The man, who transformed the balcony of his 18th-floor apartment into a lush garden during the epidemic, will exhibit his work at the Chelsea Flower Show.
Jason Williams, 35, worked as restaurant manager before it closed in March 2020 and took up gardening as a hobby on his balcony in central Manchester to improve his mental health.
Struggling to find resources to help grow in such a small space, Jason opened up his social media and YouTube channels to document his work and advise hopeful gardeners.
After being encouraged by his followers to sign up for this year’s event, the gardener won an ad to showcase his work The Cirrus Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
The show, which will take place in May, will feature small balconies and container gardens for the second year in a row, after the category was first accepted in 2021 due to a wave of gardeners.
Jason Williams, 35, from Manchester, transformed his 18th-floor balcony into a lush garden during the pandemic.
Sharing the news with his followers on the Cloud Gardener Youtube account, Jason said, “I really can’t believe this is coming out. I want to thank everyone who follows me because without you I wouldn’t have been able to put pen to paper and start the application process, so thank you very much.”
“Due to the lockdown in March 2020 I started converting my balcony area into a small garden, it started with a Marigold. Then it became this.
“I launched my YouTube and social media platforms to show people what you can do with a small space. I also document the trials and challenges of growing this tall, as well as how my garden has helped my mental health. ”
Jason started gardening on his balcony in central Manchester as a hobby to improve his mental health. In the photo, flowers and plants growing on the gardener’s city balcony
Jason’s Cirrus Garden is said to be a compendium of the best elements of Jason’s balcony oasis, The Cloud Garden (pictured)
The garden was inspired by the tallest Cirrus Clouds in the atmosphere and is said to be the culmination of the best elements of Jason’s balcony oasis, The Cloud Garden.
It will contain aromatic herbs, salads, vegetables, wildflowers and a pond to fertilize the garden.
Plants will come from Chorlton Nursery in Manchester and volunteers from Jason’s Facebook group to help build the balcony garden and will be on hand to assist with the event itself.
Jason shared the good news on Instagram earlier this week: “I hope Cirrus Garden acts as a beacon of light and hopefully our planet shows what little space gardeners can do now.
“Help demonstrate that small space gardeners can positively impact urban biodiversity, achieve a sustainable outlook, and reap mental health/illness benefits by connecting with nature.”
Pictured in the balcony garden, Jason talked about how gardening has benefited his mental health while on leave during quarantine.
Jason is an ambassador for Thrive, a charity that helps people with disabilities through social and therapeutic gardening and will bring organization representatives to the event.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Jason talked about how gardening benefits his mental health when he is on leave during quarantine.
“Suddenly gardening has become that kind of escape,” he said. “I don’t like to use words like fight or struggle anymore, but mental health is an issue for me.
“Sometimes going outside to the garden and focusing on something else really helps me achieve a goal for the day or just get some fresh air.
“Sometimes when I’m dealing with anxiety it’s really hard to do simple and simple things like getting out of bed or opening the door and going outside and I’ve found that my balcony has become my safe space, like a shelter or a little oasis.
Source: Daily Mail
