(Photo: Colin Wing)
Open:
Saturday 12:00–17:00
+ Sunday 11:00–16:00
Description:
Thrive is a national charity which uses gardening to change lives. The Battersea project works with over 100 disabled people from local communities and uses gardening as a way of helping people to help themselves to realise their potential. Structured gardening programmes can help people to recover from a stroke and physical or mental trauma, to train for employment, to become a volunteer in the community, and to improve physical or mental health.
Thrive's herb garden is a hidden gem, tucked away in Battersea Park's staff yard and relatively undiscovered. The garden is beautifully designed to show the range of plants which are edible or have a medicinal or therapeutic use - some commonplace and many unusual or rare. It is a riot of colour in a peaceful corner of a busy park.
The garden was created from scratch in 2000, using a plot left vacant after demolition of the park's greenhouses. It was designed by disabled people attending Thrive's structured gardening programmes and is cultivated using organic gardening principles. It is divided into 11 beds, each with different functions, including medicinal, culinary, 'surprising edibles', women's health and men's health.
The garden is child-friendly, with plenty of space for kids to enjoy themselves and lots for them to do over the weekend.
Activities:
Garden fête: raffle, tombola, plants and herbs for sale. Delicious refreshments. Information on Thrive. Free balloon for every child. Children’s activities include flowerpot arranging, a bug hunt, tombola and face-painting.
Thrive will also be opening its Main Garden (close to Battersea Park's Chelsea Gate car park) for plant sales and refreshments. The garden's herbaceous border has recently been replanted to reflect aspects of Thrive's 2010 RHS Chelsea flower show garden, which won a gold medal and best urban garden in show. Many of the plants for sale are from the show garden.
Entrance:
Albert Gate
Nearest postcode: SW11 4NJ
Buses:
170 + 44, 137, 344, 452
Stations:
Battersea Park, Queenstown Road
Access:
Full disabled access; disabled toilet facilities.
Dogs:
Dogs on leads
Conditions:
No alcohol.
Further information:
Nearby Gardens (click on names for details):
Last updated: 08/06/2010