I am Mike Ashby, the founder of Sustainery. I decided to create the business on a simple belief that gardens can be powerful places of connection between people and nature. After many years in the corporate world, I realised my ambitions lay elsewhere: in creating meaningful, tangible change through our interactions with the natural world. I retrained in horticulture, working in therapeutic gardening where I managed a five-acre site and supported over 100 adults with neurodivergences. This experience showed me how profoundly people benefit when nature is made more accessible and intentional.

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To deepen my practice, I studied with the RHS at Hever Castle, and later at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, where I received a commendation for my work. In 2025, I graduated with a first-class degree in Environmental Social Science from the University of Kent, receiving a prize for the highest attainment in my cohort.

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Sustainery brings together practical horticulture, therapeutic experience, and academic insight. As such, we provide a platform that is hands-on, empowering, and thought-provoking.

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Our services help people transform gardens into resilient, biodiverse spaces. Through coaching, I act as a guide, much like a personal trainer, helping individuals gain the skills and confidence to garden for themselves.

 

I also engage in broader conversations about policy, philosophy, and sustainability, translating them into stories that matter in everyday life.

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Sustainery is more than a gardening business. It’s a space for learning, for growing, and for rethinking how people and nature can thrive together.