The upkeep of Britain's urban green spaces is becoming precarious as local authorities continue to reduce funding for these non-statutory services. This has led to an increased reliance on volunteer groups for their maintenance.
Public Health England reports that regular exposure to green spaces reduces stress, improves wellbeing, and physical fitness. The Natural History Museum also highlights their role in cooling city infrastructure and reducing pollution.
John Little of Care Not Capital, a community interest company, advocates for greater investment in skilled gardeners. He argues that this leads to benefits beyond horticultural upkeep, including increased biodiversity, climate crisis mitigation, improved community engagement, and reduced antisocial behaviour.
Care Not Capital, launched last year by Little and garden designer Susanna Grant, provides free training for public-space gardeners. The inaugural course in 2025 saw 18 professionals develop skills in habitat creation, biodiversity surveying, and community engagement. The organisation is now completing its second year of training.
Examples of community transformation include Katy Merrington at The Hepworth Wakefield, where a skilled gardener helps maintain an accessible public garden. Benny Hawksbee manages the Eden Nature Garden in Clapham, enhancing biodiversity, while Shereen Chung-Blake transformed a disused patch of public lawn in Camberwell into a thriving community garden and allotment.