A garden originally designed by garden designer’s Adam Woolcott and Jonathan Smith for the Chelsea Flower Show in 2008 has been re-built in Mayow Park, Lewisham, South London. The ‘Good Gifts Garden’, which won a gold medal, showcased a1950’s picnic on the beach and featured a rockpool and seaside wild flowers.
With the support of the social enterprise organisation Envirowork Lewisham, the garden has now been lovingly recreated by long term unemployed local people and passionate amateur gardeners in the Lewisham and Sydenham area.
The Woolcott and Smith seaside garden is part of a larger community garden project in Mayow Park. It features raised beds growing fruit and vegetables together with shrubs and flowers and aims to encourage local people to get involved with gardening.The gardens were officially opened by the Mayor of Lewisham Sir Steve Bullock on Wednesday 2nd June 2010 and will be open to residents, community groups and schools for educational visits and training workshops.
Woolcott and Smith, who attended the opening were absolutely thrilled and delighted with what the Envirowork’s team had done with the garden. Adam said ‘What the team have done is remarkable, the garden still has the same seaside feel’ and Jon added ‘it’s great to see the garden in a permanent location where it can be enjoyed by everyone’.
The Mayow Park Community Garden is part of the Mayor’s campaign to create 60 community food growing gardens throughout Lewisham by 2012.
