Where the money and the hours go.
Membership, events and spending, shown plainly — with a data table behind every chart.
Illustrative figures: the association is fictional.
Photo: Unsplash
- 640+Members, October 2026
- 24Programmes in 2025
- 1,430People at our events in 2025
- 760Volunteer hours in the gardens, 2025
Membership since 2016
Members at the end of each year, after those who left. The 2026 figure is a running total to October.
Members at year end
Line chart. Membership rose from 40 in 2016 to 642 in October 2026, growing fastest between 2017 and 2019 and more slowly since 2024.
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 40 |
| 2017 | 105 |
| 2018 | 185 |
| 2019 | 270 |
| 2020 | 330 |
| 2021 | 400 |
| 2022 | 470 |
| 2023 | 535 |
| 2024 | 585 |
| 2025 | 620 |
| 2026 | 642 |
Who comes to our events
Events and attendance in 2025, by type of event.
People at events in 2025, by type
Bar chart. Public talks drew the most people (960 across 8 talks); volunteer days were the most frequent (12 days, 190 people).
| Type of event | Events | People |
|---|---|---|
| Public talks | 8 | 960 |
| Members' mornings | 3 | 240 |
| Volunteer days | 12 | 190 |
| Patrons' dinner | 1 | 40 |
| Total | 24 | 1,430 |
Where the money went in 2025
Total spending was €145,000. The biggest single cost is looking after the gardens.
Spending in 2025 (€145,000)
Bar chart of spending shares: garden maintenance 52%, apprenticeships 22%, public programmes 14%, archive and research 7%, running costs 5%.
| Category | Share | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Garden maintenance | 52% | €75,400 |
| Garden apprenticeships | 22% | €31,900 |
| Public programmes | 14% | €20,300 |
| Archive and research | 7% | €10,150 |
| Running costs | 5% | €7,250 |
| Total | 100% | €145,000 |
Staff costs — the two part-time coordinators — are included in the lines they work on, mainly garden maintenance and public programmes.
Where the income came from (€145,000)
Bar chart of income shares: membership dues 72%, donations 21%, events and publications 7%.
| Category | Share | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Membership dues | 72% | €104,400 |
| Donations | 21% | €30,450 |
| Events and publications | 7% | €10,150 |
| Total | 100% | €145,000 |
Want the full picture?
The 2025 annual report has the accounts in full, and how the apprentices are getting on.