The horticultural industry is reputably worth an annual £5 billion. There does not seem to be a shortage of money spent by people on caring for their gardens, but who cares for the gardener in times of trouble or sickness?
There is one organisation, Gardeners Royal Benevolent society, set up in 1820 to help gardeners who were often thrown onto the street if they could not work.
Charles Dickens backed the campaign to raise awareness of the gardeners plight and contributed to task of raising funds for the society so that gardeners could receive a pension. Here is an excerpt from his speech at the annual Festival Dinner in 1852.
“His gains are not great and knows gold and silver more as being the colours of fruit and flowers than by their presence in his pockets. He is subjected to that kind of labour which renders him peculiarly liable to infirmity and when old age comes upon him, the gardener is, of all men perhaps, best able to appreciate the benefits of the Institution”
In recent years the society changed its name by adding 'Perennial' to Gardeners Royal Benevolent society to reflect the future and the changes taking place within the industry.
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