Our partnership with the National Garden Scheme
The National Garden Scheme raises money for Macmillan by opening private gardens to the public. As a corporate partner, they have donated over £20 million.
Our partnership
"After Dave died I thought this would be a good way to raise money. People often comment how they feel at peace and relaxed in the garden." - Valerie, whose Japanese stroll garden is part of the National Garden Scheme
We have a unique partnership with the National Garden Scheme which opens beautiful gardens to the public to help transform lives.
The National Garden Scheme has donated over £20 million to Macmillan Cancer Support since 1984, helping to fund care units in Y Bwthyn, Bristol and Chesterfield. This support includes funding 150 Macmillan nurses and vital professionals. Together, we inspire more people to visit gardens to enjoy the sense of well-being a beautiful outdoor space can bring.
The National Garden Scheme gives visitors unique access to over 3,300 private gardens in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands. It raises money for nursing and health charities through admissions, teas and cake. The scheme has raised over £77.8 million for nursing and health charities since 1927. We couldn’t do it without the generosity of garden owners, volunteers and visitors.
Visiting these exceptional gardens helped us open the doors to the Y Bwthyn NGS Macmillan Specialist Palliative Care Unit in Wales, our latest joint project. This is the direct result of a shared commitment to supporting people when they need us most. Watch the video below to learn more about the unit.
You can watch the video in English with Cym subtitles on Youtube.
Lara's story
In 2014, Lara was diagnosed with breast cancer. After she finished treatment, she discovered a passion for gardening.
This led to her opening a gardening club for children. Both her gardens are now open to National Garden Scheme visitors.
Read her story on the National Garden Scheme website.
Maggies story
Maggie in Derbyshire is one of the many people who have benefitted from the National Garden Scheme’s partnership with Macmillan.
Maggie was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2022 and treated at the NGS Macmillan Unit in Chesterfield. She describes how gardening helped her cope with cancer treatment.
She said: “My garden became even more important to me after my diagnosis of breast cancer. As a cancer patient you feel that you are on a rollercoaster, with very little control as you move through the process of surgery and then treatment.
It’s very easy to become hyper focused on cancer, and to spend too much time thinking “what if…” in a very negative way. Spending time in the garden definitely helps me. And when I am feeling low or worried, being out in the fresh air in the garden immediately lifts my mood.”
She said: “I hadn’t really registered that the building I was being treated in had been part funded by the National Garden Scheme until I was sitting there, waiting for my results. I took this as a sign that now was the time to open my garden to raise much needed funds for charity, including for Macmillan.”
Our partnership champions the physical and mental health benefits of gardening, which we know can be valuable and comforting for people living with cancer. Read more about the impact gardening can have on people living with cancer.
Gardens and Health Week
In May each year, the National Garden Scheme’s Gardens and Health Programme raises awareness of the physical and mental health benefits of gardens and gardening for everyone.
This Gardens and Health week which runs from 2-10 May 2026, we are encouraging Macmillan’s supporters to visit National Garden Scheme gardens to enjoy the sense of wellbeing a beautiful outdoor space can bring. You can find a garden to visit near you.
Get involved
To support our partnership, book a garden visit or enjoy a series of virtual tours, visit the National Garden Scheme website. You can also find likeminded gardeners on our Online Community.
The Garden Visitor’s Handbook 2026 is also available from the National Garden Scheme shop.