In our ‘From the Plot’ series, we chat to inspiring growers who share their passion and knowledge. This month, Ben from @ben_the_grower shares how a handful of plants grew into three allotments and an accessible polytunnel, and how building a space that works for him has become both a personal mission and a source of inspiration for growers everywhere…
Gardening has always been a part of me
Images courtesy of Ben Thornton
I don’t think gardening was ever really a choice for me – it’s just always been part of who I am. I grew up around gardens with my mum and nan, and while most boys around me were obsessed with football, I was always the creative one, more interested in being outside, making things, and connecting with nature.
One moment that really stayed with me was going away to a farm through the Farms for City Children charity when I was in primary school. Something about that experience completely changed how I saw life, and from that point on I knew I wanted a future connected to gardening, nature, and the outdoors.
Years later, everything changed. In 2009, while on holiday in Spain, I suffered a spinal AVM – something incredibly rare – which left me paralysed from my chest down to my toes. I lost all feeling throughout most of my body and had to relearn how to live again.
It wasn’t until I got my first home garden around eight years ago that I truly started growing food myself, and that’s when everything changed again. What started with a few plants quickly became a passion. A year later I took on my first allotment, and within another two years I had expanded to three plots, including one dedicated to allotment poultry.
More than 17 years on from becoming paralysed, something I never thought possible has happened: feeling has started returning. My body has slowly come back to life, and I genuinely believe gardening and my allotment have played a huge part in that journey.
From June 2009 to today, it’s been a long road, but gardening has given me purpose, passion, and a reason to keep pushing forward.
I created a garden designed to suit my body
Images courtesy of Ben Thornton
My gardening style is very much nature-first and built around adaptability. After everything I’ve been through, gardening had to work for me, so I’ve designed my spaces to suit my body, not fight against it. I follow a no-dig approach where possible and focus on peat-free growing, building soil health over time rather than constantly starting again. Raised beds, containers, and wide accessible paths are all key parts of how I garden – everything has a purpose, and everything is there to make growing easier and more enjoyable.
This year especially has been a huge step forward. I’m completely redesigning my allotment to make it fully accessible – rebuilding raised beds, improving layouts, widening paths, and creating spaces that work long-term with my body rather than against it.
I’ve also built an accessible polytunnel focused on both productivity and ease of use, with practical spacing and layouts that allow me to grow comfortably. Alongside the allotment rebuild, I’m now transforming my home garden too, including a new accessible greenhouse setup that will allow me to sow seeds and grow more efficiently year-round.
Container gardening also plays a huge role in how I grow. I love showing people that you don’t need a massive space to grow food successfully, whether that’s buckets, raised beds, or smaller growing spaces. For me, gardening isn’t about doing things the “traditional” way. It’s about adapting, learning, and finding what works for you.
Resilience and accessibility inspired me
Images courtesy of Ben Thornton
My garden is inspired by resilience, accessibility, and the belief that growing should be for everyone. Although I became paralysed at 14 years old, I didn’t properly get into gardening until around eight years ago when I got my first home garden. What started as a few plants quickly became something much bigger, and over time gardening completely changed my life physically and mentally.
As my growing journey developed, I realised that many gardening spaces and traditional methods aren’t designed with disabled people in mind. Instead of letting that stop me, I began adapting everything to work for me – and that mindset now shapes every space I create. From accessible raised beds and wide paths to container growing, redesigned allotment spaces, and my accessible polytunnel, everything is built with purpose behind it. My garden isn’t just about productivity – it’s about freedom, independence, and proving that gardening can be adapted for anyone.
Nature itself is also a huge inspiration. I love combining food growing with flowers, herbs, pollinator-friendly planting, and wildlife-friendly spaces to create gardens that feel alive, productive, and welcoming all at the same time.
I have a passion for heirloom and heritage varieties
Images courtesy of Ben Thornton
I love growing heirloom and heritage varieties – they’re a huge passion of mine. Not just for the flavour, but for the history and stories behind each one. It genuinely feels like you’re growing living history. From varieties said to have been discovered in the tomb of Tutankhamun to squashes grown in Boston in the 1800s, every plant has a story, and that’s what really excites me. I love growing things that people haven’t seen or tried before; it shows there’s so much more out there than what you find on a supermarket shelf and that growing your own opens up a completely different world of food.
Monty Don once referred to me as “a young man who grows superb and sometimes unusual vegetables.”
I also enjoy growing anything that feels a bit special or different. I’m a big advocate for container gardening too; it’s such a simple and accessible way for anyone to start growing, no matter the space they have.
Don’t be afraid to fail
Images courtesy of Ben Thornton
Every failure is a chance to learn, and honestly, some of the biggest lessons in gardening come from the things that don’t go to plan.
I also think it’s important to look at the bigger picture when designing a garden or allotment. Don’t just focus on one bed or one corner at a time. Think about how the whole space will work together. Once you have that bigger vision, slow down and build it step by step. Gardens don’t happen overnight, and some of the best spaces evolve over years.
Also, grow heirloom and heritage varieties whenever you can. The flavours, colours, history, and stories behind them are worth it alone.
I’m proud that I’ve helped to inspire others
Images courtesy of Ben Thornton
One of my proudest achievements was winning a Platinum award at BBC Gardeners’ World Live for my show garden, The Love Yourself & Nature Retreat. I was also a finalist for the Alan Titchmarsh New Talent of the Year Award and featured in Gardens Illustrated’s “30 to Watch.” But honestly, the achievements I’m most proud of aren’t always the awards. They’re the messages from people saying I’ve inspired them to start growing, adapt their gardens, or keep going despite disabilities or difficult times in life.
I’m redesigning both my garden and allotment
Images courtesy of Ben Thornton
Right now, I’m in the middle of one of my biggest projects yet: completely redesigning both my allotment and home garden to become more accessible, productive, and sustainable long-term. At the allotment, I’m rebuilding growing spaces with accessibility at the heart of the design, including new raised beds, improved layouts, wider paths, and an accessible polytunnel that’s already been built to make growing easier and more manageable.
At home, I’m currently transforming the garden to make space for a brand-new greenhouse setup, which will completely change how I sow seeds and grow plants year-round.
My biggest mission is proving that gardening can be adapted for everyone, and that disability does not mean your growing journey has to end.
Gardening has helped me rebuild my life
Images courtesy of Ben Thornton
For me, gardening became far more than just a hobby; it became part of rebuilding my life.
I think one of the biggest things gardening has taught me is that growth takes time. Gardens aren’t built overnight, and neither are people.
More than anything, I just want people to see that gardening is for everyone. Whether you have a huge allotment, a few containers, a disability, or no experience at all – there’s always a way to grow.
Grow like Ben
Image: Tomato ‘Blue Beauty’ (Heirloom Beefsteak) from Suttons.
If you want to grow like Ben, here are just a few of his favourites:
Follow Ben at @ben_the_grower for ideas and tips on growing colourful, edible crops. To discover more inspirational growers, explore our ‘From the Plot’ series.
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