Serge Hill Project

Gardener's Question Time travels to the Surge Hill Project in Hertfordshire for a special Mental Health Awareness Week episode, hosted by Cathy Clugston and Peter Gibbs. The episode centers on the transformative power of gardening for mental wellbeing, spotlighting the work of Tom and Sue Stuart-Smith, founders of the community interest company. The project combines horticultural expertise with psychotherapeutic insight, drawing from Sue's book The Well-Gardened Mind. A heartfelt segment features Matt Biggs, a celebrated plantsman recently awarded the VMH (Victoria Medal of Honour), who shares his deeply personal journey with cancer and how creating a therapeutic garden at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre became a lifeline during his illness. The panel—Pippa Greenwood, Christine Walkden, Anne Swithinbank, and Matt—answer a range of listener questions on fox deterrence, coriander cultivation, blind bulbs, bent apple trees, and sustainable garden design. The episode culminates in a profound reflection on the evolving purpose of gardens: from controlled spaces to living ecosystems that nurture both people and wildlife, emphasizing connection, resilience, and the healing power of nature. The tone is deeply moving, hopeful, and celebratory of life’s quiet triumphs.