The National Garden Scheme was founded by The Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing (QICN) in 1927, when £8,191 was raised by opening 609 gardens at one shilling a head. We became independent of the QICN in 1980 and the charity has remained a valued partner ever since – with the National Garden Scheme raising over £6.5 million for the QICN in our 97 years of working together.
In 2024, the National Garden Scheme donated £500,000 to The QICN including funding for the NGS Elsie Wagg Innovation Scholarship, for projects led by nurses that improve people’s physical and mental health through gardening (click here for more information).
The Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing campaigns for the best possible nursing care for patients in their own homes and communities. Their national network of Queen’s Nurses lead by example, and the charity supports frontline projects in the community to improve patient care. The Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing believes that skilled, professional and dedicated community nursing should be available to everyone, where and when they need it.
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- Queen’s nurse Liz Alderton with patient
Discover more about life as a Queen’s nurse in this video…
The QICN was formerly known at the QNI, and rebranded in March 2025. You can find out more about the charity here
