Gardener, 35, who transformed balcony into garden will exhibit his work at Chelsea Flower Show

Restaurant manager, 35, who turned his 18th floor flat balcony into a lush oasis during lockdown is selected to showcase ‘small scale gardening’ at the Chelsea Flower Show

  • Jason Williams, 35, transformed his 18th floor flat balcony garden in Manchester
  • He’d been working as a restaurant manager before first lockdown in March 2020
  • Says tending to his ‘cloud garden’ helped him cope throughout the pandmeic 
  • He will be exhibiting his work at The Chelsea Flower Show 2022 in May this year 

A man who transformed the balcony of his 18th floor flat into a luscious garden during the pandemic will exhibit his work at Chelsea Flower Show. 

Jason Williams, 35, was working as a restaurant manager before the first lockdown in March 2020 and started gardening on his Manchester city centre balcony as a hobby to aid his mental health. 

Struggling to find resources to help grow in such a small space, Jason started his own social media and YouTube channels to document his work and give advice to hopeful gardeners. 

After being encouraged by his followers to apply for this year’s event, the gardener won a place displaying his work, titled The Cirrus Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The show, which takes place in May, will include small balcony and container gardens for the second year in a row after recognising the category for the first time in 2021 due to the surge of gardeners in lockdown.

Jason Williams, 35, from Manchester transformed his 18th floor flat balcony into a luscious garden during the pandemic

Sharing the news with his followers on his Cloud Gardener YouTube account, Jason said: ‘I honestly can’t believe it’s come true. I just want to thank everyone following me for pushing me because without you I wouldn’t have even put pen to paper and began the application process, so thank you very very much.’ 

He explained: ‘Through lockdown in March 2020 I began to turn my balcony space into a little garden, it started off with one Marigold. Then it turned into this. 

‘I started my YouTube and social media platforms just to show people what you can do with a small space. I also document the trials and challenges of growing so high, but also how my garden has helped my mental health.’ 

Jason started gardening on his Manchester city centre balcony as a hobby to aid his mental health. Pictured, flowers and plants growing on the gardener's city balcony

Jason started gardening on his Manchester city centre balcony as a hobby to aid his mental health. Pictured, flowers and plants growing on the gardener’s city balcony 

Jason's Cirrus garden is said to be a culmination of the best elements of Jason's balcony oasis, The Cloud Garden (pictured)

Jason’s Cirrus garden is said to be a culmination of the best elements of Jason’s balcony oasis, The Cloud Garden (pictured) 

The garden is inspired by Cirrus clouds, which are the highest in the atmosphere and is said to be a culmination of the best elements of Jason’s balcony oasis, The Cloud Garden.

It will feature herbs, salads, vegetables, wildflowers and a fish pond to help fertilize the garden. 

Plants will be sourced from Chorlton Plant Nursery in Manchester and volunteers from Jason’s Facebook balcony gardening group will be assisting with the build as well as being on hand to help during the event itself. 

Sharing his good news to Instagram earlier this week, Jason wrote: ‘I hope that The Cirrus Garden acts as a beacon of light and hope on our own planet to show what can be done now, by small space gardeners. 

‘Helping to show that small space gardeners can have a positive impact on urban biodiversity, achieve some semblance of sustainability and receive the benefits to mental health/illnesses by connecting to nature.’ 

Jason, pictured in his balcony garden, explained how his gardening has benefitted his mental health when he was placed on furlough during lockdown

Jason, pictured in his balcony garden, explained how his gardening has benefitted his mental health when he was placed on furlough during lockdown

Jason is an ambassador for Thrive, a charity which helps people with disabilities through social and therapeutic horticulture, and will bring along representatives from the organisation to the event. 

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Jason explained how his gardening has benefitted his mental health when he was placed on furlough during lockdown. 

‘Suddenly gardening became this form of escapism’, he said. ‘Now I don’t like to use  words like struggle or battle, but mental health for me is an issue. 

‘Sometimes going out there and going into the garden and focusing on something else really helps me achieve a goal for the day or just getting some fresh air. 

‘Sometimes when you’re dealing with anxiety it’s really difficult to do simple basic things like get out of bed or opening up the door and going outside and I found my balcony became my own form of safe space, like a refuge or little oasis’.