Horticulture, health and helping others

Many people’s lives are touched by the National Garden Scheme, whether opening their gardens, visiting the beauties in our county or benefiting from the funds raised

An impact report last year confirmed what we in the gardening community already know – that the benefits and impact that the National Garden Scheme has is invaluable to the on-going wellbeing of thousands of people across the UK.

Both through the enjoyment of visiting about 3,500 private gardens and being surrounded by their beauty, and through the donations from funds raised at the open days; the effects are far-reaching. Research has proven that the benefits to our physical and mental health by being out in the garden, the activity of our ‘green gym’, the recuperative powers, sense of nurturing plants and the relaxation in a haven keeps us fit and connected to nature. Gaining ideas by visiting other gardens, chatting to fellow enthusiasts, while leisurely strolling amongst horticultural delights, completed with a cup of tea and a delicious homemade cake releases endorphins of sheer happiness. When you also add in the benefits for people who may not have access to gardens and the amount of money the organisation raises every year for a range of charities, the feeling is expanded even further.

The 2019 report looked at the impact the £3m donation the National Garden Scheme made from openings in 2018 and how the beneficiaries use the funding. You may not know that as a registered charity, the NGS is the largest cumulative funder of most of the beneficiaries. “Year by year, the cumulative impact of the grants we are able to give to our beneficiary charities grows incrementally, helping them make their enormous contribution to the nation’s health and care, and strengthening the partnerships that we have with them all,” explains chief executive George Plumptre. “They are partnerships of which we are enormously proud and we look forward to building further in the coming years.”

‘You can be assured of a warm welcome’