When we first pitched the idea of building a therapeutic, creative, youth-led garden on a patch of scrubland in Aylestone, the reaction was…, well let’s be honest… mixed.
Some people thought we were talking about a herb garden.
Some nodded politely and backed away slowly.
Some pointed to us not having a plan, a drawing or even knowing what was in there in the first place!
Others simply said: “That sounds lovely – but you’ll never get young people off TikTok to do that.”
And honestly? Fair point.
But we did it anyway!
And now, 6 months in since the first shovel dug a hole, we thought it was time to pause – in between the digging, planting, and gently reminding people that yes, nettles do really sting — to reflect on what we’ve learned so far.
-
It’s Really Hard to Explain a Vision That Doesn’t Exist Yet
“Imagine a space that’s part-wellbeing zone, part-learning lab, part garden, part performance space, part regeneration project… but also includes a pond.”
Try saying that with a straight face. We did. Many times. Marketing Marc even lost count of how many pictures he couldn’t find to represent what we were doing.
The truth is: this idea didn’t fit neatly in a category. It wasn’t a workshop. It wasn’t a course. It wasn’t a box you could tick on a funding form. And so, it took patience, persistence, and a lot of “trust us, we’ve got a plan” to get people to believe in it.
But those who did? They’ve made all the difference.
-
The Ground Will Fight You (And Probably Win a Few Rounds)
Ever tried flattening an uneven, stubborn patch of land while working to a shoestring budget tighter than a man wearing shorts one size too small?
That was us.
Turns out, the ground had ideas of its own. It wasn’t just uneven – it was passionately opposed to the idea of becoming a garden. We dug, we levelled, we re-dug. We broke tools, broke into a sweat, and occasionally broke out in despair.
And then… something started to shift. Slowly. Unevenly. Like our moods during the three heatwaves so far. (But the landscapers have got amazing tans!)
But bit by bit, the space began to take shape.
-
Young People Will Get Involved… Eventually
Let’s be honest. Competing with Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and whatever new app launched yesterday is no small task. Especially when your opening line is: “Want to help dig a garden bed in 26° heat?”
But we kept showing up. We asked. We explained. We listened. And eventually, some of our young residents came out to have a look. And then to ask questions. And then – crucially – to contribute ideas.
And that’s when everything changed.
This isn’t just our garden. It’s theirs and that was the whole point.
-
Planning a Garden Is Surprisingly Similar to Planning a Youth Project
You start with a grand vision. Then you hit reality: money, time, access, attention spans, weather, mid-build snack shortages.
So, you adapt.
You pivot from the dream pergola to the practical shade sail. You compromise on the water feature, but you go big on sensory planting. You focus less on perfect design – and more on creating a space that feels safe, inspiring and genuinely useful.
It’s not about it looking like Chelsea Flower Show or even a BBC Gardeners’ World garden. It’s about it feeling like hope.
-
People Really Want to Help When They See What It Means
From local volunteers to businesses donating materials, to the local school wanting to get involved, to the presenter of BBC Gardeners’ World literally gifting us a professional garden (yes, that really happened) – once people could see the progress and hear the stories, something clicked.
This wasn’t just about flowers and fences. It was about giving young people a place to reconnect. With the earth. With each other. And with parts of themselves they maybe hadn’t met yet.
So What’s Next?
More planting. More building. More unexpected weather.
More residents suggesting “less flowers, more chillout areas,” or “can we have chickens?”
More trial. More error. More laughing through both.
But also… more growth.
Not just in the soil. But in confidence. In community. In creativity.
We’re not done yet. But we’re getting there.
And thanks to everyone who’s believed in this slightly bonkers, beautifully ambitious project — we’ve already come further than we thought possible.
This is what resilience looks like.
Sometimes muddy. Sometimes messy. Always worth it.
