The National Garden Scheme has a long-established tradition of supporting and training gardeners through donations to a variety of charities over many years and this new partnership builds on that important legacy. If you’re searching for a specific garden make sure you only include the garden name, and if you’re in any doubt of the spelling include the part of the garden name you’re sure of, or perhaps try searching by the town it’s located in and ‘all dates’. In 2023, the National Garden Scheme-funded trainees and apprentices will be placed at the following seven gardens. This corresponds to the 2022-23 academic year. Fawn said: “My memories of gardening are woven from threads of childhood affection, passion and deep pride. My parents were involved in cultivating kitchen and flower gardens, which won prestigious awards. This passion has continued into my adult life and I continue to actively engage in gardening both at home and at my allotment. I anticipate the growth and development within the garden environment will bring excitement and surprise to many. The calm, exhilarating and relaxed atmosphere will encourage socially isolated fathers to meet. We hope that the project will encourage an interest in gardening for fathers and promote inclusivity, to create a sense of belonging and acceptance.” Grow Together – Share Together – Surrey

The prevalence of paternal perinatal depression is well documented and highlights the need at national and local level for high quality holistic support for men, in particular from an ethnically diverse community. The evidence suggests that the prejudice and stigma around mental health in these groups impacts negatively on men’s mental health, in addition to poorer outcomes for their children and partners in the long term. Four care homes are each being provided with five deep planters for the gardening. The funding is being used to build table-top planters, tools, seeds and plants, recyclable waste boxes, education and support for activity coordinators.

Don’t miss a thing

Community nurses have such great innovative ideas to improve the health and wellbeing of their local communities and individuals. These nurse-led projects all share a vision and are sharing learning and expertise to drive innovation and change for the better.” The 2023 projects ‘Sanctuary’ – A gender-specific safe outside space to be enjoyed – Gloucester The five projects are being delivered alongside other QNI Community Nursing Innovation Projects that are not garden-themed. All this year’s projects will run until early 2024 when they will submit their final reports.

This project aims to introduce health clinics and post-Covid rehabilitation sessions in care homes using gardening as a focus. The project aims to support people’s mental health and wellbeing and provide the opportunity for early identification of deteriorating patients. The project aims to improve mental health and wellbeing for residents, increasing mobility and dexterity, providing early health promotion messages, good nutrition, hydration and exercise. It also supports the objective of enhancing health in care homes following the Covid Pandemic. There is the opportunity to form a blueprint for other local communities, the springboard of innovation and inspire others. Introducing green spaces, part of the national agenda, educating about nature, about plants and the concepts of gardening and growing your own.” Fathers will be able to access a range of professional support, safe and confidential conversation, breaking down some existing barriers that hinder client engagement. Father/child/children relationships will benefit by bringing fathers and child/children together, to enhance attachment and bonding and improve family relationships by playing and learning together. Simon said: “The garden is about connecting – Growing Together – Sharing Together. The vision is to use the space for patient rehabilitation, bringing them to the outdoors, into a therapeutic space. The garden adjoins the community rehabilitation ward, allows interaction on a different level, in a different space to keep the mind, body and spirit energised for longer. Health benefits include using the space for conversation/health promotion as a space to talk about health and prevention of ill health.Nestled in the heart of the Hampshire countryside the gardens in Froyle represent a wide variety of styles in an historic village setting, many with wonderful open views. The village is thought to be named after Freya, the Norse goddess of love, beauty and fertility, and the gardens provide a bountiful smorgasbord of delights for the visitor to enjoy. Join the vicar of Froyle, Reverend Yann Dubreuil for a tour of some of the gardens that open for this delicious group: The gardens of Brodsworth Hall are home to a collection of grand gardens in miniature, filled with colourful seasonal plantings and displays. The Victorian gardens were neglected for much of the 20th Century and have been carefully restored by English Heritage. Due to the many years without mowing the rich bank of wildflowers, such as cowslips, orchids and wild thyme have been allowed to establish in the lawns, something not originally in the Victorian design but deeply appreciated by modern visitors Angela Willan said: “I am keen to develop a women-only, safe space for women with serious mental illness. I have always had a keen interest in women’s health and I am passionate about improving their physical and mental health. This garden will provide a fantastic area for women to relax, meet, and for therapy to take place within an area that is peaceful and designed with them in mind. The projects are part of the NGS Elsie Wagg (Innovation) Scholarship programme which was created by the two charities in 2021. The programme is named after Elsie Wagg, the QNI Council member who had the idea to establish the National Garden Scheme in 1927. We are thrilled to be partnering with the National Garden Scheme to secure the future of our award-winning programme. Support from the National Garden Scheme will provide training to the next generation of horticultural specialists working in historic and botanical gardens. English Heritage relies upon philanthropy and partnerships to deliver its charitable purposes, and we are all delighted to welcome the National Garden Scheme as a new supporter and partner,” says Susan Fisher, Development Director at English Heritage.

Engagement in gardening has been shown to have both immediate and long-term effects on mental health outcomes, such as reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms, while gardening daily is associated with reduced stress and increased life satisfaction. Selecting and planting specific plants/herbs/flowers, with community volunteers, will aim to support menopause and other health issues specific to women. Having a safe space outside, in which to expand the discussion and activity, such as planting of herbs, vegetables or wildflowers, will help enhance this approach in a creative and purposeful way. The HBGTP has acquired an impressive reputation for the quality of its training and experience offered, and for the accessibility and inclusivity of its recruitment of trainees, and the latter is an important priority for us,” says National Garden Scheme Chief Executive, George Plumptre. “And the events English Heritage is hosting will enable us to showcase our partnership in the fabulous settings of their gardens.” This project aims to redesign and rejuvenate the garden at Dorking Community Hospital. The focus of this garden project is intergenerational and cross-cultural interaction; through talking in a relaxed space, sharing memories and stories; growing food to learn about nature and encouraging conversation about the environment; sharing the food, sharing break times, memories, time and space by bringing children and older people together to create a sense of community. Physiotherapy and health and exercise practitioners will offer activities such as yoga, fitness and mindfulness sessions for both community and inpatients. Service users will have the opportunity to be involved in the design, planting and ongoing maintenance of the garden area, hopefully encouraging a love of gardening which can be carried on after the women have left the facility.” Greener Care Home Project – Staffordshire

Burnham Square: This is a beautifully designed and constructed new garden in the middle of the former Treloar School estate in Upper Froyle with interesting shrubs and tree shapes. A lawn most of us would envy, a vegetable garden and lots of flowers all around. Stand on the terrace and admire the water feature and the view.