Despite being based in Essex, marketing assistant for RUBI, Emily MacLean has recently found herself much further south than usual, involved in what is being called “The Plymouth Project.” 

MacLean and the team at RUBI discovered the project when a lady, Hannah, had entered a competition being held by a well-known landscaping influencer. She’d purchased a £5 raffle ticket, with the chance to win a complete garden redesign and build.  

But what seemed like a hugely successful competition soon left a sour taste. “I’m not sure exactly what happened here, but all I know is that the landscaper didn’t then end up doing Hannah’s garden,” says MacLean. 

This resulted in Hannah reaching out to a few other landscapers who were aware of the competition, asking for help and guidance. 

“They then, out of the goodness of their own hearts, decided to help her out and get her garden done,” says MacLean. 

Eager to ensure that Hannah received the prize she was entitled to and to ensure that her perception of the landscaping industry was not tarnished, businesses and industry professionals from across the country started to get involved.  

Donating products, materials, tools, machinery and time, a selection of around 20 companies began to volunteer and work together to take on the project at hand.  

“It’s been going on for a little while now,” says MacLean. “Since people are just donating their time, and their materials as and when they can to keep it as low cost as possible, it is taking longer than a typical project would take.” 

Since the competition was launched last year, and the winner announced around October 2023, the project has now been underway for going on a year.  

“We found out about the Plymouth Project at Futurescape where I got chatting with a few people who had also heard about the competition but knew a little bit more about what had happened,” says MacLean. 

Since then, the team at RUBI have travelled down to Plymouth to visit Hannah and the volunteers, with the generous donation of a table saw to assist in the construction of the garden.  

“Since everyone is donating towards the project, what they’ve done at the site is put up a big board where everyone involved can add their logo,” says MacLean. “It’s displayed at the edge of the site, so whenever a photo is taken or a video is shared, everyone has their logo included.” 

According to MacLean, the project has brought a community of landscapers together. “Everyone’s being professional, and just working together to come up with the best solution. I would say that it’s indicative of British nature, to help people and make the best of a bad situation.

“People have come together; friendships have been made. Meeting new people and hearing their stories – some of them have travelled across the country to be involved, so it’s really wholesome and heartwarming to witness.” 

The search is now on for plants to be donated so that privacy and greenery can be added to the space – there are still plenty of opportunities to get involved.