Your August community gardening update

​From Show Garden to community garden Over 2,000 plants from the RHS Badminton Flower Show in South Gloucestershire have been rehomed with more than 40 local community groups and schools, helping to create new, greener spaces.

Transforming spaces: Dunstable in Bloom​
Two new projects in Dunstable are transforming overlooked spaces into vibrant community hubs.


Once a derelict area around a community hall, Lily's Garden is now a space for everyone to enjoy. Meanwhile, an underused corner of an industrial estate has become Woodside Community Garden, creating opportunities for connection, relaxation and time spent in nature.
Learn more about Lily's Garden

RHS Affiliated Societies: Prize-winning allotment tips
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Jan Exworthy of Little Bookham Allotment Association recently won first prize for Best Allotment at the Bookham and Fetcham District Garden Society Show. Here are her top tips:

• Plan before you plant: decide what you want to grow and how much time you can realistically commit

• Celebrate your progress: take photos and keep a journal to see how your plot develops over time
• Plant for pollinators: try companion planting to support wildlife while encouraging healthy crops

Expert heatwave advice​
Heatwaves are becoming an increasingly familiar feature of UK summers, bringing new challenges to community gardening groups. Our Community Horticulture Specialists share practical advice to help your shared space thrive during hot weather.
Read the expert advice

Apply for a grant of up to £2,000Are you part of a community or voluntary group in England with an annual income of £25,000 or less? Groundwork's Grassroots Grants Programme offers up to £2,000 of unrestricted funding for projects that improve green spaces, increase arts participation, tackle poverty, or support mental health and marginalised groups.
Apply by 30 September 2026

Support therapeutic garden researchHow many people benefit from therapeutic gardening? We still don't have the full picture. Thrive and the University of Essex are asking organisations and practitioners to complete a short four-question survey to help build a clearer understanding of the sector and support future policy, funding and commissioning decisions.

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Take the micro survey