Harlow Town Park Forest Garden

Volunteers began the Forest Garden in 2019 with the aim of showcasing a public example of an edible and purposeful garden. Visitors can witness and study first-hand the layered growing system and the produce that it provides. Our hope is that visitors can gain inspiration from the garden, apply elements of it to their own garden or choose to start their own Forest Garden.

The garden is not watered, it is now self sustaining and abundant with wildlife. It is situated within a sloping valley site, its position has enabled us to grow a range of plants in different aspects from full sun to deep shade. The soil in this part of the park was transferred here during the creation of Harlow Town back in the 1950's, it varies a great deal from sandy to good loam. This has also enabled us to choose a wider variety of plants.

We have used some pre existing trees and shrubs to develop the garden in to a series of beds, one example is our Mediterranean bed which features a mature Corsican stone pine, that we have under planted with a range of herbs native to the region. At the top of the slope in full sun we have created a dye bed and at the bottom of the slope we have built a Hugelkultur which benefits from the slopes protection and captures rain run off.

The volunteers reguarly harvest material from the garden and elsewhere in the park to make products including jams, teas, sweets, woodcraft, flowercraft and dyecraft. We hold craft fayres and arrange guided tours for groups which raises money to extend our Forest Garden. Harlow Town Park is open year round to the public, it is easily accessible both by car and train from the nearby station. The Forest Garden is situated at the top of the hill from the car park, old toilet block.