Greenwood Community Update: May 2026
Greenwood Community, our plant donation scheme is back for 2026, and we’ve already seen a flurry of activity since the start of the year. In 2025, we smashed our target of thirty donations, with a record 37 contributions to schools, non-profit organisations, and community backed sustainability projects. This year, we look forward to working with collaborators both new and longstanding, as we aim to provide plants to communities that provide social and ecological benefits. Here’s a summary of our 2026 donations so far:
Boundstone Nursery School
The first donation of the year was to a partner, Boundstone Nursery School. Based in Lancing, the school prides itself on being ‘an inclusive, nurturing community where everybody thrives’. Greenwood donated a mixture of plants to the school as part of a project to build a sensory garden, which provides a stimulating and therapeutic experience for all the senses. A typical scheme will incorporate plants that have interesting textures to touch, as well as aromatic plants with strong, appealing scents, as well as visual appeal.
Chichester Community Development Trust
Our second donation went to Chichester Community Development Trust, who we previously collaborated with in 2024. The trust helps communities across Chichester create bright futures by managing welcoming community buildings, shared spaces and local venues that bring people together. After previously donating a series of native hedging plants to create a border near The Pavillion, our latest donation was a mixture of plants, including Cotoneaster and Geraniums, which have been planted in Graylingwell Park. The 34 hectare site is designated as a Conservation Area and contains two Grade II listed buildings, a Scheduled Monument and 472 protected trees.
Chichester Community Development Trust
Chestnut Tree House
In February, we donated a number of plants to Chestnut Tree House, near Arundel, part of the Southern Hospice Group. The hospice has been a frequent collaborator of the Greenwood Community scheme since 2023, accepting plants to help build and maintain the various green spaces around the grounds. Chestnut Tree House is located very near to our Fresh Acres nursery site, and has cared for many of the G Team’s relatives over the years. The hospice group, whose gardens are managed by Head Gardener Nick Jones, comprises three facilities across Sussex, including the nearby St Barnabas hospice, and Marlets in Hove. We are delighted to be helping ensure that the hospice residents have peaceful, thriving green spaces to enjoy.
Chestnut Tree House
Sussex Green Living
Having collaborated with Sussex Green Living on more than twenty different projects since our first donation in 2024, we are delighted once again to be partnering with the sustainable charity in 2026. So far this year, we have already donated plants to go to four different Pollinator Education Stations (PES), which help attract bees, insects, and other vital pollinators into green spaces, providing them with nutrients, and ensuring an educational resource for local communities at the same time. With many more projects for the rest of the year planned, 2026 is looking to be the biggest year yet for the partnership.
Sussex Green Living
St Wilfred’s Hospice
Greenwood was delighted once again to be partnering with St Wilfred’s Hospice, to provide plants for the gardens at their site in Chichester. St Wilfrid’s Hospice is an independent charity that has been supporting local people in the community who are living with a life-limiting or terminal illness for over 35 years. We first donated plants to the hospice in 2022, and they have been frequent collaborators with Greenwood Community ever since. This donation comprised a variety of different shrubs, including Viburnum tinus, to help replenish areas of the planting around the grounds. Thriving green spaces provide the residents of the hospice with much needed peace and enjoyment, as well as attracting local wildlife to the area.
Slindon C of E Primary School
Our ninth donation of the year was to a new school within the local area. They were recommended to us through frequent collaborators Sussex Wildlife Trust, and aim to encourage their community to shine brightly and be courageous advocates of the world, shaping futures for the better. Greenwood donated a mixture of shrubs and perennials, which were planted by the school’s pupils in various planters and beds around the school grounds. Providing access to nature for young students is vital for their health and wellbeing, and we are thrilled to be able to provide thriving green spaces for the children to enjoy.
River Beach Primary School
Alongside Slindon, River Beach Primary School also recently joined the Greenwood Community scheme through the Sussex Wildlife trust. Based in Littlehampton, the school’s aim is to prepare their children not only for the next steps in their education, but also to prepare them for the rest of their lives. Greenwood donated a mixture of shrubs and perennials, as well as a willow tree, to be planted in the various green spaces around the playground. The plants have helped to improve the existing schemes, and were planted by the children themselves! We look forward to donating more plants in the future.
Slindon C of E Primary School
River Beach Primary School
Upton Heath Allotment Club
In early April, we made our second donation to Upton Heath Allotment Club, following the delivery of some ornamental fruit trees last year. The Allotment Club is part of Upton Heath C of E School, and works to maintain and develop the green spaces around the grounds of the school. This team, we donated 200 mixed native bare root hedging plants, to create a hedge along the border of the school. Among the species chosen were hedging staples such as common beech (Fagus sylvatica), field maple (Acer campestre), wild cherry (Prunus avium), and silver birch (Betula pendula). Native hedgerows are valuable to local ecosystems as they create wildlife corridors, connecting habitats, and strengthening biodiversity. As one of the first collaborators to be based near our Willaston nursery site in the North of England, we’re excited by the potential to contribute to more community projects in the local area.
Greening Arundel
Lastly, our most recent donation was to another frequent collaborator of the scheme, Greening Arundel. They are a community organisation dedicated to maintaining the public green spaces around Arundel town centre and the surrounding area. Previously, we have donated plants which have replenished the planters along the high street, as well as contributing to the redevelopment of the planting areas around the train station. This time, we donated a mixed variety of specialist herbs for the creation of a brand new healing garden at Arundel Surgery. The plants, including thyme (Thymus vulgaris), sage (Salvia officinalis), and chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile). We look forward to our continued partnership with Greening Arundel as they help maintain green spaces for the community.
Greening Arundel
If you have a community or non-profit organisation that you would like to nominate to receive a donation of plants, please contact us here.