Younger Men should embrace gardening, say Bournemouth nursery

A plant nursery in Bournemouth which gives volunteering opportunities to adults with learning disabilities have called gardening a way to help men manage their mental health.

Cherry Tree Nursery in Northbourne allows people from all backgrounds to support their service, with a particular emphasis on getting younger men to start gardening.

Their charity, Plants and Minds, works with Access to Wellbeing groups to provide support for people with mental health difficulties, which staff have said is especially important for their male clients in an age where masculinity is often weaponised.

One of the staff at the garden centre stroking a black cat. — Marc, with resident garden centre cat Magic.

Marc Rosenberg, PR and communications manager for Plants and Minds, said: “There was a time when the horticulture industry was seen as quite a flowery profession that is not a serious career, when in fact if you have the right qualifications, you can have a very good career.

“What we do is about dispelling the myths not only around horticulture as a career choice, but also nature as a very effective source of therapy where you are not judged, regardless of whether you are having a bad day.”

The other Plants and Minds location, Chestnut Nursery in Poole, has seen a 300% increase in volunteer intake after the pandemic encouraged more people to use their gardens. These volunteers have all then moved into paid work.

Some of the plants in the garden centre polytunnel. — Just one of the many polytunnels where volunteers are encouraged to plant and garden

Sandi Marshall, Cherry Tree Nursery manager, said: “There was one volunteer who would be in tears when she got out of the car because of the anxiety, but then she started coming once or twice a week, and now she has started her own business. It is amazing to see that sort of transformation in people.

“We are not just here for the volunteers. We are here because of them. They plant all the seeds, and that sense of achievement is absolutely huge.”

All the money from the sales of these plants goes back into giving opportunities for the volunteers, who also cover the polytunnels and learn carpentry skills when building benches for the nurseries.

In a press release for Blue Monday, Andy, one of the volunteers, added: “No matter how tough life might feel right now, it’s never too late to ask for support.”