Bedhampton care home unveils enchanting ‘Fairy Garden’ to support residents’ mental health
This week, Portsdown View care home in Bedhampton unveiled a charming ‘Fairy Garden’ in the grounds of the home.
Created to mark the end of Mental Health Awareness Week 2025, this delightful outdoor space is designed to lift spirits and support the emotional wellbeing of residents by giving them a fun and interactive outdoor space to explore whenever they like.
Complete with whimsical decorations, a serene water feature, and hand-crafted fairy figurines, the garden has fast become a favourite destination for gentle strolls and moments of reflection for staff and residents alike. The idea for the garden came from the home’s talented events team, who worked closely with residents to build their perfect magical getaway.
Some even contributed directly to the garden through creative arts sessions, crafting the decorations and features that make the garden feel like a special place. Pippa Mafunga, General Manager at Portsdown View, comments on the project:
“Creating the Fairy Garden has been a wonderful journey for everyone involved. It’s not just a pretty place – it’s a space where residents can relax, reconnect with nature, and enjoy a bit of peace and wonder. It has sparked smiles, conversations, and even encouraged some residents to venture outdoors more often again. That’s what makes it so special.”
The idea for the Fairy Garden partly came out of conversations with residents who used to love spending time on long rambles outdoors, but now struggle to do so due to mobility issues. The team at Portsdown View decided they wanted to bring some of the mental and physical benefits of spending time in nature to the home.
Indeed, research shows that time spent outdoors can bring significant mental health benefits, particularly for older adults and people living with dementia. Studies show that fresh air and green surroundings can improve mood and reduce agitation, and is even associated with decreased reliance on medication and fewer hospital visits for older adults.
Indeed, Age UK has flagged time spent outdoors as a vital tool for securing better mental health outcomes in care homes, arguing it can significantly reduce depression and isolation amongst residents. Of course, for regular outdoor time to be feasible in care settings, it is crucial that homes are structured in a way which maximises residents’ access to outdoor spaces.
By building its own natural enclave only a few short steps from the home, the staff at Portsdown View wanted to ensure residents always have a place to go when they’re feeling cooped-up indoors. They have already had overwhelming positive feedback from residents, who have enjoyed reconnecting with their love of nature and being outdoors.
Pippa Mafunga again:
“We want this garden to be a shared treasure for everyone at Portsdown View. It’s heartening to see how much it has already meant to our residents and staff. And we’re already thinking of new ways to build on the idea – watch this space!”
Portsdown View is part of the Connaught Care Collection; a new luxury care provider which has six operational homes across the country.