Flora Cultura: Growing Community, Wellbeing and Connection at Bronllys Hospital
By Karen Greenough
Nestled within the beautiful grounds of Bronllys Community Hospital, Flora Cultura is much more than a garden, it’s a thriving hub where nature, therapy, and community come together to nurture both plants and people.
During my recent visit to the Flora in the Orchards Project, I met with founder and director Rashid Benoy, a horticulturist with extensive experience in therapeutic gardening. Rashid also teaches at the Black Mountains College, bringing his passion for plants and people into every aspect of his work.
When I arrived, a couple of service users were tending to the polytunnel alongside Lucy Nash, Flora Cultura’s horticultural therapist. The atmosphere was calm and welcoming, a gentle rhythm of purposeful activity and shared connection.
Rashid Benoy
Rooted in Response to the Pandemic
Flora Cultura was created as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, originally finding a temporary home in the Gwenerfyd Walled Garden. After moving to Black Mountains College, the project settled permanently in its current location at Bronllys just a year ago, and it’s been flourishing ever since.
Rashid kindly gave me a tour of the orchard, sharing exciting plans for the site’s future. A line of oak saplings runs along one edge, the symbol of endurance, longevity and potential. Nearby, a willow patch is being established, the harvested willow will be used for basket weaving and sculpture, connecting creativity with cultivation.
In the centre of the space, I was drawn to a large circular vegetable bed, bursting with seasonal produce. Rashid explained that a second bed is planned: one for annual vegetables and the other for perennials, ensuring year-round variety and sustainability.
And that’s not all, the team dreams of building an outdoor kitchen and pizza oven, growing their own wheat to make flour for bread and pizza bases, then topping them with freshly harvested herbs and vegetables. What could be more satisfying?
A Safe, Supportive Space for All
Flora Cultura runs sessions every Monday, 10am–3pm, with capacity for 10-12 participants and currently, there’s no waiting list. The service supports people with mental or physical illness, learning disabilities, and neurological conditions, Until recently clients could be referred from any health department or organisation or by PAVO’s community connectors but now clients can now self-refer, making access even easier.
The team is actively seeking funding to expand their provision and hopes to work more closely with CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), especially as waiting times for young people’s mental health support can stretch up to two years.
More Than a Garden
Alongside the outdoor work, participants benefit from a welcoming community building complete with a kitchenette, seating area, meeting room, and accessible toilet. It’s a space for tea breaks, conversation, and creative projects such as cyanotype printing, bird feeder making, pressed flowers, and pallet upcycling.
This building is also available to book through Mark Stafford-Tolley community liaison officer for Powys Teaching Health Board.
Although accessibility across the site is still a work in progress, Rashid and his team are determined to make the project inclusive. They’ve already worked successfully with a wheelchair user with cerebral palsy and after being quoted an eyewatering sum of money they are exploring affordable ways to install a wheelchair-friendly path around the site
Growing a Dedicated Team
Currently, Flora Cultura is run solely by Rashid and Lucy, and although they recently said goodbye to their occupational therapist, they’re looking forward to welcoming a new volunteer soon. Their passion and dedication shine through every aspect of the project, cultivating not only plants, but confidence, skills, and community spirit.
🌱 Want to Get Involved?
To learn more, visit Flora Cultura
To refer yourself or someone else, complete their referral form