Martineau Gardens is a 2.5-acre therapeutic community garden, located just outside Birmingham city centre. We provide a safe, non-judgemental space for people to connect with nature and other people, in order to measurably improve their mental health and wellbeing, whatever their situation. We do this through:

• therapeutic horticulture for vulnerable adults and young people;

• environmental education, family activities and a summer playscheme that focus on hands-on exploration of the natural world;

• open-access wellbeing activities, including green woodworking and outdoor yoga;

• open free to the public 6 days per week, with a warm welcome and offer of a hot drink from our Visitor Welcome volunteers

One of our main activities is our Therapeutic Horticulture programme, which brings together people from across Birmingham with a range of support needs including learning disabilities, autism, mental health issues, acquired brain injuries and dementia. They engage in collaborative group gardening sessions, which provide social connections, and support their mental health and wellbeing. They also look after the gardens for our visitors, and without their hard work, time and love, our gardens simply would not exist. Our staff have been successfully working with volunteers on the programme for well over a decade, providing a safe, supportive and inclusive environment for people to learn, grow and heal together. We also provide all our volunteers with a hot, daily lunch.  

We do not receive any statutory funding and we are supported with our projects and core costs through funding from charitable trusts and foundations, as well as individual donations, sales of our produce (logs, plants, jam, honey etc.) and venue hire.