Strawberry Hill is an 18th-century gothic fantasy house created by Horace Walpole, man of letters and son of Britain’s first prime minister. The Strawberry Hill Trust was set up in 2002 to manage the house and gardens. The Trust worked with local people to create a garden, inspired by the site’s heritage, that would become a valuable resource for the community.

Volunteering, training and learning were at the heart of the project. Volunteers received training to carry out practical gardening tasks, research and contribute to planning the new planting. Three young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) undertook apprenticeships. Together the staff, volunteers and apprentices created historically inspired planting, a new woodland walk, and a community garden to grow food. Activities and courses such as Grow Food For Fun, The Feel Good Garden, Get Out in the Garden, over 55s gardening, bug hunts, woodland conservation skills sessions and herb days introduced a wide range of people to Strawberry Hill’s garden as part of the community learning programme.