Community Gardening
Transition Towns are all about sharing a vision of happier, more friendly and enjoyable low carbon local futures, and getting together to work out HOW to make them happen. Sharing a spark of ‘What if…?’ imagination, nurtured, reworked and brought to life by many hands. Responding to local opportunities and resources to co-create something that meets local needs and makes people smile. And this is how a network of local community gardens came into blossoming being in Kentish Town, and now provides havens for local wildlife and the local community alike.
What if we extended our waiting area into a Well-being Garden at Kentish Town Health Centre, tended by staff and patients?
Or created a ‘Listening Space’ garden at our local GP practice, where doctors can prescribe gardening alongside conventional medicine.
What if we planted a cottage garden of flowers and herbs on our local Thames Link station platform, to support pollinating insects and cheer everyone’s daily commute.
Or if we rewilded local Council estate grounds, with flowering fruit trees and hedges, summer flowers and insect habitats?
Or if we installed big planters with shrubs and spring bulbs in Kentish Town Road, as part of reclaiming our local high street for the local community?
We asked Kentish Town Fire Station if we could move our planters to their forecourt – and our lovely ‘Greening Our Footprint Garden’ at the Fire Station was born.
All started with a bright idea followed by some enthusiastic teamwork to build the partnerships and navigate the bureaucracy that was needed to bring them to beautiful blossoming life. Each one lovely, and each one different.
Kentish Town Community Gardens – on-going care
Some, like the gardens at The James Wigg and the Caversham Group Practices, are now tended by practice staff and volunteers. The High Street Planters are managed by a partnership with the Kentish Town Neighbourhood Forum (KTNF) and Kentish Town Road Action (KTRA), with Camden Council providing summer watering and TKT organising an Autumn bulb planting session. Council estate rewilding by a mix of Camden Grounds Maintenance and estate residents.
But the Cottage Garden on Platform One at Kentish Town Thames Link station, and the Fire Station ‘Greening Our Footprint Garden’, are still directly maintained and developed by the TKT Community Gardening team. With the ‘Greening Our Footprint Garden’ used for some of our seasonal TKT events and celebrations.
How to join TKT Community Gardeners
Community gardens need a team of local on-going carers if they are to continue to thrive – people who can help with things like seasonal bulb planting, autumn mulching, spring seed sowing and some gentle weeding. And – because most are container gardens – people who can take a turn on a weekly rota with the all-important summer watering. Some times of year are busier than others, but it involves roughly an hour a week in spring and summer. Plus a few optional sociable weekend events at key points in the gardening calendar.
It’s a great way to get involved, to learn more about gardening and to see the difference our actions can make, as seeds grow, flowers blossom, bees come buzzing and locals linger to enjoy the haven you’ve helped create and maintain. So whether you can help long term or just for now, your help will be warmly welcomed and appreciated.
Contact Debbie Bourne, our TKT Community Gardens Co-ordinator (or Queen Bee!) to be added to the TKT Community Gardening What’s app group, for news of gardening events, rotas and action: debbiebourne21@gmail.com.