COMMUNITY GARDENING
As the dark times of the pandemic eased following lockdown and we all began to socialise and meet once more, the Compassionate Neighbours team heard about the sadness many people in the hospice community felt at not being able to nurture and cherish their gardens due to frailty and ill health. Many were no longer going outside as it upset them to see things looking unkempt, and some reported their gardens as so overgrown, they felt unsafe in their own green spaces.
The hospice already had a wonderful team of volunteer gardeners who kept the gardens and grounds looking beautiful, so Maggie and Dariusz from the Compassionate Neighbours team developed a plan for a new volunteer garden team who would be based out in the local community. Starting in August 2022, and with the help of Julie our Volunteer Services Manager, Compassionate Gardeners was trialed, and two years on, the project is thriving.
Having started with one Compassionate Gardener, there is now a team of eight amazing volunteers, all of whom have been matched with a garden or two and who join for the season which runs annually from February to November. We receive nominations for gardens from our community nursing teams who visit patients at home, then after visiting and hearing about the garden, we allocate a Compassionate Gardener volunteer.
It is always wonderful to share a passion and never more so than over the love of gardening. Garden owners have started to re-engage with the garden, having struggled to do so previously, often coming out to help, guide, or just potter. One volunteer shared that, “It is great to be gardening WITH Margaret instead of FOR Margaret’.
Many patients have seen their sense of wellbeing increase as they once again spend precious time in their favourite green spaces. Feelings of anxiety and low mood have lifted, and sleep has improved too. Some also spoke of their gardens as a place of solace and reflection where they can benefit from the sense of peace and calm that comes from being at one with nature. Meanwhile volunteers also form lovely friendships with their new horticultural friends. Gardening is so often about hope, anticipation and wonder of what lies ahead, feelings that remain so very important as we approach the end of life.
So as this year’s season draws to a close, we reflect on our journey as Compassionate Gardeners, from reviving beautiful gardens, sharing stories, and building lovely reciprocal friendships along the way. It really has been a wonderful time for everyone involved.
As a hospice we are so proud of our volunteers’ hard work and dedication, it has been a real privilege to be involved with so many wonderful and inspiring people and gardens along the way.
If you would like to volunteer your time for our 2025 programme, please get in touch with Maggie Young at myoung@stcolumbashospice.org.uk.
If you would like to see your community gardening group or initiative featured in a future edition of Scotland Grows magazine, please do get in touch to mail@scotlandgrowsmagazine.com - we would love to help you tell others about the great work going on around the country!
