For horticulturist Nicholas, ap
proaching retirement was a worrying time. Having spent his whole working life in the industry with accommodation provided by his employers, he feared where he might end up living once retired. With our help he found his future home in one of Perennial’s retirement bungalows for horticulturists.
“Everyone says time moves faster the older you get, and this was certainly true in my case as I sped towards retirement. My major concern was finding a new home. I had put away money but the cost of buying my own property was out of reach, so renting was my only option. Having not rented before I was feeling anxious about my future.”
Seeing the support Perennial had given a colleague previously, Nicholas got in touch to get some housing advice.
“My initial call was to ask advice about renting property, but I was pleasantly surprised to be offered a vacant bungalow at the six-house community in Barton which Perennial own and manage.”
We support people working in horticulture with housing at all stages of life – whether renting, looking to buy or needing options in retirement. We also have six high-quality bungalows, just outside Cambridge, for retired horticulturists and charged in-line with local social housing.
“Every resident has a garden around their bungalow for our treasured plants and there are also communal grounds tended by contractors a great relief to me at hedge cutting time! Five years on I still open my curtains and look over the gardens and feel it’s like being on holiday, which is surely what retirement should be. But I think the most comforting feeling is that I’m nestled under the protection of the Perennial umbrella with help and advice only a phone call away.”
Perennial’s free and confidential services are available for anyone who has worked or currently works in the horticulture sector in the UK and their families. This includes gardeners, nursery owners and workers, garden designers, landscapers, arborists, foresters, garden centre staff, commercial growers, turf maintenance specialists and many more.
There are currently vacancies at Perennial’s retirement bungalows near Cambridge. If you, or your partner, are retired from or working in horticulture (or approaching retirement), please get in touch. Visit Housing | Perennial for more information or call us free in confidence on 0800 093 8543.
