Jason Williams, the high-rise horticulturist with sky-high ambitions

Jason, the self-styled Cloud Gardener, started greening his 18th-floor Manchester balcony during lockdown. He quickly picked up a significant following on social media and has since created a show garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show and become a TV presenter

Above all Jason remains a vocal activist for greening inner cities, working with developers and communities alike to bring gardens into nature-deprived urban areas.

Are there challenges to gardening on a balcony?

I’d never gardened before I decided to do something with my empty balcony during the pandemic. I bought a little table, two chairs and a couple of plants to brighten it up. Those plants very quickly un-alived themselves! The conditions are very different to those on the ground. It’s a constant battle with wind and sun, and those two combined can be troublesome for container plants.

What are the benefits of green on the 18th floor?

It had a big positive impact on my mental health. But it has also had a positive impact on the environment. This year I had butterflies on my balcony. Imagine if there were more gardens like mine across the country, bringing biodiversity right into the heart of our cities.

What was it like creating a Chelsea garden?

I had no idea what it was going to be like before I got there. People couldn’t believe many of my plants were grown from seed I bought at Wilko or my local nursery. I got a bit of pressure to smarten it up, but stuck with my marigolds and petunias as they’re the plants that work best in my space. That resonated with people. I’ve done a show garden each year since. It’s stressful, but a great way to share my message about the power of plants in cities.

How receptive has the wider horticultural community been to your ideas?

A lot of people don’t realise that when you live in an apartment there may be clauses in your contract saying you can’t dry washing on your balcony, let alone do any greening. I work with developers to show them why they should overturn some restrictive policies. It makes sound business sense. Improving the community environment reduces vandalism and antisocial behaviour. It can also decrease the turnover of residents when they feel personally connected to the place where they live.

What about the benefit to urban communities?

Manchester City Council now sends me out to different communities in the region to deliver workshops on gardening basics to give them the practical tools they need. I also guide them to communicate with developers so they can negotiate good outcomes for both sides.

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