NORTHWICK PARK COMMUNITY GARDEN
YOUR COMMUNITY GARDEN - YOUR SAY
A SEED WAS PLANTED
In 2018, an idea was planted in the minds of a few local nature enthusiasts, fast forward to 2024 and the community garden is well established thanks to a wonderful group of dedicated volunteers.
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Here at Northwick Park Community Garden Charity, our objective is to bring people together from all walks of life and to have a nurturing effect on the natural environment, its flora and fauna.
We strive to ensure that the garden serves the broadest section of the community. Therefore we encourage everyone interested in this community project to get involved and continue to shape our wonderful community garden.
No gardening experience is needed - just tons of enthusiasm!
OUR APPROACH
Attracting the Community
At Northwick Park Community Garden Charity, we are dedicated to stepping up our efforts in encouraging people to use the park for good health and well-being.
We believe through the community garden, the park area will be attractive to more members of the community, in addition to sports enthusiasts, dog walkers and commuters, to enjoy in their leisure time.
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Our survey of the park established that a 'community garden' in the form of a 'food forest' (terms used interchangeably) would increase the community's use of Northwick Park.
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The garden supplements the established trees and hedgerow in the park, such as sloe, hawthorn and elderberry, which already serve the community foragers.
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The garden offers direct unrestricted access for the public to freely stroll through the garden area and observe trees and plants maturing and evolving throughout the seasons.
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This project was by no means an easy feat, but through community empowerment and a good working relationship with the Council, we believe we made this happen!
Educating around
Harvest & Produce
The garden is essentially an outdoor classroom for everyone to learn how food is grown, harvested and eaten.
With the garden area populated with trees and plants, we welcome small groups (schools, private or corporate volunteers), and offer practical experiences. This includes plant and fruit identification sessions, fruit tree pruning, sessions on how to choose your fruit tree, how to eat fruit and cook with it (e.g. make jam!).​ Our list of things to do is ever growing...
With access to permaculture and gardening expertise, including a solid support network, we believe people can become empowered by their own abilities and gain the confidence to create something that will blossom in nature and taste delicious on their dinner plate.
Learn more about our project by getting in touch.
Protecting the Environment
In our community garden at Northwick Park we abstain from using any nasty pesticides, instead we recognise the diverse benefits of weeds (e.g. soil protection, indication of soil condition) - working with nature as opposed to against it - and their contribution to maintain biodiversity.
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A pesticide free garden attracts bees and insects to pollinate the trees and plants (flora) and encourages wildlife (fauna), needed to maintain the garden organically.
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Our aim is to increase biodiversity through applying the permaculture gardening method.
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