Being new to the area, I didn't know anything about them until I found one on my doormat one summer's day in 2012.  I was touched that someone thought that my scrappy window boxes deserved a certificate.

That certificate stayed in my window over the next year as a silent reminder. As soon as things started to look tatty, I was inspired (or guiltily reminded) to refresh the planting, or just have a general tidy up.

It also made me notice what other people had done with their outside spaces, and naturally I was curious about the people behind the gardens. I thought other people might share my curiosity, and that it would be fun to make a series of portraits of people in their gardens.

The beauty of these certificates is that they're a wonderful example of positive reinforcement. Everyone I've spoken to has loved receiving one, and in some cases it was seeing certificates up in previous years that pushed people to sort out their outside spaces. Even people who don't have front gardens as such are encouraged to put a couple of window boxes or some pots out, which is fantastic. By encouraging people to take a little more care, a more pleasant environment is created for everybody.

Thanks so much to everyone who agreed to be photographed, but thanks also to all the people who received certificates for brightening up the neighbourhood.

 

This project was exhibited at the Tobacco Factory in 2013.