Greening the library patch with Belgrave Community Garden
A few years ago a group of enthusiastic volunteers set about greening a disused patch of land behind their local library. The dream began with some tomatoes and coriander and grew into a project of sharing their passion for growing as a way of bringing the community together.
In 2024 they received a National Garden Scheme Community Garden Grant to help further the project by creating a sensory garden. The hope was that, as well as attracting pollinators and improving biodiversity, this area would provide a relaxing spot for everyone to enjoy.
Some of the local community don’t have access to gardens of their own so having a space to come together, chat, garden and enjoy the outdoors is especially important.
As well as plants and compost for the sensory garden, the team also purchased equipment to observe the wildlife the garden attracted and hope to run events and workshops to encourage everyone in the community to get involved.
Three months in and the work is well underway with the volunteers having cleared the first of two sensory patches and planted it with scented and pollinating plants. The new seating area has been added to the vegetable patch and is enjoyed by the volunteers at their weekly gardening sessions. We caught up with Lisa to find out more:
What started the project behind Belgrave Library?
The patch of land behind our local library had been derelict for possibly twenty years. The council offered it up to the community just after lockdown to create a community garden. Run by a group of the volunteers the project has been growing ever since. We now have a vegetable patch full of produce, a berry patch and a wildflower corridor full of native wildflowers. Our National Garden Scheme Community Grant has funded our sensory garden at the front of Belgrave’s Neighbourhood Centre. This patch of land has been transformed with fragrant and beautiful herbs, flowers and fruits to be admired and used by the local community and wildlife.
What are the volunteers favourite areas of the garden and how does it make them feel to be involved in the project?
We have a committed group of volunteers that come together on a weekly basis. The sessions are drop ins and everyone is welcome, we have passers-by who roll up their sleeves to join in.
Here are a few words from our volunteer family:
“It feels like I am doing something for the community as well as it being beneficial for myself too. I feel excited to do something and see the result of it. My favourite area is where we grow the fruits and vegetables. When I see the actual fruits and vegetables in the garden, it’s make me feel so happy, that I helped to grow it.” – Usha
“Although I don’t get to visit each week, when I can attend it’s like a family get together. We all look out for each other! My favourite part of the garden is our new seating area in the vegetable patch. Enjoying a cuppa next to the fragrant climbers and the huge sunflowers, watching the bees buzzing by and hearing the goldfinches is pure bliss.” – Lisa
“I love the feeling of being family together, when we’re all there and working on the project together. And I love the feeling that we’re all on a journey of discovery together – all the things for us to see and learn together. My favourite area is where the wildflowers are – watching for new flowers to come through, wondering what will come up next, and looking for all the insects which might come and visit.” – Alison
“I feel very privileged to be part of a group that all work together with different skills and experiences to support each other to learn and grow together to provide a beautiful area for wild life to thrive and be a benefit to the local community. My favourite area is the garden at the side of the library there are flowers, berries, vegetables and dwarf apple trees. Not long ago it was a piece of waste land I am amazed how this area has thrived and been so productive.” – Brenda
“I feel very pleased to be part of this lovely group. To help turn a waste bit of land into what it is now a haven for wildlife, full of flowers and veggies. It’s lovely working with different people sharing skills. I love the wildflower corridor in spring with the daffodils crocus flowering, it’s so beautiful.” – Helen
“I feel immense pleasure, lots of joy and happiness. It gives me time to unwind, release stress therapeutically. Giving back to mother earth and nature.” – Dinesh
“On Tuesday nights I want to go to bed early because I want to have energy to do whatever needs doing in our garden. I love to see our own grown produce. We are a family. My best part of the garden is where we grow our sunflowers.” – Kalu
What events/workshops have you hosted at the garden so far?
Since our project began we have teamed up with Belgrave Library to celebrate the Queens Jubilee by planting up our Berry Patch. The children of our community came together to plant up raspberries, blackcurrants, white currants and strawberries. In amongst red, white and blue wildflowers to attract the pollinators.
We have also teamed up with Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust to host a bug hunt, inviting everyone in to the garden to see what we’ve been growing and spot any mini beasts.
Our National Garden Scheme Community Grant has funded equipment including bat detectors, binoculars, magnifying glasses and spotter guides to use to host our own events in the coming months.
What have been some of the public’s reactions to the gardens when they’ve seen them for the first time?
The local community are very proud to have our gardens on their doorstep. Passers-by stop love to stop to chat at our weekly volunteering gardening sessions. We love to hear what they have to say. Our gardening knowledge has improved some what since we started this gardening dream, so if we can answer any questions and help where we can we do. We love to see the children visit too, make memories and be apart of making a difference.
“Thank you it’s beautiful, I grew up here and come back every year and love to see what you’ve done, it makes such a difference!”
“Wow, the sunflowers are even bigger this year! So colourful, can I grow them?”
“My little children really enjoyed visiting today and eating your raspberries.”
What are your top tips to anyone looking to start a community garden?
Talk to your neighbours and bring people together. Find a patch of land and ask your local council for help. With a group of like minded people, you can start to dream of what could be possible. Definitely don’t give up, it’s possible, we’re proof of that.
If you’d like to know more about our Community Garden Grants, including when and how to apply, click the link below. Follow us on Instagram @ngscommunitygardens for more community gardening project stories.
