Park of the week

164. Harlesden Town Garden

This is an urban pocket park and community garden (in Harlesden), created through the work of volunteers and funded by donations, with the aim of promoting health, well-being and food growing in the community. It was another space I found by looking at a map and, while Harlesden is a bit further from God's own Millhill than I'd realised, it was worth visiting.

It occupies space that had been neglected by the local authority and the community for many years. It was reclaimed in 2013 and further revitalised in 2017 including murals, enabling residents to engage and connect with each other, and has become a space that provides new opportunities for friendship, shared garden skills, well-being, and employability. It won the UCL Public Engagement Award on 2020 and the RHS London in Bloom Award in 2021 and 2022. 

The garden has a wildflower meadow, flower beds, trees, children’s playground, multi-use games area and a community meeting place for local people. There’s also an allotment with raised beds to rent. Green Club is held at the garden every Saturday morning year-round, with activities suitable for people of all ages and abilities, to learn how to grow fruit and vegetables.

Some older maps of the garden show an area called the “Corner of Doom”, although the one in the park itself doesn’t. This intrigued me so I emailed the group who run the garden for an explanation. Their very prompt reply told me that the corner in question had been the scene of anti-social behaviour, because it was dark and hidden from view. The volunteers filled it with shade loving plants and in the spring and early summer when there is less shade from the trees, there’s a good show of flowering bulbs - narcissus, tulips, crocus and wood anemone. They top up the bulbs each year and therefore renamed the area the spring garden.

The garden is open from Monday to Sunday, during daylight hours.

Judith Field

Harlesden Town Garden, Challenge Close, London NW10 4AN