Grow to Know Founder Tayshan Hayden-Smith Steps Down as RHS Ambassador to Focus on Closing the Green Gap

Tayshan Hayden-Smith has become a beacon in the world of community green spaces, advocating for accessible gardens in urban centers and working to transform the UK’s approach to inclusive gardening. As founder of the nonprofit Grow to Know, he rose to prominence after the Grenfell Tower fire, using plants and public spaces as tools of healing and social change. In 2025, Hayden-Smith announced his decision to step down from his prestigious position as the RHS Ambassador of Community and Young People at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), a role he held for three years. This pivotal move comes as he refocuses his efforts on Closing the Green Gap, a mission to make green spaces accessible to all, especially marginalized communities.

This article explores Hayden-Smith’s journey, Grow to Know’s philosophy, landmark projects like Hands Off Mangrove garden, and the cultural importance of inclusive, urban greening initiatives in London and beyond.

Tayshan Hayden-Smith: From Guerilla Gardener to Community Leader

Early Gardening Roots

Tayshan’s story began in North Kensington, West London, where he impulsively purchased a baby banana tree for his mother at a school summer fair—a first foray in gardening inspired by family, love, and a longing for nature in urban life. He credits his late mother as the foundation of his passion and believes gardening builds resilience, imagination, and pride in neighborhoods often overlooked.

Grenfell and the Birth of Grow to Know

In 2017, the Grenfell Tower tragedy profoundly changed North Kensington. Tayshan Hayden-Smith, then a semi-professional footballer, pivoted from sports to gardening, transforming neglected plots near Grenfell into havens of peace and remembrance. His efforts led to the creation of the Grenfell Garden of Peace and later the non-profit Grow to Know, drawing attention to the power of community gardening as a vehicle for recovery, social justice, and youth engagement.

RHS Chelsea Flower Show and Advocacy for Access

Hands Off Mangrove Garden: Honoring History, Challenging Injustice

In 2022, Hayden-Smith and Grow to Know debuted the Hands Off Mangrove garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, in collaboration with Danny Clarke. The garden was inspired by the Mangrove Nine—a group of Black activists from Notting Hill who famously fought and won against racist policing in the 1970s—and the environmental destruction of mangrove forests worldwide.

Designed with both ornamental and edible plants around a steel mangrove sculpture with nine roots, the garden was a powerful narrative piece highlighting how community space, activism, and environmental health are interconnected. Most importantly, it was planned to be repurposed as a permanent community gathering space in North Kensington, extending the impact of Chelsea far beyond one week’s spectacle.

Critiquing Exclusivity and Championing Equity

Hayden-Smith’s experiences as RHS Ambassador of Community and Young People revealed the longstanding inequalities at Chelsea. Despite growing up near the venue, he remarked that the show remained a mystery to his neighborhood’s residents, underlining a deeper socioeconomic divide.

He argued that representation without the redistribution of resources and decision-making was not genuine justice. The garden’s construction cost and Chelsea’s high entry fees exemplified barriers for local communities, spurring Hayden-Smith to call for greater access, funding, and equity in horticultural spaces.

Closing the Green Gap: A New Chapter

Stepping Down with Purpose

In May 2025, with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show approaching, Tayshan announced his resignation, explaining he felt undervalued and that institutions were resistant to sharing real power. His focus shifted fully toward Closing the Green Gap—a campaign to democratize green space, support community projects, and empower marginalized groups to design, build, and enjoy gardens.

The Lancaster Youth Hub Garden

One of Hayden-Smith’s recent flagship projects, the Lancaster Youth Hub garden, reflects his dedication to purpose-driven community gardening. Developed with youth in North Kensington, the garden marks the first in a planned series to Close the Green Gap by creating accessible and permanent green spaces for communal benefit. This approach rejects temporary spectacles and focuses on lasting change.

Inclusive Gardening and Urban Greening Initiatives

Hayden-Smith’s advocacy intersects with broader urban greening initiatives such as Project Giving Back and partnerships with schools, NHS wellbeing gardens, and public outreach. The goal is not only to create beautiful spaces, but also to address disparities in air quality, health, and neighborhood opportunity.

Lessons for Cities

• Accessible green space: Transforming unused plots and corners into gardens everyone can use.
• Inclusive gardening: Inviting people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to participate.
• Community engagement: Empowering local voices to shape their environments.
• Sustainable impact: Ensuring gardens are permanent and designed for ongoing benefit.

Perspectives on Equitable Green Space

Local Impact and Youth Empowerment

Grow to Know’s work shows that gardening can heal trauma, foster pride, and teach ecological stewardship. By involving young people and weaving gardens into the community’s fabric, Hayden-Smith and his team are rewriting the story of public space in the city.

National and Industry Shifts

Organizations like the Royal Horticultural Society are recognizing the need for change, with new investments in community gardens, partnerships, and outreach. Hayden-Smith’s critique—and the collaborative pressure from advocates—pushes the sector toward reform, ensuring beauty is not reserved for the privileged few.

The Hands Off Mangrove Legacy

The lasting legacy of Hands Off Mangrove, from Chelsea to North Kensington, underlines the power of design to engage with racial, social, and environmental justice. As Grow to Know continues to reclaim space for those who need it most, gardens become not just refuges but educational and cultural resources.

Conclusion: Bridging the Green Divide for a Better Future

As Tayshan Hayden-Smith steps away from his ambassador role, the heart of Grow to Know beats stronger than ever. The movement to Close the Green Gap shines a spotlight on making community green spaces accessible—from London’s Lancaster Youth Hub garden to the sustainable transformation of city corners across the UK.

Hayden-Smith’s journey proves that gardening is about more than plants—it’s about dignity, opportunity, and legacy. With every Hands Off Mangrove sculpture or youth-led garden project, Grow to Know leads the way into an era of inclusive gardening where everyone—no matter their postcode—can grow, heal, and belong.