Susan Sheehan of Incredible Edible discovered food growing in the heart of the city
Incredible Edible Lambeth (IEL) was privileged to be involved in recognising some of Lambeth’s best community gardens in this year’s Community Pride awards.
Many of the projects are in central Brixton – notably the Cloisters sheltered housing scheme, just off Brixton Road; Edmundsbury Court on Ferndale Road; Arlington Lodge Estate right at the start of Brixton Hill; and Solon New Road Estate a little bit further up.
The awards recognise food growing projects separately: Canterbury Gardens, at the heart of Brixton, Edmundsbury Court again and the symbolic St Matthew’s Estate are all growing their own edibles as part of the 18 Lambeth estates participating in the Edible Living programme.
Lambeth council organised the Community Pride Awards ceremony at the Kia Oval on 19 November, attended by 130 residents who were all finalists in six categories.
Best Community Garden award-winners were Cotton Gardens Estate, with their self-made oasis next to Kennington Lane, with Arlington Lodge and Edmundsbury Court in second and third places.
Winners of the Best Food Growing Project were the Elmworth Grove Allotments in Rosendale Gardens, Lairdale were second and Woodvale Estate came third.
All winners and runners-up have received prizes and food growers received an IEL goody bag containing a copy of Incredible Edible’s Plant Veg, Grow a Revolution book.
“We are fortunate to have some talented and experienced gardeners who are more than happy to share their knowledge and skills about cultivating, seed saving and cooking with others,” said Patrick McCabe of Elmworth Grove Allotments.
“Who’d have thought that cooking young broad beans in their pods would be so delicious? If you look amongst the vegetables you’ll see signs of childhood gardens, callaloo, New Zealand yams and Turkish rocket to name a few.”
PICTURES: Sam Mellish
These elders understand some keys about how to integrate with the soil/earth and its link to longevity.