As part of the 2026 Grow Well Series for Botanic Gardens Week 2026, Episode 1 shines a light on the powerful role gardens play in shaping healthier futures for young people.
In conversation with Peter Dawe from the Youth Community Greening Program at the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, a clear message emerges: gardens are far more than green spaces—they are places of transformation.
Working with young people across diverse communities, Peter and his team see the impact every day. Simply stepping into a garden can shift a young person’s state of mind.
“You can just see their whole demeanour change… they just relax and they just feel good about themselves.”
In a time where many young people face increasing mental health challenges, gardens offer something simple yet profound: space to breathe, connect, and belong.
The program goes beyond planting. It creates environments where every participant has a voice, where learning is hands-on, and where confidence can grow alongside plants. As Peter reflects, the outcomes often reach deeper than expected:
“I just assumed that we were helping them build a garden, but they said that we helped them build a connection to the garden and a connection to the school.”
This sense of connection—to place, to community, and to self—is at the heart of this year’s theme, Where Your Health Grows.
Peter Dawe has been the Lead: Youth Community Greening for the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney for the last twelve years and has been delivering environmental education to students and communities for the last 35 years. This experience combined with a Masters of Environmental Management, Bachelor of Education and Diploma of Sustainability provide him with the expertise, knowledge and passion to deliver such an important message and program.
As Botanic Gardens Week approaches, this episode invites us all to reflect on the role green spaces play in our own wellbeing—and to experience it for ourselves.
🌿 Visit your local botanic garden
🌿 Take part in the Grow Well challenge
🌿 Discover where your health grows.
Read more about the Youth Community Greening Programme in Peter Dawe’s article in our BGANZ Magazine:
