Sophie and the Salad Garden: unbe-leaf-able effort gives people in Cardiff free trees
Digital Communications Officer - Wales
A volunteer from Cardiff is demonstrating the power of community spirit by encouraging local residents to take part in a tree giveaway scheme.
Sophie Bolton, founder and managing director of Cardiff Salad Garden, is helping run a collection hub as part of the Welsh Government’s My Tree, Our Forest initiative, with the help of her regular team of volunteers. The project sees a tree offered to every household in Wales, free of charge.
Cardiff Salad Garden is a not-for-profit social enterprise located in Bute Park’s walled garden, focused on community benefit and improving mental health. Volunteers from a wide demographic plant, pick and sell fresh-cut salad leaves.
Sophie said: “We’ve got people who are out of work, adults with learning disabilities, people who are retired and even office workers on their lunch break who need a break from their screen.”
When Sophie first heard about the opportunity from Coed Cadw, the Woodland Trust in Wales, she knew the Salad Garden would be a perfect fit as a collection hub, with volunteers already well-versed in planting and growing, and enthusiastic about positively impacting the environment.
She said: “We have been making hundreds of paper pots for the saplings and chatting to the public, there’s something for everyone to help out with. On a lovely, sunny day we get lots of people coming to pick up trees, half of them come to us knowing we are a hub, and the other half happen to be walking through and have their day made by getting to take home a free tree!
“There are a variety of trees to choose from. The most popular with us are the dogwood and dog rose shrubs, because they are perfect for smaller gardens in the city. Everyone wants something that looks pretty so crab apple and rowan are also favourites as they will eventually bear blossom and fruits.”
Hubs will close at the end of March, so Sophie is encouraging everyone to take advantage of the project while they can, and play their part in fighting climate change.
Sophie continued: “It’s just a nice thing to do really, you can’t go wrong. Why not do something positive for the environment, take the opportunity to get outside among nature while the sun is shining.”
Launched by the Welsh Government in partnership with Coed Cadw, the Woodland Trust in Wales, the My Tree, Our Forest initiative aims to give away 300,000 trees. Coed Cadw has partnered with Welsh landowners to provide space to plant trees on their land for those who opt to have a tree planted on their behalf. There are 55,000 trees available to be planted on behalf of Welsh households, with these native trees all contributing to the creation of a National Forest for Wales.
Natalie Buttriss, director of Coed Cadw said: “Volunteers like Sophie have played a crucial role in helping people across Wales plant a tree in '23 through My Tree, Our Forest, doing their bit to tackle climate change so that the general public can too. Our hubs were carefully selected and share the ethos of what this initiative is about. Make sure to visit a hub before the end of March, or we can plant one for you.”
Hubs open in Cardiff:
- Global Gardens Project, Flaxland Allotment, Cardiff, CF14 3NE – Wednesday & Saturday 10am-1pm
- Cardiff Salad Garden, Bute Park Visitor Centre, North Road, Cardiff, CF10 3DX – Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday 10am-3pm
- Railway Gardens, end of Adeline Street, Splott, Cardiff, CF24 2BH - Saturday 18 March 11am-3pm & Wednesday 22 March 4.30-6.30pm
To find out where your local tree giveaway hub is please visit: woodlandtrust.org.uk/wales-giveaway
To have a tree planted on your behalf - or have one posted to you - please visit woodlandtrust.org.uk/wales-giveaway and fill in the corresponding form.
Notes to editors
For more information please contact the Woodland Trust press office on 01476 602993, or email media@woodlandtrust.org.uk or sophiethomas@woodlandtrust.org.uk.
The first 5,000 trees were given away in March 2022 as part of a pilot before the scheme was rolled out fully across Wales last autumn.
Hubs are open across Wales from 20 February to 31 March 2023. Tree availability and hub opening times will be regularly updated on the Coed Cadw | Woodland Trust Wales and Welsh Government social media channels. Trees will be given out on a first come, first served basis and people should check availability before travelling to collect.
Volunteers will advise on the best tree for households to collect but the species available will include: hazel, rowan, hawthorn, silver birch, crab apple, sessile oak, dogwood, dog rose, field maple and elder.
About Coed Cadw, The Woodland Trust in Wales
The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK. It has over 500,000 supporters. It wants to see a UK rich in native woods and trees for people and wildlife.
The Trust has three key aims:
- protect ancient woodland, which is rare, unique and irreplaceable.
- restoration of damaged ancient woodland, bringing precious pieces of our natural history back to life.
- plant native trees and woods with the aim of creating resilient landscapes for people and wildlife.
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 29,000 hectares. These include over 100 sites in Wales, with a total area of 2,897 hectares (7,155 acres). Access to its woods is free, so everyone can benefit from woods and trees.
The Trust’s Welsh language name, “Coed Cadw”, is an old Welsh term, used in mediaeval laws to describe protected or preserved woodland.