News MENTAL HEALTH IN HORTICULTURE - TIPS FOR YOUR WELLBEING
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News
180TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE 37 | SPRING 2019
MENTAL HEALTH
IN HORTICULTURE
TIPS FOR YOUR WELLBEING
Show gardens to Spring clean Challenge yourself!
celebrate 180 years your finances pg. 20
pg. 4 pg. 12
Welcome
In 597, St Augustine established what is now The King's School Canterbury, the first
charity, still in existence, to be founded in the UK. This year Perennial, established
in 1839, celebrates its 180th birthday. So in comparison we don’t seem that old.
but in fact very few charities go back as far as us and we are very proud of our
history and our record of service to people in horticulture over the last 180 years.
But as I hope this newsletter will show, we are very focused on the present and the
future. In this issue you will read about mental health in the horticulture sector, we
report on financial wellbeing and the launch of our budgeting tool and we
explain how we support families during school holidays.
Included here also is a preview of the new look Perennial brand, which will be
launched officially at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May. Our reach has
expanded over the years from supporting gardeners to helping everyone working
in or retired from horticulture, and our new strapline ‘helping people in
horticulture’ has been developed to get this message out as widely as possible.
And of course we have news of how we are marking our 180th year. We have
show gardens at Cardiff (with a theme that links to mental health), Harrogate
and Chelsea along with a presence at many others. We are offering a bumper
programme of special events culminating in our Festival Dinner on 11 October.
And we are investing in our garden at York Gate (featured on 15 March on
Gardeners’ World) to ensure that it continues to offer a wonderful experience to
visiting garden lovers well into the future, and thereby spreads the word about the
advice and support we offer.
Everything you read about in this newsletter, indeed everything that we do as a
charity, is directed towards the achievement of our purpose of building better
futures for people in horticulture and their families. Thank you for supporting us in
that endeavour and happy reading.
Peter Newman
Chief Executive
2 | 180th Anniversary Issue
FEATURE D CONTE NTS
Page 4 & 5 Page 6 & 7
Show gardens to celebrate 180 years Be mindful of your mental health
Page 12 & 13 Page 18 & 19
Spring clean your finances with Perennial When school’s out we’re
here to help
Page 10 Page 20 & 21 Page 23
Notes from The Laskett Gardens, Challenge yourself A day in the life of Jack Ogg
by Sir Roy Strong
180th Anniversary Issue | 3
Show gardens to celebrate
180 years
It is 180 years since Perennial in horticulture and their families around the garden, representing
was founded at an annual now and into the future. the ‘lifeline’ that Perennial has
dinner for ‘nurserymen, been for so many people over the
florists and amateurs’ with The Perennial Lifeline Garden is past 180 years. We understand the
the aim of providing a inspired by Sir Roy Strong’s critical needs of people in
source of income for autobiographical The Laskett horticulture, but also that anyone
gardeners in retirement. Gardens and designed by first can struggle, whether their
We have grown a lot since time Chelsea designers Colm difficulties are financial, physical or
1839, evolving to meet the Joseph and Duncan Cargill, emotional, which is why we are
changing needs of today’s following a competition run jointly always there as a safety net.
horticulture industry and by Perennial and the London
the challenges faced by College of Garden Design. The The creation of this garden is a
individuals and families. garden celebrates Perennial’s role fantastic demonstration of the
at the heart of horticulture and industry coming together to
This year we want to reach more captures the spirit of The Laskett support its trade charity and
people than ever and, as part of Gardens in Herefordshire, created ultimately anyone in horticulture
the year-long calendar of events by Sir Roy Strong CH and his wife that may need help at any time
to mark our 180th anniversary, Julia Trevelyan Oman that was during their lives. The wide range
we are creating a series of show bequeathed to Perennial in 2015. of suppliers and partners that have
gardens at some of the top made it possible include London
flower shows to raise awareness Staged in Chelsea Flower Show’s Stone, providing all the stone for
of how Perennial helps people centrepiece the Great Pavilion, the hard landscaping, Conquest
in horticulture. this walk-through exhibit is inspired Creative Spaces as contractor and
by the classical rose garden and plants and trees supplied by
Within the gardening world, the colonnade at The Laskett Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants,
major flower shows are the most Gardens, which are reimagined in Peter Beales Roses and Majestic
high profile events and a valuable a modern design. Here the rose Trees. Stark & Greensmith have
platform for getting in front of a garden takes the form of a lower designed and crafted the
large audience of visitors and the maintenance and wildlife-friendly bespoke metalwork and fountain.
media. None more so than the RHS 'rose meadow', with long seasonal By partnering with London College
Chelsea Flower Show, where we interest. The colonnade is of Garden Design on the design
are excited to be creating the reinterpreted in an asymmetrically competition and having
Perennial Lifeline Garden in May. arranged series of verticals apprentices from the Association
We have also been taking part in including metal screens, topiary of Professional Landscapers assist
the RHS Flower Show Cardiff and pillars and sawn limestone with the build, we are helping
the Harrogate Spring Flower Show columns. Two modern fountains support new talent entering the
with gardens designed to highlight and three multi-stem trees replace industry and giving them
to visitors Perennial’s vital role in the classical water features and experience that will inspire them in
building better futures for people sculpture. A contemporary rill flows their careers to come.
4 | 180th Anniversary Issue
©Ginger Horticulture
At RHS Flower Show Cardiff, In a modern world dominated not. have been possible without
Irish garden designer by social media, we can so the brilliant support of other
Peter Donegan, Burnham often be fooled and fail to partners including Hortus Loci
Landscaping and CED realise when people are and Oxford Planters.
Stone created a show struggling. Mental health is a The garden is now being
garden to raise awareness growing concern across the UK relocated to Veterans’ Growth
of Perennial in Wales. but Perennial is here to help in East Sussex, a charity that
people in horticulture when provides horticultural therapy
The garden was a modern urban challenges seem overwhelming. to ex-service men and women
private space, designed for The growing need for the facing mental health issues.
relaxing with friends or family, but awareness of Perennial’s services We know the positive impact
its underlying message was a led us to the Cardiff show for the gardening can have on mental
serious one. It invited visitors to very first time. Fewer people in health so it is great that this
look beyond the polished exterior Wales know of Perennial and this garden is going to live on after
and imagine what challenges its was a real opportunity to make a the show and help even more
owner or creator may be facing. difference. The garden would people who need it.
publicly to the industry that we are
there for them. The designers,
contractors, nurserymen, growers
and all of the other hundreds of
professionals that come together
to create these wonderful events
are the very people Perennial
helps if they ever need it. While
those involved in public shows are
the section of the industry more
likely to have heard of us, many
show visitors employ self-employed
gardeners, tree surgeons and
©Wendy Preston
landscapers to help them in their
own gardens and it is these types
of people that are hard for us to
reach. And they are often some of
the more vulnerable people and
We were thrilled that the the The water reminds us that life the most likely to need our support.
Perennial Legacy Garden emerges, flows through time
won Best in Show and a overcoming all obstacles in its way Against the harsh backdrop of
Premier Gold Award at the before returning to the earth. The austerity measures that have
Harrogate Spring Flower bubbling, tricking and flowing of resulted in growing social
Show. The garden aimed to water culminated in a still pool, problems, longer waiting times for
inspire people to think about providing a calming space for access to key services and a more
their own legacy and the people to sit, reflect and complex benefits system, our role
difference their help can remember. in supporting people in
make to the lives of others. horticulture has continued to
Taking part in the flower shows not deepen. That is why we really
The conceptual design created only brings the work of Perennial to appreciate the part that flower
by David Wyndham Lewis used a wide range of people, they are show visitors play in helping
water to represent life and legacy. also a great way to demonstrate spread the word about Perennial.
180th Anniversary Issue | 5
Be mindful of your
mental health
The Perennial Garden at RHS Flower Show Cardiff highlighted
the importance of acknowledging mental health in horticulture
and we’re committed to supporting people through challenges
affecting their mental health every day.
• Nearly half of adults in the UK think they
have had a mental health condition
• Nearly 1 in 4 people in the UK have
anxiety or depression
• Suicide is the leading cause of death for
men aged under 50 in England and Wales
• 1 in 5 adults say they have thought
about taking their own life
6 | 180th Anniversary Issue
According to latest figures, nearly post or a gushing status update problems and we know the
half of all adults in the UK believe when many of us are struggling impact mental health has on lives
they have had a mental health with physical, mental and financial and the ripple effect on family
condition at some point in their challenges and burdens. Perennial and friends. Research shows that
lives. Mental health problems are helps people in horticulture those on low incomes are more
a growing public health concern: manage and overcome the likely to develop a mental health
the number of women being challenges life throw at us which condition, this may be due to
diagnosed with common mental can become contributing factors the stress of struggling to meet
health problems has been steadily to poor physical and mental financial demands, the impact of
increasing and suicide remains the health in an industry that debt, poor housing conditions or
leading cause of death for men demands strength and resilience.” poor physical health. Our services
aged 50 and under in England team works with people facing
and Wales. Mental health is often referred challenges that can often seem
to as ‘emotional health’ or overwhelming, supporting people
To highlight the importance of ‘wellbeing’ and it touches coping with life changing events
talking about mental health in the everyone. We all feel stressed, and helping them overcome some
horticulture industry, Perennial sad or afraid about something of the most complex issues families
supported a show garden at RHS from time to time and usually are facing today. There are many
Flower Show Cardiff earlier this those feelings pass but sometimes ways in which we help, including
month, designed by Peter they develop into a more serious maximising income through
Donegan. Speaking about his problem and this could happen welfare benefits, financial
decision to design a garden for to any of us. Julia Hayne, Director assistance or support with housing,
Perennial, he says: of Services at Perennial says: employment or debt. We’re here
for you and your family, so please
“In a modern world dominated by “One in four people working in don’t wait until things are
social media we can so often be horticulture are likely to becoming too much before
fooled by an edited Instagram experience mental health you get in touch.”
worried about money and fell into After a 6 month wait I was referred
depression. He says: for regular UV light treatment at
Salisbury hospital. Although the
“The bills didn’t stop, so I didn’t. individual sessions last only a few
My condition made me mentally minutes the recovery process is
depressed and I just didn’t know very slow. My hands and feet are
how I was going to cope. getting better now though and I
am able to stay on my feet for
I was referred to Perennial by In longer periods each day.
Touch and within a week I had
received a visit from my If it wasn’t for Perennial I don’t
caseworker. He was brilliant from know where I’d be now. They’re
day one, helping me fill in the patient, they don’t judge.
forms to apply for financial help You just feel like you’re being
Perennial helps people like Leigh, while I was unable to work. He looked after, when you can’t
a self-employed landscaper who made all the phone calls and look after yourself.”
developed an acute skin was so patient and organised
condition as a result of stress at about everything. It was like a You can read more about
work. He was unable to work while huge weight had been lifted Leigh and watch a short film
he waited for treatment and as a and I know that it has contributed about how we helped at
lone parent with bills to pay, he to my recovery. perennial.org.uk/leigh
TOP TIPS FOR STAYING 3. Eat well and drink responsibly – eating a
balanced diet and not exceeding your
MENTALLY HEALTHY recommended daily alcohol consumption will really
Mental health affects everyone and we should all be help you stay physically and mentally healthy.
mindful about how to take care of our mental 4. Keep in touch – your own personal network is a
wellbeing. We all cope with situations in different powerful safety net so stay in touch with friends and
ways, but there are a few tips we can all adopt to family. Spending time with people you love will make
stay on top of things. you feel good.
1. Talk about it – it can be difficult to express how 5. Ask for help – we all need a helping hand
you feel but it helps to acknowledge that you’re not sometimes and it’s OK to ask for help. Perennial is here
ok. Talking about your feelings isn’t a sign of for anyone working in or retired from horticulture and
weakness – it can help you cope with a problem no problem or question is too big or small. We’re
if you share it with someone. ready to help help you get the support you need.
2. Keep active and get outdoors – exercise is well
More advice about staying mentally healthy is
known to help keep your mind healthy but if poor
available from the Mental Health Foundation at
physical health prevents you from keeping active,
mentalhealth.org.uk
try to enjoy a little time outside every day.
180th Anniversary Issue | 7
Garden News
Perennial’s gardens play an important role in raising awareness of the
charity, bringing new audiences to Perennial and spreading the word that
we are there to help everyone in horticulture. As well as this they also
provide opportunities for training and we’re delighted to currently have two
full time apprentices at Fullers Mill and two full time trainees at York Gate.
FULLE RS MILL
Head Garden er Annie Dellbrid ge and her team
were delighted to welcom e visitors back to
Perenn ial’s Suffolk garden when it reopen ed for
the 2019 season on Wedne sday 3 April.
The team worked hard over the winter months .
A numbe r of really old willow trees were felled,
having becom e hollow and unsafe and the areas
replanted with a mixture of shrubs, perenn ials and
bulbs. The millpon d in Fullers Mill garden was
desilted , leaving it looking fantast ic with a new
bridge having been constru cted over it and new
plantin g opport unities create d close to the water.
Volunteers needed
The garden enjoye d record numbe rs of visitors in
2018, followin g an appea rance on BBC We’d like to say a fond farewe ll and thank you
Garden ers’ World, and its ever growin g popula rity to John Weeks, the founde r of the Friends of
means the team are always on the look out for Fullers Mill, who retired from his role as Chair
new volunte ers. Whethe r you’d like to help out in of the Friends in Octobe r. We are extrem ely
the garden or in the tea room, please get in touch gratefu l for all he has done over the last 7 years
- email fullersm illgard en @peren nial.or g.uk for and wish him all the best.
more informa tion or call 01284 728 888.
Fullers Mill is an RHS Partner Garden, with RHS members and plenty of parking for coaches.
entitled to free entry on Wednesday afternoons.
Tea, coffee and delicious home-made cakes
Private visits from groups are welcomed are available to purchase from the Bothy. Plants
throughout the year by prior arrangement, propagated from the garden are available for sale.
with an introductory talk available from staff Assistance dogs welcome.
Dates for your diary Opening times
through to 30 September 2019
Sunday 19 May - NGS opening
Monday — closed
Sunday 21 July - Suffolk Nurseries Plant Fair
Tuesday — closed
Monday 22 July - Illustrating Lilies –
Wednesday — 2:00pm - 5:00pm
two day botanical art course
Thursday — closed
(visit website for details on how to book)
Friday — 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Saturday 17 August - Mid Anglia Alpine Garden
Saturday — closed
Society bulb Sale
Sunday — 11:00am - 5:00pm
8 | 180th Anniversary Issue
1 : 2 0 0
Y O R K
STORE
BIN
@
G A T E
A 1
|
S K E T C H
YORK GATE
DROP OFF
L A N D S C A P E
You might have seen at the start
M A S T E R P L A N
PLANT
SALES
of the year that Perenn ial was
grante d plannin g permis sion for re
develo pment of the facilitie s at
York Gate. Work is due to start
CAR PARKING
OVERSPILL
in Septem ber/October 2019 and
is schedu led to finish ahead of
or shortly after the 2020 openin g.
There’ll be no interruption to the
facilitie s at York Gate this year
though and it remain s busine ss
A L I S T A I R
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE | GARDEN DESIGN
as usual.
W
B A L D W I N
N
redevelopment will accommodate the growing visitor
numbers, improving parking and other facilities,
and will grow the garden’s profile, feeding into
our strategy to increase awareness of Perennial.
Individual self-employed and older retired
horticulturists are the hardest for us to reach and
among the visitors to York Gate will be people who
employ horticulturists to maintain their own gardens.
We rely on those who enjoy gardens to tell these hard
to reach horticulturists that Perennial is here for them
and to encourage them to get in touch with us.
Across York Gate and Fullers Mill we have around
150 volunteers, who we rely upon not only to help
What’s the redevelopment about? the gardens staff, but also to support Perennial and
Perennial acquired the garden’s neighbouring spread the word about the charity. The benefits of
property in 2015. Following the success of our small volunteering are not just one way. Volunteering can
but beautiful tea room, it will be relocating to the help combat loneliness and offer the chance to
cottage, doubling our catering capacity to 50 learn new skills.
covers. We’ll have onsite parking, releasing the
pressure on other facilities around Adel, and giving us Many of you reading this will have supported
a safer, more accessible solution for cars, bikes and Perennial by shopping on our website, through our
pedestrians arriving at the garden. The current front catalogues and at our trade stands at flower shows.
garden of the cottage will undergo a major design The York Gate gift shop provides another outlet for this
and landscape overhaul to create a new beautiful income stream and also stocks branded products,
space to compliment the garden rooms next door, all of which help spread the word about Perennial.
and this will form the new entrance to the garden. For example our Perennial Christmas cards reached
There’ll be a significant number of native trees over 340,000 people in 2018.
planted as part of the development too.
The investment in York Gate will also provide
Why the need for redevelopment? greater opportunity for training and the improved
York Gate is an important presence for Perennial in facilities will provide a base to run training sessions
the north of England, as proved by increased for horticulturists. Last year former York Gate trainee
concentrations of clients and supporters in and Jack Ogg returned to the garden in the role of
around Yorkshire. The garden enjoyed record Senior Gardener, and we were delighted to
numbers of visitors in 2018 and Friends of York Gate welcome him back. Turn to p23 for our day in the life
membership stands at more than 600 supporters. The of interview with Jack to read more.
the
Our popula r Tea Room and Gift Shop is open throug hout
garden’s opening times, you can enjoy light lunche
cakes,
s and
includi
afternoon
ng a daily
Opening times
teas, or a selectio n of freshly home baked throug h to 30 Septem ber 2019
gluten free choice.
Open Sunday to Thursda y
yard,
Please park on Church Lane and walk throug h the church 12.30pm - 4.30pm
then straight on to come out opposi te the garden gate. Closed Fridays and Saturda ys
Visitor groups are welcome but please book first.
180th Anniversary Issue | 9
NOTE S FROM TH
E L ASKET T GAR
DE N S
by Sir Roy Strong
Spring arrived early at The
Laskett but then, in early
April, went into sharp reverse
with bitter cold and snow
flurries. By then one of the
garden’s great set pieces,
the Silver Jubilee Garden To listen to her tell her story But today I look out across the
parterre was virtually in full brought tears to my eyes. rolling farmland and muted hills
bloom weeks in advance. I need hardly add that her of the Herefordshire landscape
small garden had a poignant and, yes, for the first time the light
Every year a great Dutch friend of and perfect beauty. comes pouring into the garden in
mine sends me some 600 tulips, front of the house, There too this
half orange and half white, the As I write this I look out of the winter the four malus floribunda,
colours of the Dutch royal house. window down onto a vista which over forty years old and withering,
They, in turn, remind me of another once was dominated by a great also were felled. But they’ve been
great Dutch friend who died in his cedar of Lebanon. When we first replanted and there’s a blossom
early fifties who introduced me to glimpsed the house in 1972 it or two even on these spindly
his country’s rich horticultural seemed to hold the house in its saplings. If I reach ninety, a few
tradition. Later I was to get to know arms. It was the signature tree, years off, I shall see them again
so many of the Dutch who had referred to when the garden in their springtime frothy glory of
created some of most wonderful began to open as a point of pink and white.
perfectly articulated small reference seen from every
gardens. They were brave people viewpoint across the four acres.
who, after the War, went back to a Over the years howling gales from The Laskett Gardens are open to
wiped out landscape and began Wales to the west took its toll as pre-booked groups on Tuesdays
again. To me they have always vast branch after branch was and Thursdays until the end of
remained a heroic inspiration. One blown off until, finally, last year the September. Find out more and
woman came back and the first decision had to be taken to fell it. book online at:
thing that she had to do was plant To my late wife and myself it thelaskettgardens.co.uk
a shelter belt before she could somehow was The Laskett and
even begin her garden again. She now it had gone. It had been
waited a decade and then that there since the 1870s and now
moment of rebirth began. there was just a poignant stump.
10 | 180th Anniversary IssueVolunteer and join
the Perennial team
Volunteers are hugely important to the work of Perennial. From helping
at flower shows and in our gardens to selling Christmas cards and
helping in our warehouse, the support they have shown has been
amazing and we simply could not do what we do without them.
Now we want to take our become an even more valued supporters to get their ideas, the
volunteering to the next level by part of our team. We want you to more creative the better. George
setting up a network of community let us know what you can do and Kestell has been actively
groups across the country. This will help shape what our community promoting Perennial in his local
become a key part of the way we fundraising looks like. Put simply – community in Cornwall for over
spread the word about Perennial we need your help! Please 15 years. As well as creating
so everyone in horticulture knows contact us if you are interested in exhibits for Perennial at Cornish
we’re there for them when they setting up a group and or getting flower shows, he has taken every
need us, as well as raising funds. involved in any way. It is fun and possible opportunity to spread the
To help make this happen, we sociable to be part of a team word about Perennial and raise
have recently appointed James working together and knowing money through fundraising events
Burns as our new Community that you are making a difference.” and product sales.
Fundraising Manager, who will lead
this initiative. He joins Perennial There are many ways, big and He says: “Working
from Help for Heroes where he was small, that you can get active for
voluntarily for Perennial
a Regional Manager. Perennial. You could give a talk at
a gardening club or community fulfilled a need in me to
group, collect donations at your do something philanthropic
garden centre, attend local fetes that benefitted the industry
or fairs to sell merchandise and
I love and have worked in
raise awareness, or be part of our
volunteer team at larger events. since I was a boy. But
We are always keen to encourage volunteering has also
people to take part in fundraising opened doors many for me.
activities but there is also a role for My advice would simply be
James says: “Having a proactive volunteers supporting fundraisers.
team of community fundraising That includes cheering on those to try it – you never know
volunteers working in different who are running, cycling or where it may lead.”
locations across the country will walking, helping promote
become an important way for us Perennial at If you are interesting in helping
to reach even more people in these events, or becoming the set up or take part in a local
horticulture with information about Perennial representative who picks community group, we want to
how we can help and provide up the cheque and takes part in a hear from you.
support before a situation photo opportunity.
becomes a crisis. We know that Please contact James Burns on
volunteers find it a really rewarding Above all we want people to find jburns@perennial.org.uk or call:
experience and they often ways to engage with their family, 07946 055 848.
become actively involved and friends and colleagues to raise
want to find ways to do more.” awareness. Over the next few For a full run down of all current
months we will be out and volunteering roles, please visit
“So now is the chance for you to about speaking to our existing www.perennial.org.uk/volunteer
180th Anniversary Issue | 11Spring clean
your finances
with Perennial
Our easy to use online budgeting
tool offers financial confidence
and control to people in horticulture
and their families
12 | 180th Anniversary IssueA recent financial wellbeing survey of working-age people found that 94% worry about
money and of this group over three quarters say it impacts their work. Less than half of
employees surveyed had a financial plan and debt was cited as an issue for 58% of
people. In 2018, Perennial helped people in horticulture access nearly £4 million in
financial assistance – more than any other year in our 180 year history. Perennial is
encouraging everyone in horticulture, regardless of their financial status, to think
about their finances and check their ‘financial health’. Regular checks help people
understand their situation, identify potential problems early and plan for the future.
Our easy to use online budgeting tool is a quick and simple way of understanding
your situation and proactively managing your money.
Wendy Tozer, Debt Advice this written down can really help prevent the need for our crisis
Manager at Perennial, says: and the great thing about our tool response services, and would
is that it suggests changes you urge anyone worried about
“Most of the people we help can make to achieve a good money to use the online tool and
require financial support of some balance between your income speak to us as soon as possible.
kind and we know it is a huge and expenditure. The tool also In most cases we can make a
contributing factor to stress and offers lots of tips for increasing positive change to people’s
other mental health issues. But your income and reducing your circumstances and the earlier
financial wellbeing is so much spending and points you in the we can get involved, the better.”
more than managing debt and right direction for further help if
we want everyone in horticulture you need it.” Perennial’s online budgeting tool
to have the confidence to take is available via our website
control of their money. Our online Speaking about his experience of (www.perennial.org.uk) and can
budgeting tool can help you using the Perennial budgeting be used on a desktop computer,
understand your financial tool, one person said: tablet or smart phone. It is very
situation and suggest changes for easy to use and does not need
successfully managing monthly “I used the Perennial budgeting any technical or financial
budgets.” tool on my phone and it was very expertise. All information provided
easy to use. It has helped me is completely confidential and will
According to the Close Brothers understand my finances better not be shared with anyone else.
Financial Wellbeing Index 2019, and encouraged me to contact People can use it anonymously if
money worries are more prevalent Perennial for additional help and they wish or they can register to
among younger people. Over half advice. I’d certainly recommend allow them to revisit their budget
of people aged 18-34 say they it to others who might be worrying at any time and see how their
worry about money, with women about money.” planned changes are working.
twice as likely to worry than men.
The top three concerns are In 2019 Perennial wants to reach If you have urgent debt issues
funding retirement (31%), paying more people than ever before you can contact Perennial’s
off debts (27%) and coping with information about our qualified debt advisers who
financially with losing their job services, including preventing the can help by negotiating with
(23%). Taking control of your need for Perennial’s help in the creditors, preparing financial
finances, particularly when first place. Julia Hayne, Director of statements, advising on
earning a low wage, can be Services at Perennial, says: bankruptcy, helping with court
challenging but Perennial’s paperwork and offering
Budgeting Tool could be the first “We have seen a 22% increase in representation at hearings.
step for many people in the number of people needing We can often help people
horticulture. Wendy continues: crisis and emergency support working in horticulture and their
since 2016 and we know that families with a range of short
“Creating a realistic budget is unplanned expenditure remains a term financial support. Our
really important because it helps challenge for families managing a team can talk to you about
you understand how you are using stretched monthly budget. We are your circumstances and work
your money and where your committed to helping people through solutions together on
biggest expenditures are. Seeing take control of their finances to 0800 093 8546.
TOP TIPS FOR... income and expenses written down will really help
you take control of your finances and help you plan
FINANCIAL WE LLBEING for unforeseen circumstances.
3. Know who you owe money to and how much you
Our online budgeting tool will help you better owe. Seeing it all written down can help you
understand your money and help you take control understand if you need help or not.
of your financial situation.
4. Live within your means – try to keep your spending
1. Understand your financial situation – below your income and only borrow what you can
understanding your money is the first step in afford to pay back.
planning for the future and making informed choices
5. Ask for help – If your income is not enough for your
about spending and saving.
essential costs, talk to Perennial about finding extra
2. Create a monthly budget – seeing your monthly help before you consider borrowing more money.
180th Anniversary Issue | 13Corporate partnerships
get creative
Last year Perennial helped people access across different sectors of the industry. Leading the
more financial support than ever before. It is charge in forging new partnerships with businesses
great that we were able to increase our and organisations across the industry, Kate Cooney
support for those in need, but our ambitious joined Perennial as Corporate Partnerships Manager
goal to reach more people every year in the autumn. Kate will be working alongside Sue
means that demand for our help will only Brinsden, Partnerships Officer and to further
continue to grow. strengthen our work in this area, we welcome Philip
Swainston this month as Corporate Development
As a result, our supporters will play an increasingly Manager, who comes to us from the HTA.
important role in helping generate the funds that are
vital to keeping our services going. Kate says: “It is fantastic to see the many original and
creative ways that companies are coming up with to
While investments, legacies and donations from support us. We are keen to build lasting partnerships
people who enjoy gardens, parks and green spaces with businesses that complement their own strategic
form a major part of our income, developing our objectives. No matter the size of your organisation or
corporate partnerships is key for both bringing in how you would like to get involved, we are keen to
income and raising awareness at grass roots level hear from you.”
Europlants
open day
Thank you to Renato Canale and all the team at
Europlants who raised over £3,000 for Perennial at
their recent Spring Open Days. Europlants has raised
thousands of pounds for various charities over the
years at this popular annual event and we were
delighted to be chosen as their charity this year.
Garden designers, landscapers and local authority
buyers came together for a day of networking and
the chance to browse Europlants’ ranges of indoor
and outdoor plants. A raffle and auction were held
in aid of Perennial. Auctioneer extraordinaire was
David Domoney from ITV’s Love Your Garden who
kept the bidding flowing and worked hard to help
raise as much money as possible for Perennial.
14 | 180th Anniversary IssueTeeing up at BTME
Trade shows are a great way for us to meet new
people from across the industry and speak to more
people about what Perennial does. At the BIGGA Turf
Management Exhibition (BTME) in January, Europe’s
leading event for the turfcare sector, we partnered
with Rigby Taylor, who ran a golf simulator ‘nearest
the pin’ competition on their stand. It was an exciting
and hotly contested competition. There were some
great shots recorded and the winner, who got to
within 1.5 feet of the pin, claimed the overall prize of
tickets for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
With over 400 people taking part, it gave us the
opportunity to speak to far more people than we
would have otherwise.
Pallets please Wildflowers in freefall
A new fundraising initiative from George Davies Turf April saw a brave team of supporters, including James
is the kind of original idea we love to see. They are Hewetson-Brown and colleagues from Wildflower Turf;
asking all customers to return as many empty pallets Adam Stoter, from the Royal Parks; Terry Burns and Ian
as possible and for every pallet returned, the Sadler from idverde and Perennial’s own Julie Skinner,
company will donate 50p to Perennial. Not only is take part in a 80 metre abseil down the ArcelorMittal
this a great fundraiser for Perennial, it is also good Orbit Tower in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park - the
for the environment as the pallets are reused and UK’s highest freefall abseil. It was a particularly apt
recycled. George Davies Turf has already taken fundraising challenge for the idverde guys, who are
over 200 pallets back to the turf farm, which is current park contractors and Wildflower Turf, who
a fantastic start. If you are one of their customers supplied flowering turf for parts of the park as it is now,
and have a few pallets lurking in a corner as well as for the 2012 games, and who also helped
somewhere, you know what to do. create Danny Boyle’s ‘green and pleasant land’ for
the opening ceremony.
REAPING THE REWAR DS OF AWAR DS
Through our partnerships with the trade, Perennial is sometimes chosen as
the nominated charity for industry awards events. Recently we were the
beneficiary at the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) Awards,
where attendees were encouraged to make a donation via envelopes on
the tables. Host Jamie Butterworth gave an inspiring talk about Perennial
to the packed room and the collection raised over £900.
To find out more about how your company can support Perennial,
please contact Kate Cooney kcooney@perennial.org.uk
or Philip Swainston pswainston@perennial.org.uk
180th Anniversary Issue |XX
15Thanks to our Partners
Our Perennial Partnership scheme helps ensure that
our work continues. Receiving regular payments from
companies, at levels they feel comfortable with,
allows us to plan for the future and help more people
Why I support Perennial:
who are facing difficulty. And by being a Perennial
Partner, you are sending out a strong message to your Tristram Plants is a family owned group
staff, colleagues and clients that you care about the
welfare of people working in our industry. of wholesale nurseries in West Sussex
As well as providing vital revenue that supports ours comprising Walberton, Binsted and
services via the partnership scheme, we hope that
Fleurie Nurseries. All the Nurseries are
Perennial Partners might get involved in other ways:
Silver Partners of Perennial because
• Adopt Perennial as your charity of choice
they strongly believe in the valuable
• Sponsor a Perennial activity or event and raise
your profile in the industry whilst publicly support that Perennial provides to
demonstrating your support for your trade charity
horticultural workers. Some of Tristram
• Help us spread the word about how we help
through your AGMs, newsletters, social media and Plants staff have been personally
team meetings helped by Perennial funding,
• Offer a product or a service where a percentage so we know that it makes a real,
of the sale goes to support Perennial
tangible difference.
• Display our collection boxes in
prominent positions
To find out more about the Perennial Partners
scheme, please contact Kate Cooney on
01372 235 433 or kcooney@perennial.org.uk
4th Corner Limited Silver
AA - Arboricultural Association Silver
Binsted Nursery Silver
Partners
Claire Merriman Design Silver
Fleurie Nursery Ltd Silver
Habitat Landscapes Ltd Silver
Keith Robertson Landscaping Silver
Martha Krempel Garden Design Silver
WCOG -
Worshipful Company of Gardeners Diamond Practicality Brown Limited Silver
BIGGA - British & International Silverland Stone Silver
Golf Greenkeepers Association Platinum The Garden Company Silver
Clockhouse Nursery Ltd Platinum Walberton Nursery Silver
Joseph Rochford Gardens Ltd Platinum Wildflower Turf Ltd Silver
London College of Garden Design Platinum APC Horticulture Ltd Bronze
Barton Grange Garden Centre Gold Design by Katja Ltd Bronze
Butter Wakefield Garden Design Gold Howy White Photography Bronze
Enterprise Plants Gold Jim Brasier Landscapes Bronze
Gillian Goodson Design Gold Mandascat Bronze
HTA - Horticultural Trades Association Gold Mark Stewart Gardens Bronze
Joseph Jones Contract Gardeners Ltd Gold Mawgan Gardeners Bronze
Landform Consultants Limited Gold New Hopetoun Gardens Bronze
Landscape Associates Ltd Gold Pennells & Sons Bronze
London Stone Gold Platipus Anchoring Ltd Bronze
Majestic Trees Gold The Gardeners Guild Bronze
The Landscape Show Limited Gold The Patio Black Spot Removal Company Bronze
Tilhill Forestry Gold Yorkshire Agricultural Society Bronze
*Correct as of 10/04/2019
16 | 180th Anniversary IssueFellowship of friends
Our Fellowship programme takes its inspiration from the As a Perennial Fellow you can make a significant
pioneering group of socially responsible landowners impact on the lives of people in horticulture. Your
and leading social influencers who, in 1839, founded a annual donation will help us maintain and plan
charity to provide welfare support to people in services that directly support people overcoming
horticulture long before state-provision was available. challenging events. In addition you will enjoy a range
Today, 180 years later, Perennial is that charity and our of benefits including invitations to exclusive Fellowship
support is needed now more than ever. events throughout the year.
2019 Fellowship Events We have a number of exclusive
Fellowship events coming up in 2019
RHS Chelsea Flower Show
May – a private tour of The Perennial
Lifeline Garden with the designers, enjoyed
with a glass of fizz.
Buckingham Palace
June – an exclusive private tour of Buckingham
Palace gardens followed by a wonderful
©Buckinghma Palace
afternoon tea at The Goring Hotel in Belgravia.
West Green House
September –an enjoyable and informative
afternoon of great food, music and gardens
with a fabulous lunch prepared with
Mediterranean vegetables from the estate
gardens, music from the West Green opera Buckingham Palace
and a tour of the garden with the team.
York Gate Garden
October – an opportunity to visit our garden in
Leeds in early winter as the garden’s structure is
beginning to shine. A private tour will give you
a first look at our new garden development.
David Lewis manages the Perennial
Fellowship programme and is happy to
talk through the benefits of becoming
a Fellow at a time to suit you. He says:
“Becoming a Perennial Fellow is
a fantastic way to support people
in horticulture with a significant
annual gift. We have generated
over £47,000 through the Fellowship
so far which has helped us extend West Green House
the casework team in Scotland to
meet growing demand. We are
committed to delivering tailored,
personalised support to people
in their own homes and rely on
donations to allow us to extend that
help to everyone who needs it.”
If you would like to find out more about joining
the Perennial Fellowship visit
perennial.org.uk/fellowship or contact us on
01372 373962 or fellowship@perennial.org.uk York Gate Garden
180th Anniversary Issue | 17When school’s out…
we’re here to help
While school holidays give families a chance to spend more
time together and kids the opportunity to have fun and
discover new things, they can put extra financial pressure on
families living on low incomes. The additional costs of the long
summer break are too much for many families to cope with.
18 | 180th Anniversary IssueMany children from low-income to help people working in cost of raising a child increases
families are entitled to free school horticulture with: each year and many families are
meals during term time but there • the additional costs of struggling to meet these costs.
is currently little provision during childcare “We know how stressful it can be
holidays. Food poverty affects • addressing holiday hunger for parents who, despite budgeting
nearly half of the families especially for those families hard, are constantly worrying
Perennial supports. We can whose children receive free about meeting the rising costs of
make sure that everyone has school meals food, bills and childcare especially
access to meals throughout • enabling low income families during the school holidays. We can
the school holiday periods to access day trips and holiday help families gain the support they
when free school meals stop. activities need. We want every child to be
able to take part in the same
Childcare is also a major According to the Joseph Rowntree activities as their friends. If you are
challenge. Most working parents Foundation poverty index, almost worried about how you will
do not have enough annual a quarter of all people in the UK manage to meet the additional
leave to cover all 13 weeks of are living in poverty. This rate is costs during the school holidays
school holidays, so they will higher among children, at almost we can help.”
need to make alternative a third. There is a direct correlation
childcare arrangements. between poverty and educational “Perennial helped us during a
For many horticulturists the attainment with only around a particularly cold winter when our
summer break may be their half of children in receipt of free heating bill was higher than
busiest period putting additional school meals likely to reach a usual and we were struggling to
stress on families to find and fund good level of development at the pay other bills. They helped with
additional childcare. Parents in end of their early years education. school lunches and paid for a
Britain now pay an average of Julia Hayne, Director of Services school trip for our older child.
£133 per child per week for full at Perennial, says: Without their help, we just
time holiday childcare and over wouldn’t have been able to
1.46 million families struggle to “We believe every child has the cover the cost.”
fund a day out for their right to a healthy childhood and
children. Perennial aims to over the last 12 months we’ve Alison and Stuart –
tackle these issues through supported more children of self-employed gardener and
our fund for families programme horticulturists than ever before. The garden centre worker
Perennial offers extra expenditure further, after all their he missed his scheduled bus,
essential bills are paid, they have Toby had to be collected from
support for families a very small disposable income school by his parents. This incurred
William* is a self-employed to live on. additional petrol costs as it is a
gardener. He has several regular 30-mile round trip. It transpired
customers but over the winter, bad Their son Toby recently started that students at Toby’s school are
weather and ill health prevent him secondary school. Perennial instructed to take a photo on their
from working and as a result his helped by awarding a grant to smart phones of the homework
income falls. His wife has a pay for his compulsory school from the white board. Toby didn’t
part-time job and they have two uniform items including the school feel able to say that his parents
children at school. They budget blazer, sports clothing and tie, couldn’t afford a smart phone
carefully, putting money aside to which could only be purchased for him and instead he was
get themselves through the winter directly from the school. attempting to memorise the
period when they have a homework. He also hadn’t felt
significantly reduced income. In Soon after starting school, Toby able to explain that they didn’t
recent years child benefit and was soon placed on detention have broadband, a laptop or
child and working tax credits have because his homework was not printer at home.
been frozen so this income has not fully completed and had been
been supplemented, however all hand written, when it should be With our support Toby now has all
their bills have increased and typed. As detention was after the the essential equipment he needs
despite reducing their school day had finished, meaning to thrive at school.
Single parent Rob* was struggling to signed off work due to stress accrued as a result of being signed
care for Cameron* aged 9 and and anxiety. off work. We also helped Rob find
work full time. As a gardener with a suitable childcare for Cameron and
low monthly income, he was Rob contacted Perennial and awarded a grant to contribute to
unable to find any affordable child together we reviewed all his ongoing childcare costs. As a result,
care places for the school holidays finances. We were able to sort out Rob has been able to return to work
and before and after school. his statutory benefits, giving him a full time, knowing Cameron is being
Eventually the situation became little more monthly income, and safely cared for.
too much for him and Rob was consolidate his debts, which had
If you are struggling to meet the essential needs of make a positive difference to your situation.
your child/ren or know someone who is either in term We’re ready to help you.
time or in the holiday period, please contact us to FREEPHONE: 0800 093 8543
talk about how we can help. In most cases we can Email: services@perennial.org.uk
*Names have been changed and photo posed by models 180th Anniversary Issue | 19Challenge yourself! 20 | 180th Anniversary Issue
This year to mark Perennial’s 180th anniversary we added
some extra special challenge events to our calendar,
including our first ever abseil challenge and three
‘experience of a lifetime’ overseas events.
We’re delighted by the support Marathon Month
shown by the industry, including We have launched our first ever
garden designer Kate Gould virtual event to commemorate this
(5 x RHS Chelsea gold medals), landmark year, taking place
Keith Chapman, Mark Gregory throughout June when the 180th
(Perennial Ambassador, 20+ day of the year falls. We’re
RHS Chelsea gold medals) and challenging supporters to walk or
Louise Gregory. These intrepid run the equivalent distance of a
supporters have signed up to marathon within the month.
scale the highest freestanding Whether you want to boost your
mountain in the world - Mount fitness, or just take a stroll in the
Kilimanjaro - this September! summer evenings, the pressure’s off
Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain and you can set your own pace.
on the African continent at 5,896m.
The spectacular views and However, for the more competitive
beautiful ice formations will be participants, there will be a
their reward for pushing themselves leaderboard that tracks your
to the limit both physically and progress with exercise tracking
mentally for Perennial. apps should you wish to raise the
bar and spur yourself on that extra
" I jumped at the chance to be mile to be the 1st over the finish
a part of this. Perennial helps so line, or challenge your colleagues.
many people and are the only The perfect alternative industry
charity of their kind in the UK event to Go Nuts for Perennial,
so I feel really privileged to which will return next year.
be climbing this spectacular
mountain to raise funds for them. Half marathon places
Let’s hope we make it to the top! The Great North Run is the biggest
I am sure I can carry Keith if he half marathon in the world, with
starts flagging! over 57,000 runners taking part. We
Kate Gould have secured places this year for
the first time, so sign up now to take
"I am a self-confessed hill part in this iconic event. For those of
climbing addict and when you further south we again have
I saw the social media post places in the Royal Parks Half
from Perennial announcing Marathon which works its way
a fundraiser by climbing through four of London’s eight
Kilimanjaro I was thrilled Royal Parks, making it a particularly
and immediately shared the perfect course on which to raise
post with Kate. We were both money so we can continue to help
onboard straight away, it was those who need support or advice.
the perfect way for me to raise
money for a great charity. I have Why your support
been in the horticultural industry counts
my whole life and the work that We are working hard to increase
Perennial does for the industry awareness and increase our
is invaluable. I will put our services, reaching and helping
vertically challenged leader more people. This all costs money
in my backpack if I have to and the funds raised through these
but we are going to summit challenge events is invaluable.
that mountain!" But as well as raising money, the
Keith Chapman awareness the events raise through
promotion of justgiving pages on
social media and even wearing
www.justgiving.com/
Perennial vests whilst running
fundraising/kgg amongst 57,000 runners all increases
our profile, so more people know
we’re there for them if needed.
Find out more at:
perennial.org.uk/events
180th Anniversary Issue | 21Bespoke garden tours
Bath Priory, North East Somerset
Our special events programme goes from strength to strength offering garden lovers a range of
exclusive tours of some of the UK’s most interesting gardens, many of which are not usually
open to the public. We are pleased to have the support of Lumley Insurance as headline
sponsor this year, meaning that more of the profits from ticket sales can go towards helping
people in horticulture. The events include not only a private tour with the head gardener or
owner, but also a delicious lunch or afternoon tea and refreshments.
The garden tours always sell well offer visitors behind the scenes
and some have already sold out, tours of such a special array of
but tickets are still available for gardens, demonstrating our
events including the Leckford continued support from and
Estate in Hampshire and Whatley partnership with garden owners
Manor in Wiltshire. Other highlights large and small. Thanks to the
include Crewe Hill near Chester, a generous involvement of Lumley Our special events programme
fascinating Georgian walled Insurance, we can ensure that is kindly sponsored by Lumley
garden that has been resurrected more of the money we raise Insurance Limited. You can
by its current owners. Lesley goes directly to the people who support Perennial whilst
Watson, formerly of the need it most.” protecting your household.
Beechgrove Garden and Lumley Insurance is proud
Perennial’s own Chairman, to donate £250 for any
Dougal Philip will open their household policy over
private garden overlooking the £750 plus Insurance Premium
River Forth in West Lothian, Tax arranged by us. For more
Scotland. There is also the rare information and full terms
opportunity to visit Cantley Hall, and conditions, please visit
Lord Kirkham’s Grade II listed
©Jo Hansford
www.lumleyinsurance.co.uk/
estate near Doncaster. perennial
Chris Crooker, Events Manager at Call for a free quote today.
Perennial, said:
“We are pleased to be able to
Whatley Manor, Wiltshire
Events include:
18 July | Whatley Manor, Wiltshire
1 August | Leckford Estate, Hampshire
5 June | Cantley Hall, Doncaster
5 September | Bath Priory, Somerset
13 June | Lesley Watson & Dougal Philip’s
12 September | Ulting Wick, Essex
Garden, West Lothian
For further information and the full list of events,
27 June | Crewe Hill, Chester
please visit: perennial.org.uk/events
22 | 180th Anniversary IssueDay in
A day in the Life
the life of...
JACK OGG SEN IOR GA RDE NER
AT YOR K GATE GA RDE N
What does your typical working varied collection of unusual little How did you come to work at
day look like? gems such as hardy orchids, York Gate?
I’m lucky to live just a trilliums, Arisaema and Chinodoxa. I undertook part of my training
fifteen-minute cycle ride from York placement at York Gate almost
Gate. Usually I am out in the What do you like best about ten years ago, which was funded
garden most of the day, though if York Gate? by Perennial. I went on to become
the weather is bad things might For a small garden York Gate a self-employed gardener but
change and we spend time in the has huge variety – each of the finding regular work was hard and
potting sheds and greenhouses garden ‘rooms’ is a different soon we started to struggle. At the
doing tasks such as propagation microclimate, from the shady same time my wife gave birth to
and sowing seeds. Usually in the woodland area in The Dell, our son who was born with Cystic
mornings during the open season, to the alpines in the rockery, Fibrosis. While we were completely
we spend time tidying the garden to our allotment style kitchen focused on him and his health
and preparing it for visitors. The garden. It is great to be able needs, we struggled to make ends
closed season is the time for some to work with such a range of meet. That is when I thought of
of the heavier, bigger jobs. styles of gardening and types Perennial. They gave help with
of plants. finances and budgeting and it was
What have you been working like a weight had been lifted.
on recently? What are you most looking Perennial supported me and my
I have rebuilt the rockery in forward to at York Gate? family at a really difficult time in
the paved garden and this is During the next year a lot will be our lives and so it feels good to be
whereI will plant out a display happening at York Gate. In the giving something back by helping
of succulents once the weather established garden, the Spencers look after York Gate now.
is warm enough. created the frame and we just get
to fill in the picture in the middle,
What is the best part of the job? but with the new garden we will Watch a video of Jack describing
For me, it is undoubtedly the be creating, it is something I will how Perennial helped him at:
plants and seeing what is growing. be involved in from scratch, perennial.org.uk/jack
The garden has a fabulous and which is very exciting.
180th Anniversary Issue | 23You can also read
