The RHS, Hubbub and Social Farms & Gardens will invest £3.8million in growing the UK’s community gardening movement after a grant from The National Lottery Community Fund’s Climate Action Fund.
The funding will help 20,000 existing community gardens expand their reach and impact, inspire the nearly 15million who want to garden in their community to get started, and help secure land for growing in areas with limited access to green space.
Community gardens can play an important role in helping communities respond to local challenges, from creating opportunities for people to connect through gardening and food growing, to supporting greener neighbourhoods and local nature recovery. In many places, they also contribute to wider environmental benefits such as biodiversity, urban cooling and climate resilience.
While 4% (2.5million) already garden in their community a fifth of the population are keen to get involved. However, more than half (56%) of community gardening groups are fearful for their future. More than a quarter (30%) survive on budgets of less than £500 per year, only 3% own their own land, while many groups report lacking the leadership, administration and marketing skills needed to maintain and grow their offering. 1
The RHS, Hubbub and Social Farms & Gardens partnership will seek to future proof the community gardening movement by widening participation, growing skillsets, strengthening networks, working with local authorities and giving groups opportunity to influence decision making.
A key element of the programme is a new online platform, launching in 2028, that will offer an array of practical tools including advice on year-round harvests, sustainable growing workshops, mentorship programmes and new digital means to measure and evidence sustainability. The platform will also signpost to external resources such as available funding.
The online platform will also serve as a place for groups to meet, share their stories and recruit volunteers, with supporting campaigns from the partners to connect engaged 18-35 year olds and under-represented groups with community gardens. The programme will work with Thrive to help address systemic barriers to participation - particularly for underrepresented and growers with additional needs - through collaborative, co-created approaches.
Convening the sector will also unify calls to action at a local and national level and help drive change. An annual summit, the first in 2026, will bring together gardeners, funders and policymakers to discuss key issues and celebrate potential.
Sarah Galvin, Head of National Community Programmes at the RHS, said: “Community gardens are critical infrastructure – they support people, planet and place – but the path to creating, maintaining and maximising a space is not always straightforward. Our intention is to unite 20,000 community gardening groups into a bold, inclusive movement and unlock the power of green spaces to deliver climate action, strengthen communities, and improve lives across the UK.”
Gavin Ellis, Director at Hubbub, said: "Community gardens are proven catalysts for grassroots climate action. We’re a nation of nature lovers, making these spaces uniquely powerful – where a connection to nature becomes a gateway to wider environmental engagement. Yet despite nearly 15 million people wanting to get involved, local groups are too often underfunded and overwhelmed. This funding recognises community green spaces as the critical infrastructure they are, equipping 20,000 groups to drive meaningful climate action in their own neighbourhoods."
Gary Mitchell, CEO at Social Farms & Gardens, said: “Community gardeners want to share their brilliant skills, not only in gardening and connecting people but how they address many of the key concerns society faces. Their insights shaped this much needed programme, which will see garden groups support each other locally, regionally and across the four nations. We are delighted that the programme brings together the experience of SF&G, Hubbub and the RHS for the first time to bring multiple benefits to UK communities, with a focus on beautiful neighbourhood community gardens, local skills development, enjoyable community connection and serious impact.”
David Knott, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Community gardens are about much more than plants and green spaces. They are places where friendships grow, confidence grows and communities grow stronger together. At a time when many people are looking for ways to improve their local area, support nature and feel more connected, community gardens offer something powerful, practical and hopeful. We’re proud that National Lottery players are helping communities bring these spaces to life and create lasting change where people live.”
Thanks to National Lottery players, the RHS, Hubbub and Social Farms & Gardens has received £3,843,344 over four years from the Climate Action Fund, a long-term commitment from The National Lottery Community Fund to support communities across the UK to act on climate change and involve more people in positive environmental action.
The new funding announcement comes as the RHS Chelsea Flower Show draws to a close with 30 gardens preparing to live on in communities across the country. The show provides all important funding for the RHS’ broader charitable work which in 2025 stood at £17million.
In addition to the creation of resources for community gardening groups across the country, the RHS will partner with Tate Britain and the Clore Duffield Foundation to deliver year‑round learning opportunities. Based in the new Clore Garden at Tate Britain, which the RHS has helped to create, the charity will collaborate with Tate to design and deliver a ten-year programme of activity, funded by the Clore Duffield Foundation, for schools and youth groups, supporting stronger connections between people, art, and plants.
For more information on Community Gardening visit Community gardening / RHS.
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