Community Garden on East London Social Housing Estate
How the Nighitngale Community Garden looks

The garden is situated behind hoardings in a meanwhile space (75 square meters) on a large social housing estate in Hackney. We have made good progress in all aspects of the project.

 

Our first landmark achievement was to make the site safe for visitors. The ground is mainly concrete left following the demolition of shops, a community facility and a roadway. We reduced the area by half from the original space that the council had let to us on the meanwhile peppercorn basis in order to focus on a area we could make safe.



We then purchased the equiment and materials from an award and set out the garden space appropriately. We were also donated a potting shed, plants and pots by local residents.

 

The project is ’governed’ by the collaboration of locally based agencies, including (with responsibilities in brackets): the Nightingale Partnership Residents Association (Community engagement and hall bookings), Nightingale Regeneration Steering Group) (strategic and forward planning), Immediate Theatre (accountable body for the award and childrens engagement) Common Resource Ltd ( project management) and East London Food Access (ELFA) Ltd ( site licence and insurances).

 

We can see bees foraging our flower pots and will be attaching bird boxes to the quiet areas of the hoardings that surround the garden space. Foxes have burrowed under the hoarding to gain access to the safe space. The council are interested in allowing us to cultivate the area immediately outside the entrance to the garden. Our exit strategy is to involve the wider community, mostly flatted properties with balconies, in growing activities and to thereby benefit further the local environment.

 

We have held a number of open days, ran a Kids Gardening Club and a gala day.  Access to the site is via an otherwise locked door. Many parents and children have visited the site and continue to do so.

If you would like visits, how should people arrange their visit?
We are happy to arrange visits, however these need to be arranged in advance. The garden is on meanwhile space behind hoardings - there is no public access.
Sustainable transport options
Nearest train stations are Rectory Road, and Clapton, about 10 minutes walk. Both are served from Liverpool Street mainline station. There are plenty of local buses from central London to the nearest travel hub, Clapton Pond, including the 38 and the 56, and 253/254.
Type of project
Private (visits by arrangement only)
Physical Elements/Features
Community garden
Services/Activities
Cooperative legal structure
Courses
Visits (by arrangement)
Volunteering
Workshops
Contact name
Les Moore
Postal address of project

Olympus Green
Hackney
E5 8PL
United Kingdom

Contact telephone
+447801645955
Contact email