The idea
Together we'll create a sympathetic redesign of the Victorian Walled Garden,formerly part of the kitchen garden for the Horniman family home,celebrating Croydon’s diverse communities
The new design’s landscaping will feature safe, fully accessible pathways to the garden ‘rooms’, innovative planting, decorative borders, handmade tiled walls, and performance space. This stage will be used for small scale performances of poetry, spoken word, dance, music and art exhibitions as well as for unique outdoor community gatherings.
The new garden will enhance the whole community's social, physical and mental wellbeing by enabling the disabled, elderly and young families, as well as the wider community, to enjoy and be immersed in nature, biodiversity, outdoor learning and the therapeutic benefits of gardening within a unique setting.
This is the 1st stage towards creating a horticultural education and arts centre using the Walled Garden and its surrounding buildings in central Croydon.
What we'll deliver
- Create new durable, disabled access pathways in the walled garden
- Build a performance space for the Peace Garden with seating
- Buy specimen plants, herbs, and flowers for the Walled Garden
Why it's a great idea
Since 2014 the Friends of Park Hill Park volunteers have been working together to create a community garden in a previously neglected space. The positive impact we’ve made has seen volunteer numbers and visitor’s increase each year, encompassing a broad spectrum of people from across the borough, making us one of the most vibrant and active community garden projects in Croydon.
During this period we have run a number of cultural festivals and gardening events and we recognise that, sadly, families with pushchairs, the disabled and the elderly are unable to fully participate due to the lack of safe pathways and infrastructure.
Our aim is to provide safe, comfortable access into the garden to all elements of the community making it a cross-cultural, intergenerational and fully inclusive space. Having held events in the garden we know that by creating a specific performance area we will be able to attract a wider spectrum of visitors to this forgotten gem.
Steps to get it done
- Commission a full typographical survey of the walled garden Sept/Oct 2019
- Formal technical drawings based on our current design & the site survey - date depending on outcome of survey
- Commission contractor or contractors to plan paths and performance space in consultation with volunteers
- Lay paths in The Peace Garden - by April/May 2020
- Build the performance space - by April/May 2020
- Lay paths in the two herb gardens- by April/May 2020
- Replace the paths and edging in the Flower Fairy Garden- by April/May 2020
- Replace the paths and edging in the Potager Garden- by April/May 2020
- Buy specimen plants and herb plants- by May 2020
- Celebration event! June 2020
This project is phase 1 of 3 to create a hub in the park for Central Croydon, promoting wellbeing through horticulture, learning, music and the arts, with a performance area and studio spaces for local artists and craftspeople.
‘Transforming the Walled Garden’ is phase 1 and is a standalone project.
Phase 2 - We aim to renovate and bring into the 21st Century the historic Pavilion, currently open to the elements, subject to anti-social behaviour, but still being used by the community for yoga and shelter. The redesigned space will be used for educational classes and workshops encompassing the walled garden and creating a safe social space for local youth.
Phase 3 - Our group has submitted a community asset transfer request of the Rangers Station, currently used by council maintenance teams. Our vision is to redesign the current building adding a number of adapted shipping containers to create an educational hub, & low-cost workshop/studio spaces for local artists and craftspeople.
