The Growing Community
“On our own, without a community, we cannot do much. We need a community of like-minded friends and colleagues to help us realise our deepest dreams…Our community can become a source of support and a place of refuge for many people. We nourish our community in our lifetime, and it carries us forward into the future.”
Thich Nhat Hanh (The Art of Living)
This space will be headed up by me: Nicola Todd-Macnaughton
I’m a qualified horticulturalist, with a keen interest in the mental health aspects of getting your hands in the soil, growing for pollinators, gardening with kids, creating beautiful gardens and growing chemical free food and herbs to feed our bodies and minds.
Subscribers to the Growing Community will get:
Access to a members resource area, containing a range of seasonal gardening resources - with new resources being added each month. These are designed to guide you through how to care for the plants in your garden all through the year, breaking down what tasks to do and how to do them.
Tips for getting to know and learn about wild plants and flowers that grow in Scotland. Foraging ideas, recipes and creating natural skincare and remedies.
Membership to a WhatsApp group with opportunity for daily discussions, weekly tips and a friendly community of gardening and nature loving people
Regular zoom calls with a focus on seasonal gardening activities, and practical hands-on tips
The opportunity to meet up with your community at a series of in-person events (in central Scotland), including organised garden visits
10% off planting plans and garden designs (based on a 6 month mininum membership)
What Growing Community members are saying…..
"I first met Nicola when I decided to make changes to my fairly small urban garden and came across her website. Nicola was a joy to work with and encouraged me to develop my own ideas as well as gently guiding me.
“When she decided to set up the Growing Community , I thought it would help me to maintain the improvements that she had made to my garden. It has done this and so much more. I have learned so much from her unending patience in answering questions on the WhatsApp group and from her blogs and Zoom sessions. I am a relative novice in gardening matters. Some members in the community have more knowledge so it is a great opportunity on the WhatsApp group to share gardening problems and learn from others in a
friendly and unchallenging atmosphere.
”An unanticipated pleasure has been the outings organised by Nicola to various gardens around Glasgow and further afield. Nicola is inundated with questions which she happily answers, and we usually finish with coffee and cake and a good blether in a nearby café. My enthusiasm, knowledge and pleasure in gardening have grown enormously because of the Growing Community. I highly recommend joining."
Eleanor, Anniesland, Glasgow
“I joined the Growing Community after connecting with Nicola through a mutual friend. Her knowledge and enthusiasm are infectious and have reinvigorated my enthusiasm for gardening. She is refreshingly realistic and has encouraged me to take a fresh look at my growing space, suggesting plants and design options that will help me to get the best out of my garden.
“Nicola is generous with her expertise sharing new resources regularly with members. She includes seasonal reminders and detailed information, encouraging us to be more mindful and engaged with our growing spaces.
“The community is a welcoming and supportive group of like minded individuals. I'm looking forward to enjoying more meet ups and garden visits this year.""
Helen, Helensburgh
"I joined the Growing Community after the death of my husband, which resulted in me being promoted to Head Gardener. Full of trepidation at having to care for what he had developed and loved over 20 years, the Community provides me with expert advice, discussion about what works and what doesn't, sharing ideas, friendship and cake! I am much more knowledgeable and confident in the garden, and increasingly enjoy seeing the results of my efforts!"
Vicki, Glasgow
As a member, you gain access to a wealth of gardening resources and exclusive community benefits.
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The Growing Community is for you if you are interested in plants, gardening, engaging with nature and growing. EVERYONE is welcome, whether you are new to nature or a seasoned gardener.
In the same way that it takes an entire village to raise a child, I believe it takes a whole range of people with different skills, abilities and talents to create a vibrant community.
Our in-person meet ups will take place in and around central Scotland, so to make the most of your membership, it would be helpful to be able to access this location. If you can’t, you will still be able to soak up the vibes via the WhatsApp community where we will post videos and updates from our meeting.
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As a garden designer, it is my job to get gardens off to their best possible start. After the garden has been installed, it is over to the owner of that garden to ensure it flourishes. I want to help people get the skills and know how to do that and learn how to garden and care for their spaces, so that their plants can thrive.
I believe that everyone should have the skills and know-how to be able to look after and tend to their own gardens. This is a skill that is sadly being lost, and I feel it is one of my duties as a plant lover to keep passing on the knowledge.
Gardening doesn’t have to complicated or scary. It’s an incredibly fun and rewarding activity, and I promise you that as soon as you begin to garden, you will get the bug and you won’t want to stop.
I also believe that gardening, and finding a connection to the land, is so healing. Our modern fast-paced world is incredibly stressful and can take its toll on our nervous systems. It definitely did for me when I worked in a corporate environment – one that never stopped, until I physically had to. I don’t think I would have made it through that stressful time if I hadn’t found gardening and nature.
We all need to unplug sometimes. Gardening is the perfect way to do that. By getting outside and paying attention to nature, we can learn that nature works at her own pace – as humans we can’t hurry her along, we have to work alongside her. Gardening makes us slow down, pay attention to nature’s ebbs and flows and appreciate the beauty of each of the seasons in its own right.
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If you want to create a new habit, a community is integral – it provides support, companionship, accountability, and most importantly, so much advice and inspiration.
In the past, gardening was something that was passed down through the generations – from mothers and fathers to children. Sadly, a lot of this knowledge has been lost, but to keep gardening alive, we have to find other ways to learn. I think communities like this will be key to keeping that knowledge alive and our gardens growing and flourishing.
If this resonates with you, then please do come along and join me in this community journey.