Volunteers making an impact
Discover how RHS Partner Gardens are cared for throughout the year by dedicated gardening teams, enthusiastic volunteers, or a combination of the two
Volunteer teams across a number of RHS Partner Gardens help keep these spaces thriving for visitors to enjoy. From fruit-picking and fence mending to leading tours and delivering workshops, find out how they are making a positive difference to their gardens and local communities.
Luton Hoo Estate Walled Garden, Bedfordshire
Each volunteer brings their own expertise, interests, and expectations of what volunteering means to them, which greatly benefit the garden.
Within the Walled Garden Project at Luton Hoo Estate, which is now entering its 25th year, the team of 140 volunteers are organised into smaller groups, each with an acting head for their particular area. In many ways, volunteers manage volunteers. This structure creates a strong sense of mutual respect and shared responsibility, as everyone understands the value of the time, effort, and commitment being given by others.
It also ensures that new ideas are given the attention they deserve, while seasonal work, housekeeping tasks, and larger projects are shared fairly across the team. Working hand in hand with the estate, Luton Hoo continues to grow – both within the garden itself and through the enduring sense of history and community that has been at the heart of the project from the very beginning.
Holehird Gardens, Cumbria
Holehird Gardens and the Lakeland Horticultural Society were both created in 1969, when Cumbrian gardening enthusiasts set about developing a garden where they could research and showcase plants which grow well in the Lake District. The founders of the LHS were all volunteers, as are the 100+ enthusiasts today who continue to manage the garden, to welcome visitors and to share their practical experience of plants which thrive in sometimes challenging Lakeland conditions.
With the exception of a few specialist jobs such as tree surgery, everything at Holehird is done by volunteers, and everybody gets stuck in – the LHS Chairman can be found working in the Walled Garden, while the Treasurer is often seen driving a tractor round the 10 acre site.
There is no Head Gardener. Instead management is delegated to small teams of volunteers who are each responsible for planning, planting and maintaining their area. Garden Committee gets involved only in major, structural decisions - tree planting or changing the character of an area for example - otherwise everything is left to the team. This direct involvement means volunteers inevitably develop a strong sense of ownership of their patch and a determination to keep it always looking its best.
Lovell Quinta Arboretum, Cheshire
Tatton Garden Society was founded in 1962 to promote a love of horticulture and help educate the public, and it acquired the Lovell Quinta Arboretum in 2003. As TGS have always been a charity and a gardening society rather than a commercial organisation, the Arboretum has always been maintained by volunteers under the expert eye of a curator.
Now, there is a team of around 12 regular volunteers from all walks of life. John Brewer, the longest-serving volunteer, has been working at the Arboretum for over 40 years. "We had no tools to start with – I had to bring my own mower!" he says.
Recent projects which have required the volunteers to roll their sleeves up include the refurbishment of the lake, new specimen beds and hedge laying. There’s always something to do on the 28-acre site, from maintaining the existing collections to re-planting. The volunteers are a close-knit community, sharing skills, experiences, chat and, of course, the obligatory tea and biscuits. The work they do is the lifeblood of the arboretum, and they’re out in all weathers helping to keep the site the beautiful place it is.
Helmsley Walled Garden, North Yorkshire
Once a thriving kitchen garden for the nearby Duncombe Park Estate, Helmsley Walled Garden is a wonderful example of a garden that has adapted over time. A team of over one hundred volunteers maintains this restorative garden, where the volunteer scheme aims to foster a sense of accomplishment and belonging for those who suffer with varying difficulties, including depression, learning challenges, and low confidence.
Here, they have created a safe space to harness social connections while cultivating exceptional horticultural practices. Nurturing plants and people are key values at the heart of the community housed within these historic walls. Helmsley Walled Garden is very much ‘a beautiful garden, changing lives.’
Cusworth Hall Walled Garden, South Yorkshire
Cusworth’s walled gardens, orchard, bowling green and formal parterre continue to thrive thanks to the exceptional commitment of the volunteers. The gardens rely heavily on two dedicated groups: the Friends of Cusworth Park and the Cusworth Hall Gardens Trust. The Friends, established in 2006, have long supported the park through practical work and community engagement. Their efforts were instrumental in 2008, when thousands of volunteer hours were spent clearing the walled gardens of abandoned nursery stock, bramble and overgrowth.
The Cusworth Hall Gardens Trust, founded in 2013 by Gordon Smith, focuses specifically on the preservation and maintenance of the Grade II listed bowling green, pavilion, terrace, rose garden and 18th century walls. Volunteers played a vital role in restoring the orchard in 2013, reintroducing 50 apple varieties alongside pears and plums, and again in 2014 when preparing and restoring the bowling green.
More recently, volunteers have supported the restoration and ongoing maintenance of the formal parterre Flower Garden and the larger Hall Garden. Their work has continued into 2026 with the filling and planting of the newly completed raised vegetable beds. Both Trust members and Friends also staff the entrance kiosk on open days, helping welcome visitors and share the history of the gardens’ development.
Furzey Gardens, Hampshire
Volunteers are such an important part of Furzey Gardens. From welcoming visitors and serving in the tea rooms to working alongside the gardening team and keeping the gardens looking great, the volunteers support with many different skills. Last year, over 50 volunteers contributed around 7000 hours of their time to make Furzey the special place that it is.
Volunteering at the gardens brings friendship, purpose and plenty of fun. Nickie, one of the gardening volunteers said: ‘I visited Furzey Gardens three years ago and loved it so much I haven’t left! There is always something new happening whether it is spotting an owl in the nest box, using new tools or getting to drive the tractor!’. As a garden that supports people with learning disabilities to learn workplace and horticultural skills, Nickie says she also enjoys working alongside these supported gardeners and catching up with their news each week.
Furzey Gardens is actively looking for more volunteers, and encourages new recruits to join.
Staunton Country Park, Hampshire
Set within 300 acres of historic Regency parkland, Staunton Country Park is shaped as much by its people as its landscapes. From just four volunteers in 2018 Staunton now has over 200 registered volunteers engaged through a flexible programme with no minimum commitment. They work across horticulture, park maintenance, conservation, archaeology, and heritage work, playing a key role in transforming the park into the vibrant well-loved green space it is today.
Recent milestones include gaining a Plant Heritage National Collection of Lardizabalaceae and becoming an RHS Partner Garden.
Volunteers are at the forefront of activities, leading tours, creating a The variety of living organisms (plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms) in a particular environment. Boosting the biodiversity of your garden has many benefits, including supporting wildlife, improving soil health and reducing the likelihood of pest and disease problems.
The Gardening Lead Volunteers have also led inclusive projects, such as hedge planting day with The Right to Work - an onsite partner organisation offering supported volunteering to adults with learning disabilities. For Volunteers’ Week, a ‘Lead Volunteer Takeover’ will see them run sessions and workshops, celebrating their expertise and their vital role in Staunton’s continued success.
Hill Close Gardens Trust, Warwickshire
For more than three decades, volunteers have been at the heart of Hill Close Gardens, the only Victorian Pleasure Gardens open to the public. Mike, one of the original volunteers who helped save the site from destruction, remembers; “We walked down and looked at the site and I agreed to help. I joined the first volunteer working party in January 1995 and have continued ever since.” For Mike, the work brought friendship, learning and a deep connection to the soil.
Jenny, involved for over 25 years, has taken on almost every role imaginable at Hill Close Gardens; gardener, caterer, tour guide, teacher and volunteer mentor, and she’s delighted to see a new generation stepping forward to carry the horticultural traditions forward.
Recent projects have included installing an underground water storage tank to collect rain, a new Composting is the process by which plant material is heaped together to rot (decompose) to produce compost. Garden or kitchen waste can be broken down over time in a compost bin or heap to produce crumbly organic matter that can be used as a mulch, soil conditioner and a constituent of potting compost.
Hill Close Garden’s volunteers shared dedication has even led to a recent nomination for the King’s Award for volunteering, a fitting tribute to a community that continues to grow.
Middleton Hall & Gardens
Without a doubt, if there is a success story to be told about Middleton Hall, it is a story about volunteering: bold and courageous volunteering! The kind that can take a derelict estate and turn it into a piece of heaven. Since 1980 to present time, come rain or shine, and incredibly under-resourced, hundreds of volunteers have restored and shaped the site, helping save its heritage for future generations.
Across the the estate, volunteers help maintain the beautiful historic gardens including the Grade II* listed Walled Garden, Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and surrounding grounds. The tasks they are involved in vary throughout the seasons but include things like weeding, cutting back and tidying the herbaceous borders, planting new These are fleshy, rounded, underground storage organs, usually sold and planted while dormant. Examples include daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, lilies, onions and garlic. The term is often used to cover other underground storage organs, including corms, tubers and rhizomes.
For those involved in managing the plant sales area, key priorities include plant propagation, nurturing growth, and ensuring timely restocking to maintain a fresh and vibrant selection for visitors. While volunteers with a creative flair can dedicate their skills and time to the crafting group which involves crochet, knitting, painting or paper craft. These handmade decorations are then used throughout the events and garden trails with all profits from the sale of these items going back into the maintenance and upkeep of the Hall. Middleton Hall’s story continues precisely because of its volunteers!
Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire
Over the years, volunteers at Belvoir Castle have grown from occasional helpers into an enthusiastic and knowledgeable team involved in every In gardening, ‘aspect’ refers to the direction in which a garden or plant is facing. This can affect the amount of sunlight and shade that plants receive, as well as the temperature and wind exposure. South- and west-facing aspects are usually warm and sunny, while east- and north-facing aspects are colder and shadier.
Their involvement has been particularly significant in the development of the Rose Garden and Roman column garden areas, where volunteers have worked alongside the professional gardening team to help shape spaces that are both historically sympathetic and visually dramatic. Through these projects, volunteers have gained valuable insight into the art and science of horticulture — learning the benefits of organic gardening, working in harmony with nature and encouraging biodiversity throughout the grounds.
They have also developed an understanding of continuation planting and companion planting, helping to prolong flowering periods while creating healthier, more resilient planting schemes. Volunteers have explored how colour, texture and layered tiers of planting can shape the visitor experience, guiding viewpoints through carefully created vistas and focal points. Equally important has been learning how soil conditions and localised environments influence planting choices, as well as how the surrounding ‘borrowed’ landscape can be incorporated into the wider garden design.
Perhaps most uniquely, volunteers have helped give individual areas of the gardens their own character and narrative, ensuring each space contributes to the wider story of Belvoir Castle while retaining a distinct identity of its own.
Paxton House Gardens, Scotland
Paxton House’s first garden volunteer, Catherine, came along in 2009 and – with gaps to study RHS Levels 1 & 2 – she is still at Paxton today. Since then, the garden volunteer group has grown from strength to strength. Today there are 16 wonderful volunteers – a mixture of beginner and experienced gardeners – ranging in age from 19 to 84 years old.
Catherine designed and planted a fruit and herb garden known as The Appleyard, at the southeast side of the walled garden. She still tends to this today, come rain, come shine. Visitors can enjoy the information slates she has created, detailing herbal properties and lore.
One of the most recent volunteers, Gethin, is especially interested in habitat enhancement and wildlife monitoring. He set up cameras at two live badger setts and the team have been able to watch cubs emerge.
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