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Five handy tips for starting a new garden

The Mycelium Intelligence

Chain of Life

We all understand the concept of The Chain of Life. We usually think about how one creature eats another animal which then gets eaten by another creature, which in turn gets eaten by another, until we get to us. We are at the top of the chain, or are we?

We understood that, but did you ever think as to the beginning of the chain? The start of the chain of Life starts with the fungi, bacteria, and protozoa. These are the real Master Gardeners of our planet. As I mentioned before, they have been at this for a very long time, much longer than we have. Their Gardening skills are honed to perfection. All living things depend upon the Mycelium, and its ability to recycle the essential minerals and resources needed for healthy growth.

As a kid, I was always interested in these mushrooms that would pop up almost everywhere. I noticed that after rain, they would appear overnight. Several times, I would sit and watch. Over a few hours, they would be fully grown and right in front of my eyes.

Beautiful. I am not talking about magic mushrooms (this is another story), but of the many varieties that grow in the lawn, in your garden, in the forest. It is these workers that take the minerals and other essential nutrients and convert them into an assimilable nutrient rich in minerals.

As I mentioned before, plants learned that they are better at growing if they grow with their roots intertwined with the Mycelium than if they tried it on their own. As a matter of fact, eventually, all plants evolved so that Mycelium grew in the root hairs of their roots. This became a particular type of Mycelium that is working for the plant, taking the nutrients from the Mycelium Colony and passing it on to the plants. While plants can grow in soil without Mycelium (plants produce the proper waste that helps Mycelium grow), they will use their roots to locate the underground Mycelium colony and make a connection. They plug into the conscious mind of the Mycelium. The Mycelium will then expand its web weave to include the plant! The plant communicates with the Mycelium Mind, and they exchange information. What does the Mycelium get from this relationship? When the plant dies, it will become food for the Mycelium. It will digest and return all the minerals and recycle it back to itself as food, and it also feeds others.

The Mycelium have evolved to farm for their “food source” plants and indirectly insects as well as animals and even humans. Anything that dies and is returned to the earth becomes food for the microbial life.

Mycelium has been around for hundreds of millions of years. They have evolved into a very efficient organism. They can communicate within all of the intertwined roots of plants. They communicate with trees through this network. Trees communicate with each other through this network. Insects and animals are attracted to these areas. Insects will eat other insects especially if the bugs are getting mineral-rich food sources. Animals, in turn, are attracted to other mineral rich animals and plants. Lots of animals only eat plants (mineral rich), and they are prime food for animals to eat them and get the minerals. Whatever dies will be eaten by the fungi.

It’s Alive is the name of one of my radio shows. I started this show way back in 1984 when I first moved to Malibu. In it, I try to express to folks how important this hidden life is. The top soil is the “skin” of the Mycelium. Just as the skin of animals, humans, insects, etc., acts as an interface between the inside and the outside of our bodies, so too does top soil act as an interface between plants, animals, insects, everything!

Plants have deep roots as well as deep roaming roots. They seek Mycelium and Mycelium seeks these roots. There is a definite interaction between the Mycelium and the roots of the plant. As the plant grows, its roots encounter this Mycelium which almost immediately starts to provide nourishment and communication with other plants directly through this network.

Humans, Plants, and Mycelium bacteria have evolved together over the millions of years and have developed many ways of communication with each other. Yes, humans can communicate too with this Mycelium. Together, they provide for each other. The key to healthy life is minerals. Lacking one or more minerals will eventually cause big problems, leading to an unhealthy state. This is not just true for plants but all living things especially trees and animals and humans. Whether plant, insect, animal, or human, being unhealthy is a magnet for pests and diseases.

The Mycelium of the world is one living being

The Mycelium of the world is one living being and is responsible for many things of which the growth of mushrooms is one. Mushrooms digest minerals found in decaying insects, plants, animals (and humans) and convert it to usable forms-which the plants can assimilate and we, in turn, can also assimilate.

You are what you eat is the old saying. The fungi eat the minerals, which is consumed by the plants, which are then eaten by the animals which in turn is eaten by us. Humans also eat the plants directly. These fungi will also eat and convert into the proper minerals (anything that dies and encounters the “skin”) of the Mycelium. In essence we are Mycelium.

Thus, the Mycelium is the very start and end of the food chain. Now how cool is that? I often talk about how we are damaging and disrupting the top soil. By damaging and or removing this “skin,” we are destroying the Mycelium and this in turn hurts everything else. The Mycelium is an important ally in the climate change war, one that we cannot ignore. So, it is very important to protect our top soil and in turn protect this amazing organism.

to find out more about Andy Lopez and his opinions visit his website invisiblegardener.com where you can download his ebook or if you have any questions listen to his radio show or email him at andylopez@invisiblegardener.com

I am delighted to introduce myself to you, I am Anthony Carroll and I am Head of Horticulture at Alisco Projects and a freelance consultant horticulturist at #HorticAnt.

From a young age, I was interested in gardening and wanted to pursue this as a career.  During the school holidays I would always carry out some activity in the garden, especially
in the mornings while listening to the birds sing.

Once I had left school, I was delighted to be accepted at Brackenhurst College in Nottinghamshire to study Horticulture.

After completing my studies in the year 2000 I started my career as an Assistant Gardener and soon progressed to become Head Gardener. However, my ambition was to own a
horticultural company, so I left my position as Head Gardener in 2005 and proceeded to run my own business.

In 2017 I was delighted to be asked to become a judge and assessor for The Royal Horticultural Society as part of their Green Plan It course.

I was delighted to be awarded full membership of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, The Professional Gardeners Guild and I am also a Consultant Member to The Gardeners Guild.

Horticultural science and therapeutic horticulture is a huge part of my life. I am passionate in promoting and improving the world of horticulture by influencing people of all ages and abilities, to celebrate this wonderful science.

I am now in my twentieth year within the industry and have been privileged to work in many different types of horticultural settings, such as ‘high end’ private gardens, Schools and HM Prison Service. I have also worked with people suffering from mental health issues. My aim is to promote horticulture so that everyone will be able to reap the benefits of this science.

With the wealth of experience I now have, I am inspiring children to be interested in horticulture. I believe this is an incredibly rewarding subject, as it encourages physical motivation, scientific and mathematical challenges and creativity, while being also
extremely beneficial for mental wellbeing.

During my years in horticulture, I have accumulated many ‘favourite’ herbaceous perennials, trees and shrubs. However to isolate one particular favourite of mine, I would have to choose Amelanchier lamarckii or June Berry Tree. It features snow white flowers and bronzed leaves, edible berries and a fantastic autumn leaf colour.

Nowadays we are encouraged to be aware of the state of the planet, so this year for birthday or anniversaries why not ask for a tree, especially an Amelanchier lamarckii, which is good for a medium size gardens. It can also grow in a container for a few years.  This would be a lovely gift for you but also for the climate as well. Remember, trees are the ‘lungs of the earth’.

Having experienced every season for many years in the garden, my favourite season is winter as you can see the true forms of the individual shrubs. A winter garden can be so magical on a lovely crisp frosty morning.

Why gardening?

When I was asked to write a blog for Gardening for Disabled Trust, I admit that so many ideas were going through my head. I could write about the current season, my favourite thing to grow or what I suffer with and my struggles with gardening. However, after talking to a few friends about where to start, I decided that it’s not really about what I grow, but why.

My abilities can vary from day to day. It’s a lottery. So why would I continue to carry on lifestyle and hobby that’s so physically exhausting? It’s a question that I am asked a lot and it’s pretty frustrating because it’s always said by non-gardeners in a derogatory manner.

There are other sides to gardening than plonking seeds in a pot and waiting for them to grow. You’d think that gardening would lead to a solitary lifestyle and some tree hugging here and there but it’s deeper than that. It becomes part of your values in life. You realise your plants are important because life is important. It gives you purpose, meaning and a sense of achievement.

I have an allotment in Hertfordshire and the best piece of advice I was ever given was to listen and respect those who had been there a long time. Yes, we all have our own way of doing things but there I was with a new born baby, one gardening fork and one spade which were both donated, and a huge pile of weeds which had been unattended for around three years. I needed help. It’s overwhelming at first but the first thing you learn about any kind of gardening is that patience is your friend. A skill that is easily transferred into your day to day life, and one that has helped me immensely.

My family, friends and plot neighbours helped me get set up and for that I am forever thankful as I wouldn’t be where I am and who I am today. I have no importance on this Earth whatsoever but I now provide for my family in a way I felt like I failed to by becoming unwell. It’s not always about constantly digging all the time. I’d never even used a power tool but there I was last week using my plot neighbour’s circular saw to cut timber.

I grow because I love to provide my friends and family something they couldn’t buy in the supermarket. Most of the people I know have never heard of a cucamelon or borage and when I can whack that in a G&T when they come to mine, they’re forever fascinated I grew it and I knew what to do with it and it always strikes conversation. I am completely self-taught at this point however my absolute love for it has made me want to pursue this further and see where it goes. I have no plans or specialties; I just know that when someone asks me how to grow something or asks for my advice, it fills my heart with more joy and love for this world than ever before as someone else wants to start putting seeds into the rapidly deteriorating earth that needs us more than ever before to restore it.

I have communicated and met with a large number of amateur and professional gardeners through socialising. Whether that be social media or through the allotment itself but gardening has no bias. It doesn’t judge you; it doesn’t expect anything from you. You do what you can within your own abilities. Disability or not – we all have our physical limits. Age, gender, sexuality, race, ability – whatever it is – there’s absolutely no bias.

Over just a few years, I am becoming greener, more environmentally aware, I’ve reduced my waste and make sure I avoid products that are non-recyclable, I’ve met friends who are all different and are the best and most welcoming people I know. I like to think that I now provide a little more for wildlife whether it’s planting edible flowers I know a myriad of insects and bees will enjoy but are also edible for me too if I decide. You get to watch beautiful wildlife and also battle with it. The birds eat my currants every year and somehow, they find a way.

It’s not just about growing food. It’s a social life or the sanity to you need. It’s fresh air, nature, unbiased friends and a community. You make gardening what you want it to be. If you want to grow show onions or giant pumpkins then do it! Do what you can within your own abilities which is very easy to say and hard to put into practice. It won’t come overnight but I can guarantee you that it will be with you forever and be life changing. From planting cress in an eggshell to planting your first tomatoes; they’re not too dissimilar. It’s not just about growing my own food anymore. It’s not really about providing. It’s about producing food I can’t buy, meeting other human beings without judgement, the community you create because of it, the wildlife and the robin that always visits you when you’re digging, the sense of purpose and self-achievement, and finally, you just being you. And that is the part that matters most.

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/TheDirtyGardenHoe/

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/hemelallotment

ACCESSIBLE GARDENS FOR EVERYONE!

Our garden project for Jonathan Coggan Paralympian rugby player

One of the main challenges for a garden designer is that you must always consider the needs of the client first then create the best design possible around these requirements. I want my gardens to be a sanctuary for people and wildlife but of course be practical too.

When I was asked to help design and build a wheelchair accessible garden for Jonathan Coggan, I wanted it to look like a wonderful garden but also be totally wheelchair friendly, as I believe a garden should also work for friends and family who come to visit. This philosophy makes even more sense when selling the property as it should appeal to all potential buyers.

The Brief:

• Easy maintenance
• Wheelchair accessible
• Raised beds for Herbs and Veg
• Colourful borders
• Wildlife-friendly
• Large patio areas for entertaining
• Hot tub

The design:

I wanted to create a free-flowing design with lots of paths and access around the space. The positioning of the raised beds for veg and herbs was important as they needed to be sited in a sunny spot but look nice too.

The patio areas needed to be generous, ideally with some spots in the sun others in shade. The Hot Tub was a requirement so we found a location that felt right and was private, this was sunk into the new terrace for easy access.

The results:

The garden took approximately 6 weeks to complete including relaying the existing main lawn and creating the artificial grass lawn around the existing trees.

Pineview Plants: Germination and Growth

In fairness it was one of those germinations that took quite some time to break dormancy. Like many people, I was influenced by my parents, my Dad being a roses and veg man, with my Mum more about fruit and flowers. In fairness, like most kids I wasn’t terribly useful, I’d trail along to the allotments and tried, generally unsuccessfully, to set light to a pile of weeds which were too green and with too much soil clinging to the roots. My Dad probably thought it was worth the price of a box of matches to have a bit of peace and quiet! My memories of our flower garden are still quite vivid, even after nearly 60 years, with bearded iris, being Mum’s pride and joy (her favourite was Lily of the Valley though, which I still grow, and offer about 9 different varieties at the nursery). Unfortunately my Mum died when I was 14 so there was a bit of disruption to my horticultural evolvement.

It wasn’t until my twenties, when I’d put my own roots down that my propagating urges re-emerged. But, with offspring of my own to nurture, I had to make do with sowing seeds, of, as was fashionable at the time, many annuals, and vegetables. Importantly, I also joined the Alpine Garden Society, for their amazing seed list, containing thousands of plant seeds, many of which, I’d never heard of. A few years on there was an emerging interest in fuchsia’s and many cuttings started to be taken. About this time my wife had a job working for a major nursery, who also supplied some of the largest high street retailers. A number of these plants came back unsold, and after a bit of negotiation, I was able to ‘recycle’ these at local boot fairs. This, however, was very hit and miss, the plants needed a lot of TLC and whilst it didn’t last very long, it proved a catalyst for things to come. An important lesson learnt was not to try selling plants at boot fairs!

All during this time I had a ‘proper’ job in financial services, which provided a certain flexibility of working hours, with most of the advising part taking place in the evenings, and it allowed me time during the day. A major part of that time was spent in the garden, but a seismic change happened when my Dad purchased a 12’ x 8’ greenhouse for me. My fuchsia acquisition and production accelerated, at its height reaching 200 varieties. With a minimum of 3 cuttings each, potting and housing became a bit problematic, but worse was to come, my first encounter with (but not my last)….VINE WEEVIL! That finished fuchsia’s for me, mainly I think as It coincided with joining the Hardy Plant Society, and finding the local Kent Group had a members plant sales table! Not only that, but they positively encouraged members to bring along suitable offerings, and they just took a small percentage of the sale. This was the turning point for me, I found myself quite shortly (on reflection, with almost indecent haste) on the committee and, excitingly, in charge of the members sales table. The major downside was the group didn’t have indoor meeting during the Summer, so lots of plants weren’t on offer. I put forward the suggestion that we ought to have plant fairs during the summer, perhaps held at members with larger gardens? This definitely accelerated my plant production, the combination of access to interesting and unusual (and affordable) plants from HPS members gardens, a growing ability to propagate these, and the opportunity to sell, had coincided. In my ‘proper’ job, I constantly ran over figures in my mind to try and make this passion a financially viable proposition, but I was a good enough (by then an Independent Financial Adviser in my own company) to assess that it was extremely unlikely to produce enough income to fund a mortgage, especially in the area where we lived.

The other factor, which experience had taught me, is with horticulture, you are completely in the hands of factors outside of your control like the weather. Not just in terms of the growing of plants, but also the selling of them. Droughts and hose pipe bans, on one side, and rain, snow or wind at plant fairs on the other. I thought there was a danger that I would fall out of love, with the vocation I most enjoyed. At the turn of the millennium my ‘proper’ job enabled me to move to a property which gave me more room to grow, from a garden that was 25m x 8m, I now had ¾ of an acre, and I moved 3 transit loads of plants to it, plus my ‘Dad’s’ greenhouse, and added another of a similar size. What I hadn’t quite taken into account was that a garden of that size, also needed maintenance too, and my ‘proper’ job had developed into a ‘PROPER’ job!

So when a plant fair came around there a lot of late evenings spent tidying, staking and generally prettifying. I learnt, mainly from my fellow nurseries, (by this time my fledgling nursery had a name Pineview Plants, named after our house, Genius!) that presentation was important too. I looked up to people like Jenny Maillard of Usual and Unusual plants, who, if my stand didn’t look up to scratch, gave it a quick organisation! Observation of what was being offered and bought also taught me lessons and gave me ideas. From my sales background I learnt not to undersell my plants, if you don’t value your product, you can’t expect it of other people. Having spent most of my working life in an office, I had been dragged, kicking and screaming, into being familiar with a computer. I was able to teach myself how to print labels, and more importantly pictures for labels! Silly as this sounds now, this was a major transformation, with the added use of a laminator these then were re-usable! This small change probably saved me about 3 hours a night, before every plant fair, writing out display labels! It also meant I could sell plants, that weren’t in flower, they didn’t sell as well as the plants that were, but you were still able to turn over stock.

By this time I had got to know people in our new village a bit more, and after making a few enquiries about 12 years ago, I was offered the use of a Polytunnel on a neighbouring farm, it was the last one of a whole field of about 30, but had been abandoned due to being too shady. However, it was ideal for my shade loving plants, the range of which had steadily expanded. There was a water source and a shed with electricity nearby, so with an industrial sized hopper and a pond pump, I was able to water my plants.  This gave me space to lay out the plants and keep them looking good, and I definitely felt we had moved on. In a reorganisation on the farm last year, the nursery has subsequently moved to much more accessible location, but with all the associated upheaval. Normal service is nearly resumed!

In 2012 I was able to take a gradual retirement from my ‘Proper’ job, and indulged in expanding and improving the range of plants I offered. It has enabled me to act as Co-ordinator for the HPS Kent Group’s display in the Great Pavilion at RHS Chelsea, in 2015. In addition, I have put on displays at the RHS Orchid and Early Spring Show at Westminster, earning Silver medals. In 2018 I chaired a RHS Roundtable for assessment for Awards of Garden Merit for Epimedium, and currently act as an assessor, for the RHS Sanguisorba and Persicaria trials at Wisley. I love working in Horticulture!

Colin Moat runs Pineview Plants in partnership with his wife Cindy, please see their flyer below for a list of events they will be attending this year, their website contains plant lists that gives a flavour of some of the plants he has to offer www.pineviewplants.co.uk

He is also Chair and event coordinator for Plant Fairs Roadshow www.plant-fairs.co.uk

Too many Houseplants?

How many is too many Houseplants? At last count I had over 70! Maybe that’s not enough…

I have been gardening outdoor for many a year, yet I am reasonably new to Houseplants. Like my love of gardening, I am sure I have inherited my new found love for houseplants from my Mum. AKA my font of all garden and houseplant knowledge.

I can still remember a trip with my Mum over thirty years ago (eek!) to a garden centre. She purchased a Rubber Plant – Ficus elastica. This character has to be up there with easy care houseplants. A bit of bright indirect light, not too much water and it’s really happy.

I can also remember as a child helping to care for the plant by washing its leaves. What fun! I am sure there were more interesting things I could have been doing, but I loved it.

My Mum still has the plant to this day. I am now the proud owner of a full sized plant from a cutting my Mum started from the original plant all those years ago.

Mother plant and Child to the left, with an Aspidistra friend, who is actually older than me!

At my first house, I only had one windowsill in the kitchen that was viable for growing. This was used for growing herbs for cooking. The rest of the the house was dark with not a lot of space.

When I moved to my current house, I had so much more light and space to play with. It seemed rude not to decorate with plants. I had already planned and started work on the garden outside. On a trip to a certain Swedish furniture store, I happened upon their houseplant section. An Areca palm and that old favourite of the 70’s Monstera deliciosa aka Swiss Cheese Plant came home with me. Actually two Monstera came home and so it began….

Next I wanted to learn as much about houseplants as I could. I devoured every houseplant book I could find. Alongside the marvellous gardening community on social media, there is also a thriving houseplant community. What a joy to see so many beautiful houseplants that I want,  no need!

For many reasons houseplants have had a revival in popularity over the last few years. The selection and places to buy from have improved immensely.

With this great new selection, and the power of social media to promote their beauty, and how to care for them – even gardeners and non gardeners alike are being won over by houseplants.

They are such a joy to have inside, especially in the grey wet days of winter.

Here are just a few of my favourites:

Fittiona – Nerve Plant – another cutting from my Mum. Also used in terrariums and bottle gardens. As long as it doesn’t dry out, it’s happy even when not enclosed.

Aloe Vera- So useful! As a bonus it’s doesn’t need much water being from the succulent family.

Calathea– Another purchase from the Swedish Shop. Just look at those leaves! It’s fascinating how this plant, also called the prayer plant closes up at night.

Ponytail Palm – Beaucarnea recurvata – Take a look at this rockstar what hair! Even my Husband who doesn’t care about plants thinks it’s very cool.

With the joy they bring and the huge variety, I’ve concluded there is no such thing as too many houseplants.

Nicki has gardened for many years in Sussex. You can find Nicki at https://twitter.com/makinggardens and https://instagram.com/makinggardens

The Native Forest.

We all understand and feel the need to plant trees. But if we switched our attention to planting forests, then we could repair the damage we have done, realign the environment and ultimately guarantee our future.

The key is to plant native forests, but why is native so important?  Native trees are the ones that have been here in the UK since the last ice age, that’s around 7000 years ago!

As such these tree have taken the time to adapt to their environment and biology. Nature knows which are the most suitable trees to grow in each environment. These trees also provide the suitable homes for all the other levels of life. The biology is correct and harmonious for the insects and these other levels of life.

If we just left them too it, all would be well.

The problems came when man, as far back as the Bronze Age, introduced non-native species. Non-native trees are not properly adapted to the biology they are forced to grow in. This causes disease, imbalance and low levels of biodiversity.

A great example is the English Oak (native) verses the London Plane (non native). The Oak provides a habitat for at least 360 different species of insect. The London Plane provides a home for less than 3 species!

So native works for a reason. If we then up scale this to the forest, native is vitally important too. The trees in a natural native forest will grow in harmony, complimenting each other and preforming different roles.  The Oak, Ash and Hawthorn ,for example, always used to grow together as they created a synergy of growth between them.

Biodiversity and a healthy ecosystem is the long-term result.

We should look to plant native forests, it’s not hard and is hugely rewarding for us, the environment and future generations.

This is basis of what we do at Wild Urban Spaces – creating rapid growth, low maintenance native forests in any environment.

For further information please go to www.wildurbanspaces.com

For me, I accidentally fell in love with gardening. I didn’t set out on a horticulture career, I set out on life with no plan. I joined the Army at 18 and my military career took off. I was lucky to travel the world and see lots of things in places others would love to, but I have also travelled to places I would not wish on my worst enemy!

I had a great career with lots of ups and downs but my biggest down was in 2016 when I received a medical discharge from the Army. I suffered a Bi-lateral stroke which has left me with no feeling in my left hand side, ataxia on my right and my hearing has been affected. When it happened I was a mess. Unable to walk for a long time (still struggling now), I was torn away from my military family and sent to a military hospital. My treatment was going ok but I kept being drawn to the hospital garden and to Carol, who worked there and was encouraging patients to try horticulture.

I loved it, I felt good being outdoors again putting all my pent up aggression into the heavy jobs in the garden and then making a space I could just chill out in and relax and enjoy the surroundings. Towards the end of my time I even spent two days a week at a local golf club working with the grounds maintenance team. Working in the garden I felt like me again.

I left the hospital and received a letter in the post saying I was no longer needed or wanted in the army as I was unable to complete my job to the standard required. While I accepted this, I was going backwards and hating everything in life. Just getting out of bed was a hassle and so was looking for work, especially when I had been advised there was nothing I could really do that would be suitable given my injuries. I fell into a spiral of despondency and just started to give up.

My fiancée Sarah grabbed me by the hand and fought relentlessly to get me the help I needed. It turned out I was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and after getting a diagnosis I began to get the help I needed. I have regular therapy sessions and continue to keep my hand in with horticulture. Having a brilliant garden designer and horticulturist as a fiancée has helped me stay up-to-date and informed about all things garden-related.

In November 2018, I decided to set up Veterans’ Growth, a charity working with veterans from the tri-services who suffer with mental health issues. Bearing in mind my own struggle to get help, I  wanted to provide treatment and support to veterans who are unable to access help and support from the NHS or other charitable organisations. Given how much I benefitted from horticulture, I wanted to pass this opportunity on to others too, so the charity provides a programme of horticultural therapy to every veteran in the UK who’s interested in taking part.

I have to say that losing a family like the Army was hard but I have landed on my feet in horticulture. The industry has taken me in and been immensely supportive, everyone from gardening greats to amazing designers, from growers to product suppliers. I feel like I’ve found a new family and they’ve made me feel at home. The phenomenal support for www.veteransgrowth.org has further enforced my conviction that I am doing the right thing and I hope to bring many Veterans into the welcoming world of horticulture.

Please follow our new journey on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

If you think you can assist or offer any donations of equipment or funds please send me a message on Jason@veteransgrowth.org or donate on our JustGiving page. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/veterans-growth?utm_term=d9z8bDwEv

”Thank you so much for supporting us in 2019!

We are so grateful to you for your support in 2019: we hope you enjoyed our lectures and lunches, our plant fair and open gardens, our talks and our weekly expert blogs on our website (which themselves form a treasure-trove of gardening expertise).

We appreciate every single one of your donations and contributions and purchases, which together have meant that we have awarded grants totalling almost £50,000 in 2019: and helped over 800 people – from as far apart as Truro & the Isle of Lewis, from Neath to Norwich – to get back into their gardens and re-discover that unique and special joy which is gardening.  On behalf of our clients and the Gardening for Disabled Trust, Thank you.’’