Hart District Council Press Release – Hart’s Green Garden at Edenbrook
Gardening gloves at the ready for Hart’s Green Garden
Hart District Council’s Countryside Service has broken ground on an exciting new green gardening space at Edenbrook Country Park in Fleet.
The Council has been working closely in partnership with Hart Allotment Association and Hart Voluntary Action to develop the Green Garden – a community space for residents to Grow Together, in more ways than one.
Hart’s Green Garden has separate plots available for members of the local community to rent, as well as offering a generous shared gardening space.
The project aims to create a welcoming, sustainable, and inclusive gardening space where people from diverse backgrounds can come together around the shared interest of gardening. An artistic impression of how the garden will look can be seen at www.hart.gov.uk/harts-green-garden.
Councillor David Neighbour, Leader of Hart District Council, said: ‘It’s fantastic that we have been able to work in partnership with two well-known community organisations in the local area, and secure the support of Groundwork, a landscape architecture organisation.
“Everyone involved in the project has worked together to share their expertise to help create a community garden that is a beacon of sustainability, supporting our aspiration to establish Edenbrook Country Park as an award-winning site and a centre of excellence for health and wellbeing.”
The Council appointed community-focused landscape architects Groundwork and contractors Southern Landscape Construction to start the creation of Hart’s Green Garden. Works started on site at the beginning of June.
Ben Coles, Director of Development and Strategic Programmes at Groundwork, said: “We are delighted to help create Hart’s Green Garden – a project with such great support from the local community. We couldn’t agree more with the sentiment of this being an inclusive, sustainable and welcoming space. Groundwork now more than ever are committed to working in partnership to create spaces which will re-connect communities and increase wellbeing.”
Hart’s Green Garden will enable structured social and therapeutic horticulture activities run by Hart Voluntary Action. It will also facilitate use of the space by local community groups and voluntary organisations whilst providing opportunities for local community members to get involved and support the project.
Shared areas include a covered outdoor space, compost bays and a variety of raised beds which is hoped will encourage connections between all site users.
Caroline Winchurch, Chief Executive of Hart Voluntary Action, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming anyone who is interested in community gardening to the Minding the Garden area of Hart’s Green Garden – we are open to enquiries from individuals and organisations and seek to cater for all abilities. Membership is open to all.”
All of the plots in Hart’s Green Garden will be offered, in date order, to those already on Hart Allotment Association’s waiting list. The waiting list is extensive, and it is expected that all the plots on this site will be allocated through this process.
If you wish to join the waiting list for a plot please visit www.hart-allotments.org.uk where you will find the plot application forms for this site and the Pilcot allotments site on Hitches Lane. For any other allotments please contact your Parish Council.
If you are interested in being part of the wider shared garden – please contact Hart Voluntary Action on 01252 815652, email mtg@hartvolaction.org.uk or visit their website at www.hartvolaction.org.uk.
Further information and updates are available at www.hart.gov.uk/harts-green-garden.
ENDS
For further information please call the press office on 01252 774460 or email amy.summers@hart.gov.uk.
Green Garden 1: From left, Adam Green, Countryside Manager at Hart District Council, Alan Oliver and Sylvia Cresswell, both of Hart Allotment Association, and Caroline Winchurch, Chief Executive of Hart Voluntary Action.
Green Garden 2: From left, Alan Oliver, of Hart Allotment Association, Councillor Jane Worlock, Vice-Chairman of Hart District Council, Councillor David Neighbour, Leader of Hart District Council, Sylvia Cresswell, of Hart Allotment Association, Patricia Hughes, joint Chief Executive of Hart District Council, Councillor Simon Ambler, Chairman of Hart District Council, and Caroline Winchurch, Chief Executive of Hart Voluntary Action.
Green Garden 3: Councillor Simon Ambler, Chairman of Hart District Council, and Councillor Jane Worlock, Vice-Chairman.