Our Growing Buddies project will help empower tenants to take control of growing in their shared community spaces - and we're looking to partner with housing associations across the UK.

The organic gardening programme will help housing association residents engage with landlords and develop growing clubs to create sustainable gardens and cultivate food from a range of cultures.

As their ‘Growing Buddy’, Garden Organic will offer tenants and landlords face-to-face and online organic gardening workshops and certified training, packs of seeds, booklets and growing instructions, as well as ongoing advice into composting and waste reduction.

“We’re really excited about the possibilities of this project because it’s a fresh way for housing associations and their tenants to take the lead in improving and maintaining outdoor spaces and create welcoming spaces that communities want to use,” said David Garrett, head of Knowledge Transfer at Garden Organic.

“Through their Growing Buddies’ gardens, tenants will be able to take pride in their surroundings, improve their wellbeing and health, engage in positive community action, increase social interactions and support better biodiversity.”

Garden Organic has spent more than 20 years uniting diverse neighbourhoods as part of its Sustainable Communities work, and partnerships with regional councils and schools. It wants to support more people to create sustainable and beautiful growing spaces and cultivate food from a range of cultures.

We're already working with the team at Flagship Housing to support their growing activities. Below are photos of a talk and demonstration by our head of organic horticulture Chris Collins.

“We can show you it’s not difficult to start a garden and you don’t need a big space, but it has huge benefits,” says Chris. “We all share a social space and gardening is that social adhesive, it’s the place we stop and talk to each other. If you improve the area surrounding our buildings, it not only makes a beautiful space, but creates a community and a point of contact.”

Call 024 7630 3517 or email horticulture@gardenorganic.org.uk to find out more and discuss your requirements.