Grimwood Road Garden Site

Grimwood Road Garden: From Vision to Reality

Before Grimwood Road Community Garden came to life, the site had stood unused since 2018. We worked with local residents and community organisations to explore how it could be brought back into use for the benefit of the community.

The vision was to create a welcoming space for horticultural learning, wellbeing and social inclusion, managed by not-for-profit organisations and enjoyed by people across the borough. We hoped the garden could support charities and community groups, provide opportunities to connect with nature, and help bring people together.

Through community engagement and collaboration, that vision has since become a reality, with the garden now thriving as a place for growing, learning and friendship.

September 13th, 2025: Grimwood Road Community Garden Takes Root

Supported by the Mayor’s Community Weekend Fund and Richmond councillors, we hosted the launch of Grimwood Road Community Garden, welcoming more than 100 visitors for a day filled with community spirit. Visitors enjoyed activities led by our youth volunteers and explored an exhibition on the area’s market gardening heritage, highlighting the site’s potential as a space for growing, learning and connection. We were also joined by many of the groups that are now part of the garden community.

On 3 November, we held an official inauguration event with the Mayor of Richmond, Cllr Penny Frost. We were supported by Richmond Council, particularly Councillors Ehmann, Mansfield and Baldwin, as well as local residents, partner organisations such as The People Hive, and our dedicated volunteers.

Grimwood Road Garden – one year on…

by Anna King (Deputy CEO)

It was one year ago that we got the keys to what has become Grimwood Road Community Garden. We immediately opened the gates, hosting an Open Day (with an ice cream van!) for everyone to come and visit. At this point, the garden was a sea of concrete and covered in gravel. Getting crops growing was going to take some work! 

With the help of an army of local volunteers, we spent a cold and rainy January morning digging out five tonnes of gravel to enable us to get growing. With support from a Community Fund grant from Richmond Council, we dug out the rest of the beds and added topsoil too. 

We have been joined on this gardening journey by other organisations: The People Hive, Refugees Welcome in Richmond and The Vineyard Project. Each of these charities now brings the people they support to the site every week, getting stuck into growing crops, flowers and friendships. We are also joined once a week by the very creative Richmond Spoon Club, who spend an evening honing their green woodcarving skills. 

One year on, the garden is blooming, thanks to the many people who have lent a hand. From weeding and watering to tree pruning and compost making, volunteers have brought the space to life, turning up week in and week out, whatever the weather. 

We were so happy to throw our gates open again for a Harvest Festival, celebrating just how far the garden has come. We were joined by eight organisations, all involved in some way with the project, as well as so many of our friends and volunteers. In total, 139 people (and three very good dogs) came along to visit, celebrate and support what we have created together. 

And finally, the icing on the cake: we submitted an entry in the Flower and Produce section of the Honey Show at the Twickenham and Thames Valley Beekeepers Association – and won First Prize! A fitting end to a wonderful first year of growing together.

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Community Gardening Days: Come along and help grow edible plants and flowers, create wildflower areas, support pond maintenance and meet local people. No gardening experience needed.
Every Tuesday at 10am to 12pm 
Sign up via our Volunteer Hub!

Richmond Spoon Club: A friendly wood carving and whittling group that meets every Tuesday, 6.30pm – 9pm, at Grimwood Road Community Garden. Open to anyone aged 18+, with no experience needed. Bring your own tools (or buy them on the night). Wood, hot drinks and biscuits are provided, along with advice from experienced carvers. £5 per session, drop in whenever you like.