H& S: Community

Question 1

1. Name FIVE types of people which horticultural therapy
   can benefit, and for each one, name ONE benefit.

Answer 1

Military veterans – new skills, opportunity to re-engage with civilian life
Retirees – new hobby, opportunity to meet people
Mentally handicapped – skills, self-confidence and pride
Sufferers from depression – opportunity to undertake work on their own,
opportunity to engage the mind outside the self.
English as a second language learners – opportunity to learn and practice
language, participation in wider community.

Question 2

2. Describe how ONE of these organisations engages with
   community and helps develop horticulture: Britain in
   Bloom, National Trust, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

Answer 2

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society:
* is involved in managing parks for the city, providing employment,
volunteer opportunities,
* helps create gardens (permanent or temporary) on vacant, often
derelict sites,
* supports the creation of community gardens where local residents can
grow their own food, and share skills
* creates a variety of volunteer opportunities for people across a wide
and diverse range of people,
* sense of common purpose and community created by people working
together from different backgrounds
© 2022 Learning with Experts 3
RHS Level 2: Principles of Plant Growth and Development
Course 7: Horticulture & Society, Lesson 4: Community
* a variety of educational programmes cater for gardeners from entrylevel to advanced.

Question 3

1. What are some of the benefits of small communityorientated food-growing projects? List under these
   headings:
   - health
   - education
   - local identity.

Answer 3

Health – opportunities for varied physical activity, mental health benefits too
Education – learning new skills, skills transfer between growers from different
backgrounds; possibilities for adult education as well as organised school
activities
Local identity – a successful food-growing project can be a source of local
pride and become part of the ‘good reputation’ of an area, attracting positive
attention from other areas, media and city government

Question 4

2. List THREE factors that can mean the difference
   between failure and long-term success for a community
   garden organisation. Briefly outline the issues connected
   with each factor.

Answer 4

Size – larger organisations spread the load amongst workers and volunteers,
and are better able to apply for grants, negotiate with land owners etc.
© 2022 Learning with Experts 4
RHS Level 2: Principles of Plant Growth and Development
Course 7: Horticulture & Society, Lesson 4: Community
Wide community engagement – projects that involve themselves in several
local communities build political support, tap as many sources for funding and
volunteers
Successful fund-raising – applications for grants usually cover set-up costs
only; ongoing costs need to be met from community events, membership
fees, sales of produce.

Question 5

1. Imagine that you are the manager of a heritage garden
   where there is a new volunteer programme. You have
   been asked to help recruit volunteers and ensure that they
   are gainfully and safely employed. There is a further
   requirement from the trust that run the garden that there
   should be clear social and educational benefits to
   volunteers, and that the garden should be managed as
   sustainably and with an eye to biodiversity benefits.
   Brainstorm some ideas about some of the things you
   might do, or at the very least, to think about, in order to
   fulfil this quite demanding set of goals.

Answer 5

• Make contact with local newspaper, local radio, to inform the
  community about the plan, and to try to recruit volunteers.
• Someone will need to interview volunteers, to assess their knowledge of
  gardening, and to try to assess how amenable they might be to working
  with others, and what special skills they may have. Also to assess any
  special needs, especially re. H&S, e.g. any history of back trouble.
• Who will take primary responsibility for supervising volunteers? Will
  they need additional training or support?
• First contact should include a health and safety briefing by the H&S
  responsible person, covering general practice, as well as addressing
  risks specific to the garden.
• A thorough tour of the garden needs to be done for all new volunteers,
  the emphasis to be on on tasks they may be asked to help with, H&S
  issues, as well as the historical and horticultural high points.
• New or less experienced volunteers to be put to work with more
  experienced ones.
• All tasks to be recorded, with information on who did what, how well
  completed, problems arising etc.