Exotic plant expert Mike Clifford has raised £10,170 for Chestnut Nursery in Poole over the last six years, by throwing open the doors to his Urban Jungle Garden.
Rare plant collector Mike, who lives in Broadstone, spent 13 years cramming thousands of plants from all over the world into the 65x35ft garden nestled behind his bungalow, and a small 30 square foot garden at the front.
In July and August 2025, five open days had 530 people queuing patiently down the road for an opportunity to marvel at Mike’s treasured collection exotic and tropical plants. Not content with having raised more than £8,000 for Chestnut in recent years, Mike has handed over a further cheque for £2,120, raised via entry fees to his garden openings this summer.
Chestnut Nursery, along with its sister project, Cherry Tree Nursery in Bournemouth, is operated by the charity Plants and Minds. Both nurseries support people who are experiencing long-term mental health conditions (known as Team Members) via therapeutic horticulture.
Mike, who’s garden has been featured on BBC Gardeners’ World and in Amateur Gardening magazine, said: “It has been a great privilege to raise funds for the incredible mental health support that’s provided at Chestnut – a fantastic charity.
“I used to have a very stressful job, working long 10-hour days as a designer of mobile homes. But when I’d come home and step outside into the garden, the stress faded away.
“I learnt first-hand how gardening was good for mental health. I’d quickly forget my work problems once I was at home tending my plants, despite having been up at 5am to water the garden before work! Visitors often say they can’t believe how many plants have been crammed into such a tiny space.”
Andy Verreck, Nursery Manager at Chestnut, said: “On behalf of the entire community at Chestnut, a massive thank you to Mike for his outstanding generosity. Mike’s infectious enthusiasm for sharing his passion for exotic plants has raised thousands of pounds for our charity in recent years, enabling us to provide first-class facilities for our Team Members and customers. We are indebted to Mike for his kindness and dedication to supporting people on their journey to improved mental health and wellbeing.”
Green-fingered Mike brought 300 plants with him when he moved in to his Poole home 13 years ago; a collection that has expanded exponentially to more than 5,000 plants spanning 2,500 species.
Featuring three greenhouses and a summer house, which was modelled on the tea room at Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Mike initially opened his private space under the National Gardens Scheme (NGS). However, after two years, he switched his fund-raising efforts to Chestnut because he wanted to support a local mental health charity.
Visitors have marvelled at some of Mike’s most treasured plants, including the palm leaf begonia (Begonia luxurians), a Brazilian native which soars to more than three metres high each year, and the golden fuchsia (Deppea splendens), famed for its trumpet-shaped yellow, orange and burgundy flowers. Discovered in Mexico in 1973, it’s now extinct in the wild.
In 2024, Mike was presented with the Maurice Mason Award by the Royal Horticultural Society’s Tender Ornamental Expert Group – one of the most prestigious awards for the cultivation of tender plants in the UK.
The award honoured Mike’s achievements in propagating endangered plants and donating them to leading botanical establishments such as Kew Gardens in London and the Eden Project in Cornwall.
Mike’s fund-raising has enabled Chestnut, which grows a wide range of exotic plants for sale, to invest in multiple improvements, including new propagation kit used by Team Members to grow plants from seed and take cuttings.
Almost 40 tonnes of gravel has been installed to boost drainage in a polytunnel and growing areas, creating optimum conditions for nurturing top-quality plants, while new paths have been laid to improve site safety.
The improvements mean that Chestnut will be able to offer an even wider selection plants over the coming seasons – helping the gardeners of Dorset to enjoy their favourite passtime.
