Sharing Safely – A Little Friendly Advice
A little conversation beforehand helps everyone feel at ease. Plant It On is for adults aged 18 and over only. Here are a few gentle suggestions for our community.
Pots, plants and useful things
Agree what’s included, its size and condition, and a daylight collection time. Bring suitable containers and help for anything heavy. A collection at the gate may be all you need.
A shrub or little tree to dig up?
Talk first about who will dig, who will bring tools, and how the plant will be carried away. Check its identity, health, roots and size: not every established plant moves well. Read the RHS advice below before agreeing.
Check for buried services and nearby structures before digging. Leave heavy, awkward or uncertain work to someone suitably qualified. It’s fine to decide a plant should stay where it is.
Welcoming someone into your garden
Share your address privately when you feel ready. Agree which part of the garden they may enter and whether they need to come inside at all. Where practical, have another adult with you.
Visiting another gardener
Let someone you trust know where you’re going and when you expect to return. Consider taking another adult along; agree this with your host first. Keep your phone handy and your own way home.
Kindness goes both ways
Ask before opening gates, entering other areas, using tools or digging. Take care around paths, pets, plants and boundaries, and leave things tidy. If you feel uncomfortable, you can cancel or leave—no exchange is worth feeling unsafe.
Members make their own arrangements and are responsible for their own decisions, behaviour and collections. Plant It On makes the introduction; it does not inspect items or supervise visits. This does not limit anyone’s rights or responsibilities under the law.
A little more guidance
Everything on Plant It On is free. Never send deposits, fees or banking details. See our sharing rules for prohibited plants and other safeguards.
Something worrying you? Use the report option on a listing or “Report or block” in your conversation, or contact Plant It On. In an emergency, call 999.