Clive's story: The implications of poor health on horticulturists
16 October 2025
For 25 years Clive dedicated his life to landscaping and gardening. Complications following a hernia meant the physical demands of work became overwhelming, soon debt became an unavoidable reality. Perennial were a lifeline for Clive and his partner:
“From a young age I grew up with plants as my dad was a show grower. After working in the city for several years I set up my own gardening and landscaping business. I was lucky it went from strength to strength through word of mouth.
In 2018 I needed a hernia operation. After a month or so I was in a horrendous amount of pain. After being dismissed by several doctors, one told me that I had ‘mesh problems’ and that it would be a battle to get doctors to accept it and it really has been. I’ve been on huge doses of pain killers ever since.
Photo of Clive while he was working, before he suffered from chronic pain
The amount of time I could work was getting less as it’s such a physically demanding job and the pain was crippling. We had inherited my partner’s family home, so we decided to move back to Lancashire to be rent free. But during the move something happened and my pain went through the roof and it hasn’t gone down since. The mesh is digging into nerves in my leg, so I am waiting now to get into pain clinics up here.
Neither of us had any money coming in as we’d both been self-employed; we’d used all our savings and a lot was on credit cards. Alan couldn’t get a job because he couldn’t leave me without help – we were lost as to what to do. Things were dire and near breaking point – we were spiraling out of control.
I’d seen Perennial at a local trade show, but it was only when we moved up here something clicked and I thought maybe they could help?
Perennial’s response was amazing. I’ve had two people helping me and they have opened up stuff that you just wouldn’t think would be possible to get. One person helped me with sorting PIP (Personal Independence Payment) and the other person was a huge help with getting universal credit, looking at the grants I could get and getting bills reduced using social tariffs that I had no idea were out there. That bit of help can make you feel so much better and it’s lovely to know that I can go back to them if I need to.
Things are a lot better. I just wish the pain management would be better and my mobility could be better. But it’s nice to think that at some point I could get back to walking the dog, swimming and being able to do the garden. Eventually I want to get back to a job in horticulture, I don’t want to stay on benefits forever.
It was the best thing I did to reach out to Perennial. It’s unbelievable how you can go from feeling so desperate to feeling someone is looking after us now. Without them I think we would still be in such a mess. Regardless of your circumstances, go and get help from Perennial before it gets too bad. I left it much longer than I should have – it’s a big thing asking for help when you’ve never done it.”