at Johnsons Nurseries, added: “Rob’s story has inspired us all. Supporting the centre with plants for its gardens is our way of helping create a place of hope and dignity for people with MND and their families. It means a great deal to our team to be part of this collaboration.”

Other partners echoed the importance of working together. A spokesperson for Lindum Turf said: “We’re proud to be supplying our Festival turf and wildflower turf to such an inspiring project. Being part of a scheme that reflects compassion, resilience and community spirit is a real honour.”

Richard Gill, Sales Director of Green-tech, commented: “This was a project we knew we wanted to support. Supplying soils, composts and tree-planting essentials may sound like the practical detail, but it’s these foundations that will help the gardens thrive as a space of comfort and support for patients and families.”

Tom Owen of Van den Berk Nurseries added: “Our involvement was about creating a complete package of support from local and European nurseries. The trees have been carefully tagged and selected to reflect the vision of re-form and the Burrow family. For us, it was about making sure this centre has the very best landscape setting, delivered at the very best value.”

The Rob Burrow Centre for MND is being built thanks to Leeds Hospitals Charity’s £6.8m fundraising appeal, launched to meet the rising demand for MND services, which have doubled in referrals over the last decade. For the first time, all specialist services will be housed under one roof, complemented by gardens designed to restore, inspire and connect.

The project is a powerful example of what can be achieved when businesses come together for the greater good, uniting their skills, products and goodwill to support a cause that has touched communities across the country.