Garden Details
The Growing Kitchen
The Garden
Resident-led community garden project growing organic fruit and vegetables in 35 micro-allotments. The garden also features a raised seated herb area, rose wall, communal foraging area and wildlife pond. Nearby, an orchard and meadow have been created.
The Growing Kitchen (GK) began in 2008, when residents transformed a simple communal area into a shared space for growing, cooking, and reconnecting as a community. What started with a few raised beds and a table has grown into one of the most loved, creative, and ecologically rich community spaces in Hackney. From the beginning, GK was built almost entirely from recycled materials, reflecting the project’s ethos of resourcefulness, sustainability, and resident‑led ingenuity.
GK was founded in 2008 by residents who recognised that the estate needed more than services — it needed connection. After years of disruption and change, neighbours barely knew each other. The idea was simple but powerful: create a place where people could meet, talk, grow food, and share meals without formality or hierarchy. The original space was small, humble, and open to all. That openness became GK’s defining character.
In 2010, GK expanded into what is now the foraging area, allowing the project to grow from a single communal garden into a wider ecological space supporting food, wildlife, and community learning.
Over time, the garden developed into a vibrant, multi‑layered environment that now includes: raised beds full of herbs, salads, greens, and seasonal vegetables; perennial beds with rhubarb, soft fruits, and hardy herbs; pollinator‑friendly flowers that support bees and beneficial insects; communal growing areas where anyone can plant, water, or harvest; quiet corners for conversation, reflection, and rest.
GK became a place where people garden side-by-side, share skills, swap seeds, and pass on knowledge across generations.
A small orchard was planted by residents with the long view in mind, including apples, pears, plums, cherries, and a few experimental varieties. The orchard is surrounded by a hedge of mixed British species, underplanted with native wildflowers, creating an essential wildlife corridor through the estate. The whole area is micro‑managed to encourage natural growth. Nothing is over‑tidied or manicured; instead, only narrow paths are mown through the long grass so people can walk among the trees while the rest of the orchard remains a thriving habitat for insects, birds, and small mammals. Within the orchard, wild rocket and rosemary are grown specifically for residents to forage, adding to the orchard’s role as both a wildlife haven and a shared community food resource.
Two wildlife ponds support frogs, newts, dragonflies, damselflies, pond snails, water beetles, and birds that come to drink and bathe. They act as a natural classroom for children and a peaceful sanctuary for adults. The raised fishpond adds movement, colour, and calm to the space. With ornamental fish and aquatic plants, it has become a favourite spot for residents seeking a quiet moment.
GK is also a social hub, featuring a BBQ, pizza oven, picnic area, and sheltered area for gatherings, workshops, and rainy‑day activities. These spaces have hosted countless meals, celebrations, storytelling evenings, and community events — the heart and humour of GK.
Residents continue to shape GK’s future. In 2026, we hope to build: a greenhouse to extend the growing season and support seedlings; a wall garden for growing salads and herbs vertically; and an outdoor kitchen under the sheltered area to support cooking sessions, workshops, and community meals. In addition, Hackney Council has invited GK to create a woodland space on the estate, expanding its ecological footprint and giving residents a new natural area to explore and enjoy.
GK is being considered as a Site of Intrinsic Nature Conservation (SINC) — a designation given to places with significant ecological value. Over the years, GK has won local and national awards for community engagement, environmental stewardship, and resident‑led innovation. It stands as a model of what communities can achieve when they are trusted, supported, and empowered.
Visitor Information
- Open
-
Saturday 09:00–18:00
Sunday 09:00–18:00 - Activities
- This year visitors will be invited to make their own pizza.
- Picnics allowed.
- Entrance
- Napier Grove N1 7HU (additional entrance off Shaftesbury Street)
Nearest postcode: N1 7HU - Buses
- Map of nearby bus stops
- Station
- Old Street
- Cycle hire station
- Eagle Wharf Road (Map)
- Access
- Garden presents challenges for visitors with limited mobility.
Two steps lead from the main Napier Grove entrance into the garden, with a handrail. A secondary entrance on Shaftesbury Street has wheelchair access. A slight slope leads to the communal area. There are no hard paths. - Dogs
- Only support dogs or working assistance dogs
