In 2011 the National Garden Scheme set up a grant scheme in memory of Elspeth Thompson, the much-loved garden writer and journalist who died in 2010. Elspeth was a great friend and supporter of the National Garden Scheme; she also wrote an admired ‘Urban Gardener’ column in the Sunday Telegraph. Her column often celebrated community gardens and so the grants support gardening projects carried out within local communities all over England and Wales.
Previously managed in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society, from 2019 the scheme became wholly managed by the National Garden Scheme.
Applications for 2024 are now closed and successful recipients will be announced in April.
The application process for 2025 will open in the autumn 2024 with community garden projects in England, Wales and Northern Ireland all eligible to apply.
Full details of how to apply will be published on this page later in the year.
Each year the National Garden Scheme announces grants for community garden projects.
To mark Community Gardens Week in 2024 (1-7 April) the National Garden Scheme was delighted to announce the distribution of £247,502 of funding to 95 community garden projects across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
For a map of Community Garden Grant projects since 2019 open the map below and click on the pins to find out more…
St Peters Community Wellbeing Projects in Bethnal Green, London works to support local elderly and/or vulnerable BAME women through participation in community gardening activities.
In 2017 the National Garden Scheme chose the National Autistic Society (NAS) as one of its guest charities giving grants to create a garden experience for people with autism. In Conwy and Denbighshire the legacy continues to thrive
Ponthafren applied for a Community Garden Grant to bring the garden back to its former glory after it fell into disrepair during Covid 19.
Killicomaine residents used a Community Garden Grant to create a safe and welcoming community space & outdoor kitchen.
Homerton University Hospital applied for a Community Garden Grant to create a green hub for patients, staff and the community.
In January 2021 Festival Stoke took on plot 33 at Richmond Street Allotments in the heart of Stoke town allowing them to continue to develop the Greening Stoke project into a health and wellbeing project with a creative gardening twist
For stories about some of our previously supported projects click on the squares below