Garden Organic

Garden Organic (legal name: The Henry Doubleday Research Association - HDRA) is the UK's leading organic growing charity, dedicated to promoting and advancing organic gardening, farming, and food for a healthier, more sustainable world. For over 60 years, they have been at the forefront of the organic movement, inspiring and educating individuals, communities, and future generations.

Cultivating a Healthier World, The Organic Way

Founded in 1954 by horticulturist Lawrence D. Hills as the Henry Doubleday Research Association (HDRA), Garden Organic began with experiments into natural fertilisers like comfrey. It has grown into a significant charity with a global reach, advocating for organic principles through research, advice, community work, and campaigning. Their headquarters are at the Ryton Organic Gardens in Warwickshire, which serve as a demonstration site and a hub for their charitable activities.

Mission and Vision: Everyone Growing 'The Organic Way'

Garden Organic's core mission is to get everyone growing 'the organic way' through campaigning, advice, community work, and research.

Their vision is of a healthy, sustainable world that has embraced organic growing, emphasizing the benefits for plants, people, and communities. They aim to inspire practical action to conserve seeds, nurture soil and wildlife, and reduce waste.

Composting Part 1 - Garden Organic's Video Guide: How to make compost

Core Philosophy: Respect for Nature, Evidence-Based Practice, and Community Empowerment

Garden Organic's work is underpinned by several key values:

• Conviction: A deep-seated belief, founded on decades of research and practice, that organic methods are essential for a healthy and sustainable life.
• Respect: For the land, for people, for their organic legacy, and for the need to provide a lasting future for children.
• Honesty: Operating with openness and transparency in all dealings.
• Five Principles of Organic Gardening: They champion these principles:
  1. Build and maintain soil health
  2. Encourage biodiversity
  3. Use resources responsibly
  4. Avoid using harmful chemicals
  5. Maintain a healthy growing area

Key Program Areas and Activities:

Garden Organic's diverse activities cover research, education, conservation, and community engagement:

1. The Heritage Seed Library (HSL):

   • Established in 1975, the HSL is a vital initiative to protect hundreds of rare and endangered vegetable varieties that are no longer commercially available.
   • Unlike traditional seed banks, the HSL actively grows and saves these seeds at Ryton and with a network of "seed guardians" across the UK.
   • They distribute surplus seeds to members, ensuring these precious varieties are kept alive and cultivated, preserving genetic diversity for future generations.

2. Citizen Science and Research:

   • Continuing Lawrence Hills' original approach, Garden Organic engages thousands of members and volunteers in "Members' Experiments." This citizen science program involves individuals conducting simple organic gardening experiments in their own gardens and reporting results, contributing to a vast pool of practical organic knowledge.
   • They also conduct formal research projects to advance understanding of organic horticulture and agriculture.

3. Ryton Organic Gardens (Demonstration & Education):

   • Their 22-acre headquarters in Warwickshire features over 30 individual organic demonstration gardens, open to the public on select days. These gardens showcase organic principles in practice, from no-dig methods and composting to diverse planting for wildlife.
   • They offer tours and workshops on various organic growing techniques.

4. Training, Teaching, and Talks:

   • Master Composters and Master Gardeners Programs: They train and support networks of volunteers across the UK who then go out into their communities to spread knowledge about home composting and organic gardening.
   • Online Courses: Offer self-guided online courses on foundational organic gardening principles.
   • School Programs: Through initiatives like "Garden Organic for Schools" and partnerships (e.g., the former Food for Life Partnership), they help children in thousands of UK schools learn about food and organic growing.

5. Community Work & Sustainable Communities:

   • They deliver projects in partnership with local authorities, housing associations, NHS health providers, and community groups to support growing initiatives. Examples include "Sowing New Seeds" (growing exotic crops) and "The Rye Hill Garden Project" (supporting offenders' recovery through gardening).
   • They were a key partner in the Coronation Gardens for Food and Nature project, which advocates for a 'Right to Grow' on disused land in towns and cities.

6. Campaigning and Advocacy:

   • Garden Organic actively campaigns on issues vital to people and the environment, including health, sustainability, climate change, and food systems.
   • They lobby internationally on behalf of organic and heritage principles, influencing policy to support a more sustainable food system.
   • They consistently raise awareness about the importance of gardening for biodiversity and climate resilience.

Impact and Achievements:

Garden Organic's long history and diverse programs have made a profound impact:

• Pioneering Organic Movement: They are recognized as a foundational organization in the UK's organic horticulture movement.
• Conserving Biodiversity: The Heritage Seed Library is a critical national asset, actively preserving unique vegetable varieties from extinction.
• Empowering Growers: Through their advice, training, and volunteer networks, they have enabled countless individuals and communities to adopt organic growing practices.
• Influencing Policy: Their research and advocacy contribute to shaping policies that support sustainable food systems and environmental protection.
• Reducing Waste: They actively promote composting and responsible resource use, helping reduce household and community waste.
• Building Community Resilience: Their community projects foster stronger local connections, improve food security, and enhance health and well-being.

Garden Organic continues to be a vital voice and a practical guide for anyone looking to grow food and garden in harmony with nature, promoting a healthier Earth one plot at a time.