Gardening

Whether we’re tending to Clive the pet cactus, or turning balconies into miniature rainforests - our fingers are becoming progressively more green. But what if you don’t have an outdoor, or even an indoor, space to try out your hankering for horticulture? Community gardening projects may just be the answer - for seasoned growers and enthusiastic amateurs alike.

Community gardening projects are pockets of land that are cultivated by a collective group of people. This can be a shared public or private plot which the local community cares for. Gardening enthusiasts are on a mission to brighten up neglected areas - rewilding urban nooks with plants and flowers, using gardening to reconnect their community to nature, and having a great time while doing so. And these spaces aren’t just for seasoned growers - there’s a planty place for budding gardeners too.

People are also turning to gardening as a way to relax and destress, with studies showing a link between our connection to green spaces and lower levels of cortisol (the hormone which makes us feel stressed.) Gardening offers a simple way to stay active and look after both our mental and physical health. One NHS report showed that an inactive person spends around 37% more time in hospital, so it’s no surprise that a growing number of people are being given ‘green’ prescriptions as an alternative to medication. The health benefits of gardening are bountiful, from improved mental wellbeing and mood, to increased physical activity.

Kate Mitchell, a gardener from Dorset and founder of community gardening project BH12 Planters, explains just how easy it is to set up your own: “I was doing a national initiative called 30 Days Wild, where you pledge to do something for wildlife every day. I had a packet of wildflower seeds and just decided to sow some seeds in a planter near to where I live - a bit like guerilla gardening I suppose. I decided that it wouldn’t take much to make the planters in the area look a bit nicer and I understood that the council didn’t have the resources to look after them particularly well.”

After speaking with her neighbours, Kate realised that lots of local people were interested in helping to make a difference to their local area. She says: “We contacted the local council and said we would be interested in looking after all the planters along the road. They agreed, so I set up social media page, contacted neighbours and tried to encourage other people to get involved. Since then we’ve held a session once a month.” BH12 Planters have found a way to maintain the planters, encouraging people to ‘adopt’ a planter near to where they live.

Aside from making things look pretty, there are plenty of other advantages to community gardening projects. A connection to nature can increase empathy for others and encourage social interactions. In addition, there’s growing proof that a higher quality of community living can even lower crime rates. These projects bring together people of all ages and cultures and can be a great way to get to know your neighbours. Kate says: “It’s been really nice to meet other neighbours and talk to people that you wouldn’t necessarily know otherwise. Every time we’re out gardening lots of people either wave from their cars, say thank you, or stop and chat as they’re walking along. There’s a community feel to it, and even though it’s still pretty small, we’re slowly but surely making a difference.”

Rewilding these urban areas also has a positive effect on local wildlife. Many community gardening projects introduce plants that encourage insects and birds. Kate explains: “We try to maintain a balance between plants that look nice, are easy to maintain and are good for wildlife. Things like lavenders that don’t need much looking after but are good for bees and butterflies.”

Feeling inspired to start your own community gardening project?

Starting your own green fingered fellowship needn’t be tricky. Begin by identifying a need in your local area, why not reclaim some disused land or speak to your local council about adopting a plot? If you need a hand finding a growing space then you can visit The Community Land Advisory Service for information on access to land across the UK. Of course, it’s also important to make sure that you ask permission from the right people before getting flower-happy.

Planning your project is key, so keep a few practicalities in mind when choosing your plot. Is there access to water, electricity, storage space, and what is the length of the lease? What will you grow and how does the project suit the needs of the community? Once you’ve figured out the basics then you can begin to think about funding. Growing Together is a lottery funded partnership which helps to unlock revenue, land and skills for community growing groups so that they can generate their own income. There are also other ways you can make your garden self-sustaining, perhaps you can sell spare produce, homemade chutneys or plants?

Above all - have fun! Gardening is great for community wellbeing, the environment and a brilliant way to get to know people. An increasing number of projects are proving just how simple it can be to kick start this kind of project. Kate says: “People feel like it’s a difficult thing to do, but I want people to know that it’s not complicated or time consuming. All you need to do is contact your local council - they’re probably going to say yes. Our gardening sessions are two hours a month and they’re not a massive drain on anyone. It really is that easy.”

Looking for existing projects in your local area? Here are some handy links:

You may be surprised what’s on your doorstep. There are loads of useful sites where you can search for community gardening projects in your local area. Pop in your postcode and dig in!

Royal Horticultural Society

Social Farms and Gardens

Brighton and Hove Food Partnership

The Wildlife Trust

What are you waiting for? Give into flower power and get growing with your local community. You can read more about rewilding Britain here.

What do coffee, avocados and bananas have in common? Nope, it’s not another smoothie recipe - these are just three of the many foods we’d no longer have the luxury of if we lost our pollinators. Bee and butterfly numbers are in decline, and climate change, loss of habitat and pesticides are just a few reasons why.

Bees and butterflies are important. More than 90% of our food crops worldwide are visited by bees, while an area that is rich in butterflies and moths is a good sign of a healthy ecosystem and usually indicates a wide range of invertebrates. While it’s clear that these pollinators are a key link in both our food chains and ecosystems, they’ve been hit pretty badly in recent years.

Whether it’s a decline in the plants they rely on, or more extreme weather - things are currently pretty tricky for these hard working insects. The Big Butterfly Count recorded the lowest numbers of common butterflies in 2016 since records began, and 1 in 10 of Europe’s wild bees are facing extinction. But this isn’t a hopeless story.

We spoke with Dr. Ana Attlee, conservation scientist and co founder of the community interest company Seedball, to find out how to create a garden that benefits bees and butterflies. While the above numbers are shocking, Ana is keen to explain that it is possible for insects to bounce back: “Insects actually breed really fast, so as long as we give them a helping hand we can return all the populations almost as quickly as they disappeared.”

Creating a garden for pollinators needn’t take a lot of time or money. Ana believes it starts with a desire to help. She says: “If you want to support pollinators, the best place to start is growing wild or pollen-rich flowers wherever you live. This could be a balcony, window box or hanging basket, it doesn’t have to be a garden.”

Britain has lost a worrying 97% of its wildflower meadows since the Second World War, while intense farming and the use of herbicides and pesticides is making things incredibly challenging for British wildlife. Something Chris Packham is keen to highlight with his recent Bioblitz campaign. A deterioration in the health of our countrysides shows it’s crucial that we take action in our own gardens.

So where to start? When choosing plants for your space, look for the ‘RHS Plants for Pollinators’ symbol. This will help to ensure you’ve picked plants that will help to support pollinators. Ana explains: “If you’re not looking for this or you’re not planting wildflowers then you may be planting flowers that have been bred to have no pollen. You might look out of your window and think your garden is full of flowers, but you won’t have any bees or butterflies because they’re not rich in pollen or nectar.”

Pesticides pose another risk to wildlife. If you’re looking to stop slugs, snails and other bugs munching on your flower bed then look for natural alternatives. Before reaching for slug and snail pellets, which can be a potentially harmful to other wildlife, try sprinkling chilli powder over your garden. The powder provides a spicy (and natural) alternative that garden pests will usually avoid, leaving your garden and the creatures that live in it happy and healthy.

While the threat to bees and butterflies might seem big, a few small actions can create significant change. Ana says: “Just a few tweaks in our gardens could really save bees, butterflies and the other wildlife that depends on them.”

In most cases, leaving things to grow a bit wild will help wildlife to flourish. If you needed an excuse to sack off mowing the lawn, here it is! Not keen on letting your garden grow wild? Why not section off an area of flowerbed for critters and insects insead? Whether it’s a bug hotel, or a bee pond, there’s a whole host of ways to make your outside space more inviting for those friendly bees and butterflies.

Still not sure where to start? Head over to Seedball.co.uk for more tips and tricks, help out with a butterfly count, or get involved with your local community gardening project.

Forget the expensive candles in fad fragrances, there’s a new way to enjoy essential oils in your home and garden. We spoke to Eden Project horticulturist Catherine Cutler to learn how to design a garden that smells as great as it looks.

Plants release scents for a few different reasons, most notably to attract pollinators or to repel predators. While there are plenty of plants that don’t smell so great, there are lots of scented plants that humans find very appealing.

Utilising these scents in your garden can add a new dimension to your space. Designer of the Eden Project’s perfume garden Catherine Cutler says: “Scented gardens have got an additional layer on top. If they’re well designed then they can be beautiful aesthetically, texturally interesting, and you have the added benefit of scent which changes throughout the year.”

Whether you’re looking to grow fresh herbs along the window sill, or a balcony of balmy botanics, here are the tools and knowledge you’ll need to get growing. No garden? Not to worry - this tutorial is small-space friendly.

1. What do you want from your scented garden?

The beauty of a scented garden is that it can be customised to suit your needs - fill it with nostalgic scents, or create something a little more functional. Different plants will smell at different times of the day or year. Night-scented stocks release their sugary, vanilla-sweet aroma in the evening hours, while shrubs like the curry plant release a warm spicy scent in summer heat. You’ll be able to plant up a space that’s not only special to you, but that smells strongest when you use the garden most.

Choose a sunny spot such as a sheltered patio, balcony or courtyard as this will help to trap scents released by flowers and shrubs. Growing scented climbers over an archway, pergola or around a doorway will mean that perfume will be released whenever you brush past blooms. Finally, when planning your oasis try to space out heavily scented plants to avoid overpowering your garden.

2. Pick your plants

A scented garden doesn’t have to be just for summer. When selecting plants for your space use a growing calendar and work with the seasons. Catherine suggests some careful planning to ensure your garden smells all year round, she says: “There are lots of early flowering shrubs that are sweetly scented - Daphne is outstanding and flowers throughout the spring. Then there’s early flowering Narcissi, a gorgeous plant that is used in perfumery, and winter plants like Lonicera purpusii, which smells incredible. My top plant for a scented garden would have to be lemon verbena, but citrus also scores highly as it has aromatic leaves, flowers and fruits.”

3. Think about budget

You’ll need very little to get started. Begin with a selection of plants and make sure the spot you’re planting in has access to light and water. Herbs can be a great option if you’re trying to save money but still want to create a green space, Catherine says: “It’s something you can do on a budget, as you can get hold of herbs very easily and cheaply. If you’ve got south facing windows you can grow some of the Mediterranean herbs. If your windows don’t get much light then you may get away with plants such as rosemary as it doesn’t mind slightly lower light levels.”

The strong scent given off by herbs is thanks to the essential oils they produce, adding an uplifting green scent to your home or garden, plus you’ll be able to add a fresh twist to your culinary creations. If you’re low on space, try growing herbs in window boxes, or if you’re feeling crafty then perhaps a homemade planter.

Great for busy bees, herbs are also fairly low maintenance as they’re used to living in quite difficult conditions. After some initial TLC to help them get established, Catherine explains that they will soon look after themselves: “They don’t need lots of water in the summer and don’t need masses of pruning. Some of these plants are fairly short lived, lasting around four or five years, but that just gives you an opportunity to try something else!”

4. Give your garden the gift of time

Plants need a certain amount of time and patience to establish themselves, but the pay off can be incredibly rewarding. According to studies our attention spans are getting increasingly shorter, dropping from 12 seconds to 8 seconds - yes that’s less than a goldfish, so taking time to cultivate a green space can be a transformative and useful skill to master, helping us to build a deeper relationship with where we live.

Above all, enjoy the space you create and the wonderful fragrances that come with it. If you don’t have a space that’s suitable but still want to get your green fix then why not get involved with a local community gardening project instead?

Most of us would agree that the colour and style of plants plays a big part in what we choose when cultivating a garden - after all, what else are us proud plant parents going to post on Instagram if not aesthetic urban jungles? Well folks, there’s a new way to design your plantscapes. We spoke with Robert Elley, horticulturist at The Eden Project, to find out how to grow a garden that  is a feast for the senses.

From a loud phone conversation on public transport, to heavy traffic fumes and the sticky feeling of chewing gum stuck to the bottom of your shoe - everyday life can feel like a sensory overload at times. But before you go home to shut yourself off from the world and wrap yourself in a duvet cocoon, think again.

Engaging our senses in a positive way can be amazingly beneficial to our wellbeing, helping us to feel more emotionally connected to people and our environment. While most of us were taught that we have only five senses (sight, touch, taste, smell and hearing), some psychologists argue that we actually have over 50 different senses, ranging from the perception of balance to the perception of body awareness. Tapping into all our senses is a simple technique, which is often used in meditation and can help us to feel more present.

You may well be wondering how plants can help with this. Well, plant pro and horticulturist Robert Elley is on hand to explain how our green friends can teach us patience and help us tune in to our senses: “Humans can learn to cohabitate with plants, look after them, know how they grow, and use them to enhance the world that we live in.”

Still not convinced? Don’t throw in the trowel just yet. Creating a green space around these principles can lead to the ultimate chill space. Here’s how you can create your very own sensory garden:

Hearing

Whether you live next to a busy road or you just want to make your green space extra zen, use sound to your advantage. This doesn’t have to mean blocking out traffic noise with half a dozen jingly jangly wind chimes, instead, there are a few natural options. Bamboo and grasses will rustle when the breeze catches them, while plants such as Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) will add a percussive element to your garden as their seeds rattle in the wind. Studies have shown that being near water is beneficial to our wellbeing, so try including a water feature in your space and enjoy the calming benefits that it brings.

Smell

Make your space more memorable with scented plants. Robert suggests opting for plants that have sentimental value to you: “Humans love scents that remind them of things in the past, so start by picking plants that you have familiarity with.” Choose blooms such as Lavender, Honeysuckle, and Gardenia which have strong, nostalgic aromas.

Taste

Edible plants will add a new dimension to your garden and are a healthy and rewarding way to enjoy the hard work you’ve put into growing a gorgeous space. If you’re limited on space choose something easy like tomato plants, chillies or herbs that you can grow in window boxes.

Sight

To maximise the visual impact of the space, work with a variety of different textures, heights and habitats. Choose contrasting levels such as high grasses and low, ground coverage plants and incorporate a range of natural materials such as slate, wood or bark chippings. This will not only make your space more engaging, it will also help to attract more diverse wildlife.

The colour palette that you choose will also have a big influence on your space. While reds, oranges and yellows may stimulate and create a sense of warmth, cooler colours, such as blues, indigos and greens, can be a pacifying pick for your space. The Health and Wellbeing Garden at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is a great example of how different textures and a comforting colour range can be used to establish a sensorial space.

Touch

By using different textures in your space, you’ll also enhance experience. Try using different materials like mosaics, or grow your own moss path so you can enjoy the spongy feeling of a green carpet underfoot. Choose plants which encourage touch, from hairy plants like the the velvety soft Lamb’s Ear (Stachys Byzantina) to herbs which people will instinctively stroke to release the scent.

A well designed sensory garden can be aesthetically pleasing, great for wellbeing and quality of life, but above all, a fun educational tool for everyone involved. If you’re looking for more unusual ways to design your garden, take a look at how to grow your very own scented garden. Go on, pop on your wellies and get growing.