The Garden - Forest Gate Community Garden

The garden is a constantly evolving green oasis amidst the bustle of Forest Gate. This verdant naturescape is home to all manner of life, from small creatures and invertebrates to plants of every shape and size. It is this rich habitat which forms the reasoning and method behind how I care for the garden. To me a garden is a place where people can connect or in many cases reconnect with the natural world. Somewhere that offers peace and magic, a touch of the unknown mixed with the essentials of life. From flowers to foliage, textures and scents, the garden shares many things with its visitors.

image of recycled door in a garden used as shelves for watering cans

Biodiversity is the basis of life on earth and currently it is under threat. This includes birds, insects, fungi and plants. There are over one hundred species of plants living in the garden, this number is always growing as new species find their way here. This is an important part of the process to support and improve Biodiversity. Our composting facilities are another part of this process. We recycle and reuse all the green waste from the garden and support local people who bring in their vegetable waste for us. Composting allows us to save vital essential nutrients whilst providing a rich habitat for billions of species. These range from bacteria to micro-organisms, invertebrates, worms and even fungi.

The pond area is a rich source of life and provides much pleasure to people of all ages. Its Tadpoles, Frogs, Snails and Newts fill the water whilst Mayflies and Dragonflies hover above in the summer months. Nearby the wildflower area supports pollinators such as butterflies and is also home to a range of soft fruit bushes providing a rich ground level habitat in the summer months. There are a number of decaying wood piles around the garden and these offer homestay to a wide range of creatures and fungi.

Lead Gardener - Stephen Mason