Trellis

What Trellis does

Trellis is a Scottish registered charity (SC037429) and limited company (299227) founded in 2006 and headquartered in Perth, Scotland. Operating as the national hub for therapeutic horticulture in Scotland and the UK Association for Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (ASTH), the organisation delivers training, publications, on-site fieldworker support, and direct programmes to a network of over 530 therapeutic gardening projects that collectively serve nearly 15,000 disabled and vulnerable people weekly. Core offerings include structured training units (e.g., Seasonal Gardening Activities Training at £85 per unit), an online Therapeutic Horticulture Course, the Professional Development Award, a content library of books, factsheets, activity sheets, and how-to videos, and the proprietary Adaptive Gardening™ methodology for accessible gardening practice.

The business model is a diversified non-profit revenue mix: annual membership subscriptions (individual and organisational), donations and legacy giving, training and professional development fees, e-commerce sales of books, resource packs, and merchandise through the Trellis Shop (PayPal payment processing, UK delivery only, no VAT charged), corporate partnerships and event sponsorship, and fundraising activities such as Open Your Garden and the Making a Difference card scheme. Go-to-market is community-led, event-driven (annual conference, World Therapeutic Horticulture Day, International Seminar Series, networking seminars), and channel-based through partnerships with NHS health boards (NHS Fife, NHS Lothian), hospices (CHAS), mental health charities (SAMH), and community organisations. The leadership team comprises CEO Fiona Thackeray, Chair Sir Andrew Cubie, and Development Officer Jo Cook, with a headcount of 1-10. In 2026, marking its 20th anniversary, Trellis was selected by the City of Edinburgh Council for the Floral Clock display in Princes Street Gardens, providing a high-visibility brand moment.

Name

Trellis

Legal name

Trellis (Scottish Therapeutic Gardening Network)

Website

https://trellisscotland.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Trellis is a Scottish registered charity and the UK professional body for therapeutic horticulture, supporting 530+ gardening projects that serve nearly 15,000 disabled and vulnerable people weekly through training, publications, and direct programme delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Therapeutic Horticulture Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

DIY & Home Skills Workshops (Woodworking, Carpentry, Home Repair, Gardening) (THAJAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Plant Replacement, Transplanting & Garden Refresh Services (HSAIAFAG)

Keywords

• Therapeutic horticulture services
• Horticultural therapy training
• Adaptive gardening programmes
• Professional development awards
• Community gardening networks

Headquarters

HQ city

Perth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees for individuals and organisations wanting to join the Trellis network and access resources, training, and professional recognition.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate partnerships, fundraising activities (e.g., Open Your Garden), Celebration and In Memory Giving, and legacy giving (bequests in wills). Trellis also runs a 'Making a Difference' card scheme.
3. Shop Sales: Online sales of books (e.g., Year Round Gardening, Plastic-free Gardening, Therapeutic Gardening Guide), activity sheets, training course units (e.g., Spring and Summer Seasonal Gardening Training at £85/unit), membership gift vouchers, tote bags, and resource packs.
4. Training and Professional Development: Revenue from in-person networking seminars, online learning courses (Therapeutic Horticulture Course, Seasonal Gardening Activities Training), and the Professional Development Award (PDA) for practitioners.
5. Floral Clock and Corporate Partnerships: Special events such as the Edinburgh Floral Clock 2026 create corporate partnership and sponsorship opportunities. Corporate opportunities are explicitly listed on the website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Trellis is a Scottish charity that delivers Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH) programmes, training, and resources to support over 530 therapeutic gardening projects across Scotland, helping nearly 15,000 disabled and vulnerable people weekly. Its core offerings include structured training courses (Seasonal Gardening Activities Training, Therapeutic Horticulture Course), published books and factsheets, the Adaptive Gardening™ methodology, professional development credentials (PDA), and live events including an annual conference and international seminar series.

Product overview

Trellis operates as a charitable network for therapeutic gardening in Scotland, offering a portfolio of educational products and services. The core offerings include published books and guides (Year Round Gardening, Plastic-free Gardening, Therapeutic Garden setup guides), structured training programmes (Seasonal Gardening Activities Training with Spring/Summer units), and educational resources (factsheets, activity sheets, resource packs). The organization runs events including an annual conference, international seminar series, networking seminars, and awareness campaigns like the Edinburgh Floral Clock 2026. A membership programme provides ongoing support, while the online Trellis Shop distributes publications and merchandise. Adaptive Gardening™ represents their proprietary methodology for inclusive gardening.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Books and Publications Published guides including 'Year Round Gardening Activities', 'Plastic-free Gardening', 'How to set up a Therapeutic Garden', and the Trellis Guide to setting up a therapeutic gardening project. Sold to practitioners, project organisers, and individuals seeking therapeutic gardening guidance.
• Seasonal Gardening Activities Training Programme Structured training programme with seasonal units (Spring, Summer) teaching therapeutic gardening activities, sold at £85 per unit. Self-paced online learning with accompanying resource packs, designed for therapeutic gardening practitioners.
• Activity Sheets Individual downloadable activity sheets (e.g., 'How to Grow New Plants from Tradescantia') priced at £2.00 each, providing step-by-step therapeutic gardening activities for use by project leaders and practitioners.
• Resource Packs Seasonal learning material packs (Autumn, Spring, Summer) for therapeutic gardening education, available via the Trellis Shop as packaged educational bundles.
• Therapeutic Horticulture Course Online learning programme covering therapeutic horticulture principles and practices, offered via the Trellis online learning platform for practitioners seeking structured knowledge development.
• Membership Programme (Friend of Trellis) Annual membership subscription for individuals and organisations offering access to Trellis network, resources, training, professional recognition, and benefits. Gift vouchers available at £65.00.
• Trellis Annual Conference Annual therapeutic horticulture conference bringing together professionals, practitioners, and stakeholders for training, networking, and professional development.
• International Seminar Series Five-year running international seminar series for therapeutic horticulture practitioners, running since 2021, providing expert-led learning and global perspectives.
• Networking Seminars In-person networking seminars held throughout Scotland for therapeutic horticulture professionals to share knowledge, exchange good practice, and build peer connections.
• World Therapeutic Horticulture Day Annual international awareness day celebrating therapeutic horticulture, scheduled for 2026, designed to promote the sector and engage participants worldwide.
• Professional Development Award (PDA) Credentialing programme for therapeutic horticulture practitioners, providing structured professional recognition and a clear development pathway through Trellis's role as the UK ASTH professional body.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 15,000 disabled and vulnerable people supported every week through the Trellis network
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• UK Association for Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (ASTH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrellis operates as the UK Association for Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (ASTH) — the professional body representing therapeutic horticulture across the UK. This dual role positions Trellis as the central professional authority and network for the sector, providing professional development, recognition, and a forum for practitioners.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Mind (National Association for Mental Health): Larger UK mental health charity that overlaps with Trellis on mental health beneficiary segments and competes for NHS partnership funding and donor pounds, though it operates as a broad mental health organisation rather than horticulture specialist.
• Hospice UK: National hospice charity that overlaps with Trellis's palliative-care gardening programmes (e.g., CHAS partnership) and competes for related end-of-life-care funding and partnerships.
• Garden Organic: UK organic gardening charity with educational resources, training, and publications that overlap with Trellis's gardening education and book/content offerings, though focused on organic horticulture rather than therapeutic outcomes.
• Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH): Scotland's national mental health charity and an existing Trellis partner through SAMH Redhall Walled Garden — a peer on the mental health beneficiary segment and a competitor for Scottish funding and donor share.
• Royal Horticultural Society (RHS): UK horticultural authority with educational, membership, and training offerings that intersect with Trellis's gardening education, content, and professional development offerings — but operates on a much broader horticulture remit.

Direct peers

• Thrive: UK charity using gardening to bring positive change to disabled, disadvantaged, and older people; runs therapeutic gardening programmes and training that directly overlap with Trellis's mission and beneficiary segments.
• Gardening for Disabled Trust: A UK grant-giving trust specifically funding gardening for disabled people — directly comparable to Trellis's beneficiary segment and operates in an adjacent funding-and-grants model for therapeutic gardening projects.
• Sydenham Garden: A charity using gardening and nature-based activities for mental health recovery and wellbeing — overlapping with Trellis's NHS-linked therapeutic horticulture programmes.

Emerging players

• Centre for Sustainable Healthcare: UK charity promoting sustainability in health, including nature-based interventions and social prescribing — a peer on the NHS-facing therapeutic horticulture pathway and a potential partner or competitor for health-system partnerships.

Regional players

• Wildlife Trusts: UK-wide nature and conservation charity network with overlapping engagement in nature-based wellbeing — adjacent to Trellis's 'gardening, plants and nature connection' mission but focused on conservation rather than therapeutic horticulture specifically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/trellis_network
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@trellisscotland2861
• Facebookfacebook.com/TrellisScotland
• Instagraminstagram.com/trellis_network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Trellis