HortWeek Podcast

This week the HortWeek Podcast welcomes Helen Waddington from Perennial and Creepers' head of horticulture, Michael Buck.

As the first port of call for horticulturists needing extra support, horticulture charity Perennial is on the front line when it comes to gauging the mental health of the sector as a whole.

With an estimated one in five people suffering from a common mental health disorder, Helen Waddington says the most common issue they hear on the Perennial helpline is related to the "cost of living". Ostensibly a financial issue, this in itself will cause stress, but it can have a knock-on effect on relationships (queries for this a have shot up by 93% she says), causing further stress, poor sleep, all of which can impact on work. "The longer this goes on without seeking help it impacts so much more on people".

Michael Buck received a diagnoses of depression in 2021, "one of the hardest things" he has had to confront.

He describes his experience of depression which had been building in him for many years, and the difficult decision he made, at a time of feeling great vulnerability, to seek help - "that was really tough, but that has really opened my mind to bettering yourself, understanding yourself as well".

He talks about the professional stresses that have contributed to poor mental health including damage to plant imports at the border, the huge extra work generated by resulting mixed loads, negotiating with other nurseries to disentangle complex problems that can take hours or days to resolve.

They talk about the importance of paying attention to the symptoms, not diminishing them, and the benefit of seeking help in good time, before more serious mental health problems can take hold.

For some "pushing through" is seen as a "badge of honour" and often it feels an impossible to take time off work. For self-employed workers where "if you don't work you don't get paid" Waddington says Perennial can offer advice and support, sometimes financial.

"For somebody who's employed... you are better to say something to your manager about how you are feeling and they will probably give you a 'welfare day' or a 'sofa day'. For those who feel vulnerable in their role, Waddington's advice is "talk to your GP, get signed off - but you can take a signed off week without even going to the doctor's, people sometimes forget that - and get that support."

Addressing the issue from the other side, Buck gives advice to employers on how to engender a "culture" within your business that can support employees: "You are only as good as the culture you foster".

He says: "I've been in horticulture 20 years now, I've seen a lot and in the early days people would just [say] 'man up'...you didn't want to say anything because if anything goes wrong I'm the first to go because I'm seen as the weak link.

"Where that shift has gone to the positive people will see through that and see the talent and everything that you bring." He talks about the "open door" approach and culture of trust at Creepers that is not just helpful to staff, but is good for staff retention.

For those interested in improving their understanding and handling of mental health issues in the workplace, Perennial has a Mental Health First Aiders programme with ambassdors network meetings where they share "top tips". Waddington shares some of the tips and initiatives that have worked for different businesses.

Waddington outlines the signs to look for that someone you work with might be struggling with their mental health. And she talks about Perennial's presence at peak-stress events like RHS Chelsea Flower Show where they are on hand to offer support "when they're spinning the whole John Lewis crockery department!"

Finally the group discuss how to handle another major source of stress, social media, and share they ways they manage stress in their own lives.