Over the last 10 weeks, the Green Hub Project for Teens has been working alongside the National Trust team at Gertrude Jekyll’s Munstead Wood in Godalming, supporting a small group of teens who have helped to prepare for the exciting garden restoration programme, which will soon be underway at this unique, historic property.

The Munstead Wood team approach Green Hub in the spring of this year, interested to understand ways in which the two organisations could work together, in order to deliver community benefit through the power of working in nature.

Katherine Mills, General Manager at Munstead Wood commented; “Gertrude Jekyll was responsible for transforming our relationship with gardening, and Munstead Wood, her home, is one of the most important and influential gardens in the world. Jekyll understood so well the power of gardening to transform and heal and her legacy is considerable.

“As we explore the future of Munstead Wood, we will continue Jekyll’s legacy of inspiring and equipping gardeners. We were utterly inspired by the work of the Green Hub are doing in supporting young people and instantly wanted to find a way to work together. We have been delighted to share the magic of the gardens with some of the Green Hub teens this summer and we hope to continue the pilot with further sessions next year.”

Artwork by Phoebe Curtis

Vanessa Lanham-Day, Co-founder and Chair of Green Hub, outlined how the project has contributed to their work with young people; “Over the last three years, we have been supporting young people in the Surrey and Waverley area who are facing social, emotional and mental-health challenges. The teen mental health crisis is escalating in all parts of the UK and traditional support methods are struggling to meet demand. We have been determined to provide a viable and free local alternative, allowing young people to benefit from social therapeutic horticulture at such transformational time in their lives.

“So, when the team at Munstead Wood approached us, Tone Tellefsen Hughes (my Co-founder) and I jumped at the chance to allow our teens to become the first ever volunteers to work in this extraordinary garden – to say that this is an exciting opportunity, doesn’t even begin to describe our enthusiasm! From what I have learned about Miss Jekyll over these last few months, I have no doubt that she would have heartily approved.”

Over the last 10 weeks, 10 young people – all of whom have previously completed one of Green Hub’s ‘Green Teens’ programmes– were able to volunteer at Munstead Wood. They worked on helping to reinstate the historic woodland garden area, as well as using the garden and planting as inspiration for art and craft projects.

The end of the programme was marked by an informal ‘graduation’ ceremony at Munstead Wood, where the teens received a special certificate to add to their personal portfolio. The National Trust provided an all-important cream tea for everyone to enjoy, and Green Hub’s patron – the BBC’s Flo Headlam – gave a short talk to congratulate them on their achievements.