Charity | Posted on September 30th, 2026 | return to news

Lord Lieutenant of Dorset visits Cherry Tree Nursery

Professor Michael Dooley said the Bournemouth nursery is “extraordinary”.

The Lord Lieutenant of Dorset, Professor Michael Dooley, praised the mental health support provided by Cherry Tree Nursery when he made a visit recently.

Run by mental health charity Plants and Minds the 36-year-old nursery at Northbourne supports up to 85 adults with life-impacting mental health conditions every week.

Service users, known as team members, take part in the nursery’s horticultural therapy programme, growing thousands of quality perennials, shrubs, climbers, hedging plants, young veg plants and exotics every year for sale to Dorset’s gardeners.
Speaking after touring the nursery and meeting the Cherry Tree team, Professor Michael Dooley said: “Cherry Tree Nursery is an extraordinary place.

The staff, volunteers, trustees and patrons are truly inspiring. Their care, energy and commitment have created a community where people feel welcomed, valued and able to grow.

“The work of Plants and Minds brings real benefits to mental health in Dorset. It also brings the King’s vision of harmony to life by connecting people, place and nature for the good of the wider community.

“My heartfelt thanks go to everyone at Cherry Tree. You are doing wonderful work, and the warmth and hope of this place stay with you long after you leave.”
Professor Dooley saw how Cherry Tree team members grow around 100,000 plants every year for sale to the public. He was particularly interested in the nursery’s large-scale production of Griselinia hedging (New Zealand Broadleaf), which thrives in Dorset’s coastal climate, and saw how team members propagate thousands of hedging plants from cuttings.

Plants and Minds Community Liaison Officer, Maria Tidy, explained that the Lord-Lieutenant’s visit came about following connections made through Cherry Tree’s monthly Growing Communities Networking events for the charity and voluntary sector.

Maria said: “Growing Communities events are about bringing people together, sharing ideas and creating connections across our local community — and this visit is a wonderful example of what can grow from those conversations.

“Professor Dooley was keen to learn more about Cherry Tree because our work reflects many themes that are important to him, particularly his interest in the Beyond Pills Campaign and his work with the Harmony Conference, which explores the importance of connection, belonging and community.

“We are delighted that Growing Communities helped to create this opportunity to welcome Professor Dooley to Cherry Tree Nursery, share what we do and highlight the difference that strong, connected communities can make to people’s lives.”

Cherry Tree Nursery Manager, Sandi Marshall, said: “It was an honour to welcome Professor Dooley to the nursery. He was genuinely interested to see the scale of our plant production operation – and was keen to meet our team members, hearing first-hand about the benefits of therapeutic horticulture in a friendly, non-pressurised community.”