GARDEN IN THE COMMUNITY
Anoosh Ariamehr, Recreate-U Community members and RHS Bridgewater volunteers
What you are about to encounter is not simply a collection of photographs, but the outcome of a shared and lived journey. A journey that began on 2 April 2025 at RHS Garden Bridgewater and continued to grow alongside the changing seasons. For me, as Artist in Residence / Facilitating Artist, this project was about creating the conditions for collective looking, listening, and storytelling.
Over these months, I worked closely alongside the Community members, walking the garden together, pausing, sharing our laughter and tears and learning to see with renewed attention. The camera became more than a tool for image-making; it became a catalyst for conversation, trust, friendship, reflection, and personal expression. From the first signs of spring in April to the quieter, reflective moments toward the end of the year, each photograph holds a trace of presence and connection.
All images in this collection were made by the community members themselves. Each photograph carries an individual voice and a personal story shaped within the landscape of the RHS garden. My role throughout was to guide and support this creative process, facilitating a space where fleeting observations could develop into meaningful visual narratives. Through this shared practice, individual perspectives gradually formed a collective voice.
“In the Community Garden” is a collection about growth. Not only the growth of plants, but also the growth of confidence, relationships, and belonging. It reflects the garden as a place where ideas can take root and human connections can deepen.
This publication invites you to encounter the garden through the eyes of those who spent time within it. These photographs are not simply records of what was seen, but reminders of time shared of learning, making, and being present together. They stand as a testament to how art, when nurtured collectively, can create space for care, reflection, and community.
OFFSHOOT is a socially engaged arts project developed through a partnership between the University of Salford Art Collection, RHS Garden Bridgewater, and Open Eye Gallery, using photography and storytelling to surface local experiences of nature, wellbeing, and belonging. The residency provided a safe, creative environment in which participants could learn, explore, and shape personal narratives within the garden landscape.
My deepest thanks to everyone who made this work possible: the community members whose images and words give this project its heart; the RHS Garden Bridgewater team for their generous hosting and operational support; Open Eye Gallery for their guidance, commitment, and continued advocacy for socially engaged photography; the University of Salford for artistic leadership and partnership; and the vital funding and collaborative framework enabled by Arts Council England. I also extend my thanks to all collaborators, facilitators, volunteers, and supporters who contributed their time, knowledge, and care throughout this process. This has been a collective endeavour, and each photograph is a testament to what we learned and grew together.
Anoosh Ariamehr
