Homeless young gardeners to showcase skills at Chelsea Flower Show

Garden desinger David Arkin and his helpers begin to construct the garden at Chelsea

The ultimate event in the gardening year, thousands of people will pass through the doors of the Chelsea Flower show. From big name designers to the Royal family to gardening fanatics, visitors are eager to catch a glimpse of the latest trends in gardening in full bloom and in an explosion of colour.

As part of Centrepoint’s 40^th anniversary celebrations, Centrepoint will be showcasing it’s very own garden at the Chelsea Flower Show. Inspired by Centrepoint young people who have completed its pioneering horticulture scheme, in partnership with Capel Manor College and funded by the LDA, young people have had the chance to master horticulture skills and gain a valuable qualification increasing their future employment prospects. 

Since 2007, six groups of young people have spent a week at the National Trust’s Scotney Castle in Kent as part of the course, working in the grounds as volunteers alongside Scotney Castle’s head gardeners. During the last two years, their main focus has been the renovation of Scotney’s octagonal Victorian vegetable garden – a project whose importance was recently recognised by the Nationwide Community and Heritage award scheme. The inspiration for Centrepoint’s Chelsea Garden comes from this vegetable garden. It will be a miniature representation of the garden, conveying some key messages focusing on the importance of managing water in the garden, maximizing growing space and trying to grow as much of what you eat as possible. Another strong visual element will be a version of Scotney’s “dipping pool”, an original Victorian irrigation technique currently being restored at the castle’s vegetable garden. 

Centrepoint young people master horticulture skills at Scotney Castle

Duane, 22, who has completed City and Guilds Level 1 Certificate in horticulture skills has been receiving support from Centrepoint for two and a half years. Since acquiring new skills including propagation of seeds, soil cultivation, and pruning, he hopes to reach his ultimate dream of one day becoming a tree surgeon.

On completing the course, Duane said:

“I really enjoyed the course. It’s been enjoyable work and rewarding and it’s good to grasp the skills now and be able to use them to get a job and move on from Centrepoint”.

Paul Micklewright, head gardener at Scotney Castle speaking about Centrepoint’s residential project said:

“The groups of young people from Centrepoint showed tremendous commitment and hard work during their residential work at Scotney Castle. Most of the young people had never been to the countryside before they came to Scotney, and they loved it. It is a delight to see the progress they made.”

Speaking about the Chelsea Flower Show garden, Paul said:

“I think it's fantastic what everybody has managed to achieve, from the co-ordination of staff and resources, to seeing the garden develop from David's initial sketches into a living garden. It has been a privilege to be part of and I am looking forward to seeing the finished garden!”

The project has been a wonderful partnership - lead by garden designer, David Arkin, involving gardeners from the National Trust, who along with many volunteers have helped to build the stand.  Many of the plants have been grown by young people from Centrepoint under the watchful eye of lecturers from Capel Manor College.  Our thanks to all who have been involved.

See Centrepoint's garden transform step by step in a gallery of pictures here.