Taking gardening to new heights with the National Trust Sky Gardening Challenge

Salix Homes customers are being urged to flex their green fingers and take their gardening to new heights thanks to a budding new partnership with the National Trust.

The National Trust’s Sky Gardening Challenge is a Greater Manchester wide project that encourages people with balconies to get greening in their ‘skyline space’.

The project aims to promote balcony gardening and a community-driven approach to urban greening. It seeks to help people appreciate small natural spaces and share their personal balcony gardening experiences.

Salix Homes is working with The National Trust to encourage our customers with balconies to try their hand at greening – whether a nature novice or gardening pro.

Customers can sign up to receive a free expert balcony gardening guide and monthly Sky Gardening Challenge newsletters via email or post at nationaltrust.org.uk/sky-gardening-challenge. There’s also the chance to get involved with a competition which opens on Thursday 12 June 2025.

Together, all the balconies in Greater Manchester cover an area the size of more than 33 football pitches. Greening just 1/4 of these could host enough flowers to support 1.4 million pollinators – so your small space could make a big impact.

By encouraging people to give growing a go, the National Trust hopes to improve people’s connection to nature, increase access to green spaces (whatever their size) and help wildlife thrive across the city.

“Nature is crucial for our mental and physical health. We know that supporting people to create their own green retreat helps them to connect with nature in the city,” says Tor Emms, Project Manager for the National Trust’s Sky Gardening Challenge. “We’d love to see green balconies and window boxes across Greater Manchester, both to spread the joy of nature, and to the benefit of the city’s wildlife and environment.”

In line with the National Trust’s intention to End Unequal Access to nature, beauty and history, the project is working collaboratively with Salix Homes, other housing associations and community greening organisations, to deliver workshops in areas of Greater Manchester where there is less green space and high density of balconies.

Visit The National Trust website to find out more about The Sky Gardening Challenge, and see details of the Salix Homes workshops.

Participants can also connect to the project on Facebook and Instagram @NTSkyGardeningChallenge