'There are always great activities for the kids. We love investigating the pond for frogs. Volunteers are friendly and very knowledgeable and get the kids involved.'
The garden is on Earlham Grove, about 100m west of Woodgrange Road. It is bordered by Earlham Grove, Sprowston Road, and the Gateway estate along its eastern edge. The space had been a hostel for until 2006, when it was abandoned to buddleia and sycamores.
In 2013 a group approached the Council to set it up as a community garden, finally getting a lease in 2015. Over 70 volunteers worked to clear rubbish and buddleia, build raised beds, a pond, and finally put in plants. The garden opened to the public in 2016. Since then it has run music events, various celebrations for Winter, Christmas and Spring, art activities, children’s activities, as well as regular plant sales.
The fence was originally wooden boards with a colourful mural. When part of it blew down in the winter of 2022, the opportunity was taken to erect a wire fence, making the garden more visible, and less intimidating. A prized part of the garden is the two large, colourful mosaics, one a snail, the other a frog. (insert photos)
Schools visit to learn regularly, and other groups such as Forest Gate WI and Woodcraft Folk use it in the warmer months, as do local artists. There are three paid, part-time workers: a gardener a co-ordinator and an admin assistant, with all other helpers being volunteers. The garden is a charity, open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday morning, always with volunteers in attendance.
The philosophy is to be more than a garden, having regular events with music, art, food, and activities for children.
Derek Smith
