If you ever doubted the power of a garden, Roots 2 Resilience might just change your mind.
On Day 61 of our journey, we have already witnessed something remarkable: not just the transformation of land, but of some of our young people. What began as a barren, unloved plot is now becoming a vibrant symbol of what happens when community, creativity, and a little compost come together.
Enter: Nick Bailey (and Some Very Excited Young Designers)
You may know Nick Bailey from BBC’s Gardener’s World – a man who can make even weeding look glamorous. But to the young people involved in this project, he’s more than a TV personality. He’ll be a mentor, a motivator, and a master of bringing big ideas down to earth (sometimes quite literally, with a trowel in hand).
Nick’s involvement in Roots 2 Resilience has been a game-changer. By treating our young participants not just as helpers but as designers in their own right, he’s done something powerful: made horticulture aspirational. You could see the pride, the spark, the sense of “I can do this” – and you can’t teach that from a textbook.
Learning with Legs (Literally)
One of the most joyful moments of the day is when our young team learned to measure a metre using their own legs. No rulers. No calculators. Just human limbs and laughter.
It’s a perfect metaphor for what this project is really about: learning by doing. It’s one thing to be told how to design a garden. It’s another to walk the dimensions, feel the space, and leave your literal footprint on it. That’s education that sticks – and grows.
A Garden with Purpose
But this isn’t just about soil and seeds. It’s about transforming a space that was once overlooked into something full of life and beauty. Planning meetings turned into strategy sessions, where young voices shaped the layout, picked plant species, and dreamed big.
Because when young people see that their ideas matter, they start to believe they matter.
It Takes a Village (and Some Very Kind Donors)
None of this would be possible without the community. Donations have poured in – from materials to time to encouragement. And each contribution becomes a teaching moment in itself. Our young people are learning not only about plants, but about people. About what it means to rally together for something greater than yourself.
And through sustainable gardening practices, they’re also learning to care for the planet they’ll inherit.
So, What’s Really Growing Here?
Yes, there will be flowers. Yes, there will be colour and biodiversity and a garden worth showing off.
But more than that, we’re growing confidence. Connection. Skills. Purpose. We’re helping young people see themselves as stewards of their communities, capable of shaping their environment – and their future.
Roots 2 Resilience isn’t just about planting things in the ground. It’s about planting hope in some young hearts. And from what I’ve seen, it’s going to bloom beautifully.
