Herb your enthusiasm – green-fingered Horsham care home resident hired as ‘Resident Head Gardener’

A resident at a Horsham care home has been hired as ‘Resident Head Gardener’ after impressing the care home team with his passion for the outdoors. 

Bill, an 82-year-old resident and gardening expert at Care UK’s Skylark House, on St Mark’s Lane, rose to the challenge of coming out of retirement to blossom as the home’s ‘Resident Head Gardner’.

The home created the part-time role after being inspired by Bill’s gardening knowledge and his green-fingered skills in keeping the garden looking rosy over the summer. Keen to rise to the challenge, Bill’s enthusiasm for all things nature saw him parsley the test and take on the part-time role. 

Bill, who struggled to garden on his own at home in his later years, has been able to get back outside and do what he loves again after moving to Skylark House, with the support of the team and the rest of the gardening club. So far, he has helped with weeding, planting, pruning – and he’s hoping to add annual plants to the home’s garden very soon.

Keen to grow his own produce, Bill has also taken over the home’s greenhouse and created a vegetable patch, where he grows tomatoes, potatoes, courgettes, onions and runner beans which are used by the home’s Head Chead, Yann. 

The former gardening enthusiast also shared his recommendations for gardening at this time of the year – to start getting your gardens ready for the colder months ahead, including planting winter plants and cutting back your bushes and plants now to save on a mountain of shrivelled leaves and rotting twigs.  

Bill said: “I’m over the moon to be back out in the garden helping the Skylark House gardening team. I think gardening is very important, as the flowers keep the air clean and make a beautiful setting for everyone to live in.”

Dorota Woloszyn, Home Manager at Skylark House: “We’re delighted to appoint Bill as our ‘Resident Head Gardener’ here at Skylark House. 

“Bill is incredibly passionate when he talks about gardening, so we’re thrilled we were able to support him to go back out in the garden and do the things he loves the most – from planting beautiful flowers to organising the home’s garden. 

“Gardening has many therapeutic benefits for older people, as it encourages physical activity and also time spent outdoors, which can help to lower stress and anxiety levels. Everyone is looking forward to seeing how the garden will take shape with Bill’s green fingered touch – congratulations Bill!”

Skylark House has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives. The home provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite and palliative care.