The Serge Hill Project for Gardening, Creativity and Health is currently recruiting for the following role:

Job title: The Serge Hill Project Rockcliffe Gardening Scholar (Fixed Term: 2 Years)

Company: The Serge Hill Project, The Dairy Studio, Sergehill Lane, Bedmond, WD5 0RZ

Reports to: Head Gardener of the Plant Library 

The Serge Hill Project Rockcliffe Gardening Scholar will spend two years working in the Plant Library at Serge Hill Project, Bedmond, Hertfordshire supporting, and being trained by Head Gardener Millie Souter. Situated in an old orchard, The Plant Library is a living catalogue of over 1500 herbaceous perennials and sub shrubs, planted in both sand and green waste, that has become a popular destination and resource for garden designers and plant lovers alike.

The scholarship aims to empower and train new horticulturists to develop strong practical skills and knowledge, from garden care to propagation to planting, whilst supporting them to become an advocate for horticultural education and to launch their careers. The scholarship is primarily a practical, hands-on role based on site, with opportunities to visit and work in other gardens to broaden their experience. The scholar will have opportunities to support the wider work of the Serge Hill Project, a not-for-profit initiative which works with schools and community groups foster inclusion through gardening and other forms of creativity. 

Salary: This is a full-time position for a fixed period of 2 years, which pays £22,250 per year. The scholarship is open to UK citizens or anyone eligible to work in the UK

Application deadline: Friday 7 February 2025, 12pm
Interviews: Mid February

The Serge Hill Project Rockcliffe Gardening Scholarship is made possible with the generous support of the Rockcliffe Charitable Trust.

Person Specification
We're looking for someone who has:

RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles and Practices of Horticulture, or equivalent qualification

A passion and enthusiasm for plants and gardening

A commitment to a career in horticulture and desire to develop their skills

An interest in education and advocating gardening as a career

Good communication skills, both written and verbal

The ability to work as part of a team as well as working independently

The ability to commute to Bedmond or be based locally

-Assisting the Head Gardener in the running and maintenance of the Plant Library, from propagation to planting to weeding to working with volunteers

-Supporting the Head Gardener in monitoring and updating the Plant Library database

- With the support of the Serge Hill Project contacts, visiting schools to give talks to students to encourage a new generation of gardeners e.g. GCSE & Year 12 students as part of their careers weeks to spread the attraction of gardening to students

-Keeping a regular diary and create a monthly report about the work they undertake, to be shared with the Head Gardener and Project Coordinator, for circulation and use in the Serge Hill Project Newsletter

-Support broader projects happening in relation to the Plant Library -eg ecological research initiatives, linking with external gardens

-Assist during public events and garden tours and with the broader running of the Plant Library as needed

- Writing regular Instagram posts for the Serge Hill Project feed to give insight into the Scholarship & what they've learned

- Support the Head Gardener as required with any work which relates to the Tom Stuart-Smith Studio team and related projects

-Visiting and working at other gardens connected to Tom Stuart-Smith Studio and the Serge Hill Project, as part of a garden exchange, including at Rockcliffe with their Head Gardener

About The Serge Hill Project
The Serge Hill Project for Gardening, Creativity, and Health, was set up as a Community Interest Company (CIC) in 2023 by Tom and Sue Stuart-Smith. The project draws on Sue’s work as a psychiatrist, psychotherapist and author of the bestselling book The Well Gardened Mind, which investigates the power of gardening to transform lives, as well as Tom’s horticultural expertise as an internationally renowned Landscape Architect.

The Serge Hill Project is a not-for-profit initiative based on the understanding that working with nature can radically transform people’s health and wellbeing. The aim is to foster community inclusion through gardening and other forms of creativity.

The Project is based in an old orchard at Serge Hill in Hertfordshire with an educational resource centre, The Apple House, at its centre. It offers resources to local primary and secondary schools, youth organisations and mental health charities, as well as local residents who want to get involved in gardening.

Our community engagement programme focuses on those who have least opportunity access to the natural world. It is our aim that along with events and organised visits to the Orchard, the project will lead to long lasting relationships with schools and community groups both locally and further afield.


About Rockcliffe Charitable Trust
The Rockcliffe Trust was set up in 1977 by Simon and Emma Keswick. It donates funds to charitable causes. The brief is wide, but recent examples include Maggie's Cancer Care Centres, Cotswold School Bourton on the Water and Gympanzees in Bristol.

Safeguarding
In the process of recruitment, selection and appointment, the Serge Hill Project implement a range of procedures and actions including criminal record checks to ensure children and vulnerable people are safeguarded and abuse is prevented.

How to apply
To apply: Please submit a CV (no more than 2 pages) and cover letter (no longer than 1 side of A4) outlining your interest in and compatibility for the role.

Applications should be emailed to Becky Fincham, Head of Programmes at info@sergehillproject.co.uk with Serge Hill Project Rockcliffe Gardening Scholar in the subject header of your email.
Deadline: Closing date for applications is Friday 7 February 2025, 12pm.

Interviews and Shortlisting: It is anticipated that shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview by mid February 2025.

Now recruiting: The Serge Hill Project Rockcliffe Gardening Scholar

The very first bulb to appear ever year within the first few days of January is Iris histrioides var. sophenensis from Northern Turkey. This plucky little bulb comes out in the depths of winter, kindly treating us to a delicate flush of azure purple when all other colour has faded and before all other has begun. It brings so much joy and is a timely reminder that spring is coming and a reminder to me that winter too has its own gems. 

Fruit tree pruning is due. The expert gardener and highly knowledgeable Mark Todd Hunter helped with this last year, but this year we are keeping it in-house. We have a mix of soft, hard and stone fruit trees in the Plant Library. Tom and Sue are particularly partial to the Comice pear, it is delicious. Tom has even taken to stewing large batches of the conference pears for lunch time dessert in the studio – we are all big fans of this!

Becky our Project Coordinator has brilliantly this summer been to get our apple and pear harvest pressed and so the aforementioned Serge Project Apple and Pear juice was born. 

Most of the trees in the orchard were planted by Tom many years ago. We sadly opted to remove a couple of green gages as they were running too much into the beds. We have two mulberries that we tend to crown lift ever so slightly every year to allow more to grow underneath. There is a mature Egremont Russet apple tree that is always generous with its crop. 

We have a couple of damsons and the studio members enjoy devouring them every year leaving work on an evening with weighty bags full of fruit. Owing to studio member Victoire we have had the pleasure of jam! Thank you Victoire, it was delicious. 

Ahead with planning for this growing season and building the Plant Library database, we are very grateful to the 30 people who have already signed up to help with data collection. It's going to be a great year!


Notes from our Head Gardener, with Millie Souter, The Plant Library

Sunnyside Rural Trust opened its fourth site at Serge Hill last summer, in the form of a beautiful hi-tech nursery. The Trust is enabling people with learning differences to propagate plants from The Plant Library, which will be available to buy later this year.


Orchard Nursery and Perennial Lead, Sophie McIntyre Peters, took over running sessions at the end of October and is now heading up operations on site.


Her thoughts:
'The process of propagation is a great thing for people with learning differences to do. The concepts around making copies of plants through vegetative propagation are straightforward to teach and once a group develops enough knowledge they gain confidence quickly. So far, trainees have been mixing the potting mix; dividing with forks; dividing and separating with knives or by hand; taking stem and root cuttings and potting up.


Much of the work we do is under supervision, but what's really struck me over the last few months is that our trainees really are great propagators - it's a task that many enjoy and can succeed in. It doesn't take long to build confidence, and you can get a lot done with six enthusiastic people in the greenhouse! We are currently averaging five to six plant varieties each week.


There is also much excitement among trainees at taking on a new and important challenge in a different place. Our trainees often work away from site on outside gardening contracts, and they very much enjoy new places, challenges and people.
Currently, we have groups coming from our three other Sunnyside sites on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and teams (also with learning differences) coming as part of employment training through another charity, Mission Employable, on Thursdays and Fridays.


All the best from The Orchard Nursery greenhouse!'

The Orchard Nursery by Sunnyside at the Serge Hill Project 

The Serge Hill Project for Gardening, Creativity and Health is currently recruiting for the following role: 

Job title: Education and Events Coordinator

Company: The Serge Hill Project, Sergehill Lane, Bedmond, WD5 0RZ

Reports to: Head of Programmes and The Serge Hill Project Director

Job purpose: To develop, organise and deliver an effective and educational programme for school children, teachers and other educational groups to engage with gardening and the environment for the purposes of learning, creativity and wellbeing. To help organise income generating events and facilitate their smooth running in collaboration with the Head of Programmes.

Salary: This is a full-time position which pays £35,000
Application deadline: Monday 20 January 2025, 12pm
Interviews: Late January / early February 2025

We’re looking for someone who has all or many of the following attributes:

Excellent communication skills and the ability to connect with people of all ages, backgrounds and interests

Self-motivated and well organised with the ability to work as part of a team

Experience of working with gardens and the natural world

A commitment to a career in outdoors and creative education

Creative and innovative approach to engaging children with the natural environment

Good working knowledge of child safety, welfare and safeguarding practices

Willingness to work outdoors in a range of weather conditions

Some experience of live events and dealing with members of the public

Use of MS Office including Word, Excel and online systems to intermediate level , including the ability to create presentations in PowerPoint

Full clean driving licence and own car, for outreach work in schools is essential

The ability to work evening events as required, with time in lieu offered

Some experience organising and running events

Experience in an educational environment – such as formal or informal teaching spaces including Forest School

Experience of developing and delivering site-specific programmes of learning activities and educational resources for a variety of learning needs and styles, including producing educational resource material

Skills in creative activities – e.g. including art, horticulture, photography

Some knowledge of the National Curriculum

To support the Head of Programmes as required to deliver the Serge Hill Project’s broader aims and objectives

Participate in delivering the Serge Hill Project’s income generating events, taking responsibility for event logistics and admin in advance and on the day, including front of house activities and welcoming members of the public, organising cleaning rotas and coordinating volunteers, setting up rooms and tech, setting up ticketing pages as required

Assist with programming and developing event ideas

Set up The Apple House ahead of events – both public and educational

Work with the Serge Hill Project Head of Programmes and Director to organise, plan and deliver an effective Education programme for school children and teachers with an interest in gardening, creativity and nature

Create and develop strong relationships with local schools and other educational providers to ensure ongoing visits across different year groups throughout the year

Create a programme of seasonal activities for school and community groups including seed sowing, art, food growing and plant identification, exploring the full potential of the site and expertise available. Produce resources for visitors including a sensory map of the Plant Library

Drive delivery of outreach to local schools in the area, including working with the Serge Hill Project team to develop gardens within local schools

The ability to produce reports as required

Liaise with the Head of Programmes to integrate the school programme with the wider schedule of events and activities in The Apple House and Plant Library

Undertake any other duties as may reasonably be required in the post

The Serge Hill Project for Gardening, Creativity and Health is a not-for-profit initiative based on the understanding that working with nature can radically transform people’s health and wellbeing. The aim is to foster community inclusion through gardening and other forms of creativity.

The Project is based in a one-acre orchard at Serge Hill in Hertfordshire with a Plant Library and large eco-barn, The Apple House, at its centre. It offers resources to local primary and secondary schools, youth organisations and mental health charities, as well as local residents who want to get involved in gardening.

Our community engagement programme focuses on those who have least opportunity to access the natural world. Along with events and organised visits to the Orchard, the Project aims to build long lasting relationships with schools and community groups both locally and further afield.

The Serge Hill Project was set up as a Community Interest Company (CIC) in 2021 by Tom and Sue Stuart-Smith. The project draws on Sue’s work as a psychiatrist, psychotherapist and author of the bestselling book The Well Gardened Mind, which investigates the power of gardening to transform lives, as well as Tom’s horticultural expertise as an internationally renowned Landscape Architect.

To find more information about the Serge Hill Project, explore 

The Serge Hill Project Education and Events Coordinator role is made possible through the generous support of the Julia Rausing Trust.

Safeguarding
In the process of recruitment, selection and appointment, the Serge Hill Project implements a range of procedures and actions including criminal record checks to ensure children and vulnerable people are safeguarded and abuse is prevented.

How to apply
To apply: Please submit a CV (no more than 2 pages) and cover letter (no longer than 1 side of A4) outlining your interest in and compatibility for the role. 

Applications should be emailed to Becky Fincham, Head of Programmes at info@sergehillproject.co.uk with Education and Events Coordinator in the subject header of your email.
Deadline: Closing date for applications is Monday 20 January 2025, 12pm. 

Interviews and Shortlisting: It is anticipated that shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview by early February 2025. 

Now recruiting: Events and Education Coordinator

Winter is quietly settling in. At this time of year we buckle down and take stock, assessing all the plants’ growth, observing what has been crowded out and needs to be moved to the front of the beds, or to the back!

I topped up number of Mathiasella bupleuroides 'Green Dream', a great Mexican umbel that grows in the desert or in dry shrub land. It's hardy down to -15°C so grows fine in the UK. We have it here in the sand beds but to my surprise it has not established well. I have moved it to more open sunnier spot where I am hoping it will be happier.

Work has begun on extending The Plant Library into the paddock, but due to wet weather we have had to draw the groundworks to a close until the Spring. We hope to plant in April.

Before the rain set in, Matt and his team were busy creating a clay lined pond in the new site which is now 4ft deep. A little more depth than we had anticipated due to recent rainfall. We shall see how this develops and we may have to make adjustments to alter the depth.

The pond is a great addition to The Plant Library allowing us to grow a range of marginal plants. It will also provide another dimension for children to enjoy whilst they are here. It will be interesting to see what Johnnie Johnson, our excellent ecologist, will find amongst the depths. It also broadens our habitat range so our biodiversity should go up, which is only a good thing.

Over the next few days we have a delivery of plants coming from 

 wholesale nursery for the new phase of The Plant Library and some additions to the Barn Garden. Rijnbeek sell a great selection of bare root plants. Geum 'Tales of Hex' and Geranium x oxonianum 'Trevor's White' will be coming as bare root. They also sell a great selection of bare root peonies, but sadly we are too late for their stock.

Sunnyside Rural Trust have been working on divisions to create stock for their Orchard Nursery at The Serge Hill Project next year. Dividing plants such as Iris siberica 'Banish Misfortune', the smartest and darkest Iris, Iris chrysographes, Geum rivulare 'Album', Tiarella 'Spring Symphony' and Macleaya x kewensis 'Flamingo'. Good to start to see their glass house filling up!

 hand built and designed a superb heated room for our tender salvias and pelargoniums and shrubs to be housed over winter. Many thanks to him for this. It saves me from double fleecing and ensures all tenders will survive the winter.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the amazing volunteers who bring so much joy and enthusiasm to The Plant Library every Friday. I could not keep it looking as good without them.

The Serge Hill Project offers resources to local primary and secondary schools, youth organisations and mental health charities, as well as local residents who want to get involved in gardening. In our first year, we have worked with local primary and secondary schools and it has been joyful to see children of all ages and abilities exploring The Plant Library, collecting flowers, harvesting crops, drawing insects, eating herbs and engaging with the natural world on every level.

Learning Support Workers, Denise and Paula from Breakspeare School have shared their experience of visits to The Serge Hill Project in 2024.


'Our weekly visits to the beautiful natural setting of The Orchard at the Serge Hill Project are always met with excitement by both students and staff. We grew from seed at our school: sunflowers, pumpkins, squashes, and runner beans, and with the help of gardener Jake, transplanted our seedlings into an allotment that had been kindly allocated to us. Jake demonstrated how to plant radish seeds directly into the soil and the students followed his instructions correctly.

It is pleasing to see the students benefiting in so many ways, through interaction with the gardeners and other staff, being outside in a therapeutic setting, participating in the lifecycle of plants and insects whilst enjoying delicious home grown produce!

We appreciate having access to The Apple House, using the kitchen to make vegetable soup with our produce which is so delicious that students often ask for more than one helping! We also have plenty of space to do craft activities using natural materials.

It has been rewarding for school staff to witness students experiencing spontaneous improvements in their communication whilst at The Serge Hill Project and we believe that this is a result of being immersed in such a stimulating, fascinating and enriching natural environment, encouraged by friendly Project staff. We are all deeply grateful and proud of our part in this project - it is improving the wellbeing of school staff and students alike and provides quality evidence towards student qualifications and targets. Thank you so much to The Serge Hill Project!'


Breakspeare School Visits to Serge Hill Project

'A garden is much more than a physical space, it is also a mental space' - Dr Sue Stuart-Smith, The Serge Hill Project

'Being outside is a human right' - Dr Olivia Chapple, Horatio’s Garden



We were delighted to host our first ever event on gardening and health in The Apple House on 6 November in the form of our sold out symposium: The Safe Green Space: Gardens and Health, run by The Serge Hill Project in collaboration with 

, the charity run by GP Dr Richard Claxton. 

The Safe Green Space took its name from the title of a chapter in Dr Sue Stuart-Smith's internationally bestselling book on gardening and health, The Well Gardened Mind: Rediscovering Nature In The Modern World. This is the book which is in essence the seed which gave life to The Serge Hill Project, which Sue co-founded with her husband, Tom.


Following Sue's keynote introductory speech, GP Richard Claxton spoke about the journey of Gardening4Health towards becoming a charity which supports and connects a network of therapeutic gardens across the UK. This was followed by a cheery double act in the form of Garden Designer and TV presenter Arit Anderson and Sunnyside Rural Trust's CEO Keely Siddiqui Charlick who spoke about their collaboration and commitment to the type of gardening that nourishes both planet and people. Ruth Madder of Bridewell Gardens, a mental health recovery service in West Oxfordshire then spoke on the role of the horticultural therapist as well as

Everyone then explored the Plant Library with Head Gardener Millie Souter and the Barn Garden and Prairie with gardener Derek Hunter, before returning for a hearty vegetarian lunch of soup, quiche and cake. After lunch, a stirring 10 minute performance of Bach by Kurosh Davis, a former professional viola player and now Director of Tom Stuart-Smith Studio, settled everyone back into the present moment, hearts lifted and ready for the afternoon session.


The afternoon was dedicated to the incredible work of 

, the charity which creates gardens for spinal units across the UK, and featured a presentation by the charity's co-founder Dr Olivia Chapple, who also spoke to a former patient Joe Darrell about his experiences at Horatio’s Garden in Glasgow and Stanmore. Tom Stuart-Smith explored his time designing Horatio's Garden in Stanmore before Ashley Edwards shared his experience of day to day life in the gardens as Head Gardener and Horticultural Therapist there.


The shared passion and dedication to all aspects of therapeutic horticulture in the room, from speakers to audience members, was palpable and galvanising. We were so inspired that we’re already plotting ideas for our 2025 symposium! Thanks to all who took part.

A Review: The Safe Green Space: Gardens and Health Symposium

'Enlightening, inspiring, joyful, grounded, informative and inclusive' were just some of the words guests used to encapsulate their time at Working with Earth: Architecture and Landscape earlier this month.


We would like to extend a huge and heartfelt thank-you to everyone who came and took part in Working with Earth: Architecture and Landscape, the inaugural two-day symposium hosted by 

 in The Apple House earlier this month. The symposium was an exploration and celebration of the practices, projects and processes and potential of working with earth and brought together a community across architecture and landscape with an unending passion for natural materials. 


Day One featured a range of architectural practitioners: from Dr Murine Kate Dineen on natural pigments and her work with Studio Mumbai, to Edmund Fowles of Feilden Fowles on their projects including the Urban Nature Project at the Natural History Museum to earth working demonstrations from Iza Thomson and Bee Rowan, and reflections on the global impact of stabilising clay with lime in building, to Paloma Gormley on Material Cultures' recent projects and architect Ben Stuart-Smith on the processes involved in building the event's venue, the Apple House.


After an opening introduction by George Massoud of Material Cultures, Day Two brought together Loretta and Ben Bosence from Local Works on sustainable landscaping, including their collaboration with Sarah Price on her 2023 RHS Chelsea Garden, on which Sarah then gave a designer's perspective among broader insights into how she creates moments of magic in the garden using natural materials. After lunch Tom Massey, Cleve West and Tom Stuart-Smith presented on using recycled materials in their projects, including a number of show gardens, before all the speakers gathered for a panel discussing the potential, processes and practicalities of sourcing and using sustainable and recycled materials.

A Review: Working With Earth: Architecture and Landscape Symposium

BBC Sounds, Gardeners' Corner at The Serge Hill Project

Slow Mornings, Sue and Ben Stuart-Smith

‘You’re looking at plantsmanship at the sharp end… you’ve got good plants and good growing... it’s a complete one off. There's nothing like it’ - Alan Titchmarsh of his first visit to Serge Hill 

In September, Alan generously gave his time for a very special lunch with invited guests in The Apple House and a wander through The Plant Library, Prairie and Barn Garden. 

The lunch was a chance for Tom Stuart-Smith and Sue Stuart-Smith in conversation with Alan Titchmarsh to update friends and supporters of The Serge Hill Project for Gardening, Creativity and Health on the progress made since its launch earlier this year. 

After lunch, guests also listened an inspiring speech from Sunnyside Rural Trust CEO Keely Siddiqui-Charlick, about the long standing relationship Sunnyside Rural Trust has had with Tom and Sue. Guests also had the chance explore the new Orchard Nursery run by the trust, which will start propagating on site at The Serge Hill Project shortly.

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