Gardening still struggling to improve ethnic diversity
Eighteen months after Black Lives Matter protests shone a light on the lack of diversity in gardening, campaigners say there’s still not enough evidence of genuine change.
Designer Juliet Sargeant, who in 2016 became the first black designer to create a show garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, says there’s “an emphasis on doing surveys and getting reports written” rather than taking action. “There’s a sense of impatience from people of colour,” she says. “It has felt as if there is not a lot of urgency.”
Tayshan Hayden-Smith, who runs community gardening project Grow2Know in London, says there’s a feeling that gardening bodies are imposing solutions – rather than working side by side with under-represented groups. “These organisations hold the key to so much,” he says. “But they should be doing things with community organisations, not doing things to them.”
Kew and the Royal Horticultural Society now have diversity and inclusion managers, while the National Trust says it’s “fully committed” to increasing diversity in its gardens and has set up an Inclusion Council. Both Kew and the National Trust have also faced a backlash from some members, accusing them of being too “woke”.
Kew has published a 10-year Manifesto for Change and says it’s actively working with communities to encourage more people from ethnic minority backgrounds to apply for its horticulture courses. “This is a nuanced, complex and highly sensitive area of work and we don’t seek to alienate anyone,” says head of interpretation Sharon Willoughby.
Tim Upson, director of horticulture, education and communities for the RHS, points to grants, community outreach programmes and changes to the RHS’s recruitment process, all aimed at attracting more people of colour into the organisation. “We are not as diverse as we should be and we want to change that,” he says.
Juliet Sargeant says she’s encouraged by the increased visibility of people of colour in gardening programmes and magazines.
“It feels fragile, but I know there is goodwill there,” she says. “I accept it will take time, but we need to keep pushing.”
It will take time, but we need to keep pushing