The Woodvale Community Garden was first established in 2017 with help from the council and Urban Growth. With increased demand for plots on the estate, in 2024 we successfully applied for funding from the Lambeth ‘Changing Lives Fund‘ which allowed a full rebuild plus additional raised beds, or plots. See the post below for the story of how it was built by residents here.
This is a creative and well-used space managed by the TRA and individual residents have guardianship of a plot. Plots are available to all residents but those in flats are prioritised, as houses have access to both front and back gardens in which to grow food.
There is no limit to how long a resident can keep a plot but it has to be used and cared for otherwise it will be reallocated to someone on the waiting list. The community garden Terms and Conditions can be found here.
Get involved and get growing!
Info for plot guardians
Code of Conduct
It is expected that guardians use the garden in a caring and respectful manner and that their plot is maintained and used.
Seeds / Seedling Sharing
Residents often share or trade seeds with each other. If you have grown some seedlings on your windowsill then why not share those too?
Only eat what you grow
Although other peoples veggies might look yummy, it’s neighbourly to only eat what you have planted and cared for yourself.
Compost Bins
There are compost bins in the garden. See the list below for what can go in these bins:
Yes please
- raw fruit/vegetable waste
- compostable teabags
- coffee grounds
- torn up egg boxes
- fresh weeds (without seeds)
No thanks
- Plastic or bin bags
- meat (cooked or uncooked)
- diary products, fats and oils
- pet droppings
Water Supply
We have installed two 1000Litre water tanks in the community garden. This is regularly topped up in summer by volunteers. This can be used by all plot guardians for watering plants.
If you see the water running low then it’s best to send a message on the Gardening whatsapp group.
Woodvale Allotment Regeneration
In the summer of 2023 the TRA wrote a proposal to bid for funding to improve the existing community garden space on the estate as the vegetable beds had become quite rotten. We first made efforts to track down all the existing plot guardians to inform them of the plans and to establish who wanted to continue with their beds. We then created an official list of guardians and a plot waiting list for residents to register their interest, which you can access here.
In the autumn of 2023 the council’s Changing Lives social value programme awarded us the grant and preliminary work could begin. The original wooden beds had become quite rotten and so, upon securing a generous discount from our local Travis Perkins, we are replacing them all with heavy duty sleepers and will also be adding a few extra beds so that more residents can get involved. We are also creating a more suitable space for the shed and will be adding benches and tables for potting up and coming together as a community.
All the work is being carried out by members of the TRA committee alongside current plot holders as well as some other residents who just want to get involved.
In December the grant money arrived and we started putting the plans into action.
The first job was to extent the space enough to be able to bring the shed inside the boundary line and to be able to provide a place to have potting tables and for socialising and to add a few more plots.
We then moved some of the earth from the old beds and brought the shed inside the new fence line. We also needed to break up all the old wood to be able to dispose of it. We had a wonderful day, both in terms of resident participation and general progress. All old beds were broken down and set aside. An area was cleared where new beds could start being built in.
On the 16th of December Travis Perkins delivered 126 sleepers (4.8 tonnes!) for the new beds and a huge effort was made to move, cut and drill ready for assembly.
Lots of people, young and not so young, came out to help clear the vegetation from the old beds and the new beds started to take shape. By the end of this second day of the project all the wood had been trimmed and prepared and we had 3 beds fully built.
Over the course of the next few weeks, residents got together with flasks of tea and wellies to build the remaining raised beds. It was a big undertaking and some serious labour in getting all those beds lined up.
And finally the work was complete. All the raised beds were constructed, weed membrane was laid, bark chippings on top and hoops or sides put onto the beds. Residents soon got to growing food.
A fantastic achievement by all involved! This is continuing to be a well-loved space at the heart of Woodvale Estate.
WOODVALE ESTATE SE27 