Community Garden Week 2021

By Ann Johnson

This week is Community Garden Week, it celebrates the amazing community and school gardens across the UK and takes place from 05 April – 11th April.

The timing of the Community Garden Week feels so much more special this year as we start to see opportunities to meet again with others. The chance to meet with 6 people outdoors (or two households) allows us to share the enjoyment of the outdoors together again. With beautiful weather on Easter Sunday, I found myself doing just that, sitting in the back garden enjoying family stories, funny experiences and eating great outdoor food. All of this was made so much more special by being able to be meet outdoors, we were admiring the growth of the peach trees; discussing the beauty of the blossom and then stunned to silence as we watched the elegance of a Red Kite hover above us and then fly over the rooftops. 

This new found freedom to join others outdoors releases the opportunity to get down the allotment, volunteer to join others on a community garden or taking a walk into the countryside. We were certainly happy being together again at the weekend, sharing generational experiences with family aged 16 months up to 85, reminding us all that outdoor spaces have something for every age.  

Of course, April sees the vegetable growing really take off as it’s time to sow seed outdoors for beetroot, carrots, Swiss chard, summer cauliflower, kohl rabi, lettuce, leeks, radish, turnip, spring and pickling onions, peas and perpetual spinach. There’s so much to do and enjoy and maybe a good idea to plant before the family or friends come round and you light the BBQ.

Forest of Hearts are clearly able to see the value of such community spaces and has a clear aim to not just design spaces for the community to enjoy but to ensure that everyone can get involved, meeting our organisational aim to enable inclusive, accessible outdoor enjoyment for all.  No matter what our ability or capability we can all find something to love or engage in within a community outdoor space, open field or simply time pottering in the back garden, it requires of us only our time and wonder.

If you would like to know how you can volunteer to help keep Forest of Hearts edible gardens maintained then get in touch.  It’s a great way to get outdoors, bridge the generation gap and meet likeminded people.