The wheelbarrow needs a new wheel and that's just for starters! The raised beds are falling over, they are in dire need of new wood, soil and compost, plants, bulbs and seeds. Seating needs sanding and painting, the paving re-laying, the bees need a new apiary. Equipment, signage, composting bins, a potting shed and cold frames would be the dream! Then we would like to run a series of events to bring all corners of the community together to showcase this small oasis of biodiversity, wellbeing and home to a surprisingly large amount of flora and fauna. We would love to welcome all ages of the community to experience the joys of a working market garden, to plant & harvest, to volunteer, to discover and learn the importance of ecology and to understand the vital connections between plants and animals and our urban world around us. We want the garden to be a safe place where those who feel lonely or excluded can come and enjoy time together with others.

What we'll deliver:

• Rebuild and re-stock the raised vegetable beds
• Redefine, re-nourish and tend the flowers beds
• Install a potting shed to grow seeds to plant out in the garden
• Repair equipment that we can and purchase new equipment
• Purchase materials to restore seating areas
• Purchase and install composting bins
• Build a new apiary for the bees
• Re-lay the york stone paving so it is safe
• Purchase bulbs and plants for new areas
• Organise community events especially for those who feel lonely or excluded

Why it's a great idea:

Wellbeing & Mindfulness Volunteering across all groups for community spirit, inclusion, wellbeing & enjoyment in the outdoors & working in groups. Education Educating the younger generation about food - the wonder of growing vegetables & fruits from a seed, harvesting and eating. Growing sunflowers, planting bulbs, digging in the earth. Learning about ecology, discovering bugs, composting & looking inside the wormery! Educating the community on the wonders of food & herbs as everyday healthcare. Increasing Biodiversity Building the vital connections between plants & animals in our urban world. Hosting bee hives, wormery's, ensuring year round food supplies & habitat for bees, birds & bugs. Ensuring that our community understands how important this is & encouraging others to do this at home. Heritage Remembering Fulham's heritage of cultivation of vegetables, fruit & flowers, especially the internationally renowned Veitch glasshouses that stood on this site in 18/1900's.

Steps to get it done:

• Purchasing equipment and plants and restoring the raised beds
• Purchasing and siting the potting shed
• Purchasing equipment and re-building apiary for bees
• Designing and ordering interpretation signage
• Designing and arranging sessions, contacts, events
• Designing and printing marketing materials
• Ensuring the paving is relaid so no trip hazard
• Siting bug, bee, wormery and compost area
• Restoring old seating
• Creation and labelling of medicinal herb garden
• Contacting all areas of the community to come and join in!
• Ensuring growth and continued direction for the garden and volunteers

We are especially determined to focus on those who are lonely, feel excluded or who suffer with mental illness such as depression. Our different gardening groups will offer companionship, inclusion and a safe space to be within a group environment in the outdoors. Throughout the pandemic we have seen first hand how important this is for our community and that just a 10 minute chat outside on a bench in the garden can make someone's day bearable.