Growing Space for people and for gardens

Susie Kearley finds out about how a charity maximises growing space

- By Susie Kearley

Tredegar House is a National Trust property, with extensive gardens designed to appear as they might have looked in Victorian times is host to the charity Growing Space whose staff and volunteers manage part of the walled garden. Growing Space is a mental health charity based in South Wales, which supports people experiencing a variety of mental health challenges, including depression, psychosis, bipolar, autism, learning difficulties, or brain injuries. Sometimes participants have more than one of these challenges.

Kath Brooks, Support Worker, welcomed me to see their plots. “I used to be a self employed gardener before starting work with Growing Space,” she explained. “I was working on my own and thought I’d benefit from some company, so I volunteered here and then joined the staff.” She now uses her horticulture skills to help other people with their gardening. While she brings horticulture expertise to the project, other members of staff have expertise in mental health.

Participants who benefit from the charity’s work attend the garden regularly for group sessions. They enjoy the tight knit community and emotional support. Many of the Growing Space activities focus on growing edible crops, but they also grow flowers and other plants, including some tropical varieties.

The goal is to harbour a healthy interest in plants and planting, in a way that lifts people’s spirits and helps them overcome their problems, or learn to manage them better. Many participants have low self-esteem and the charity helps them find purpose, make friendships, and build confidence doing something they enjoy.

I ASKED KATH ABOUT THEIR APPROACH TO GROWING.