Community gardens need recognition for the social, nature and mental health powerhouses they are  – Inside track

Green spaces do more than just look pretty. People really need them. A recent government survey of 25,000 people in the UK found that 85 per cent of adults said being in nature made them happy, while separate research showed that nine out of ten UK adults believe access to nature is important for their physical and mental wellbeing.  

And the economy needs them: 55 per cent of worldwide GDP, or $58 trillion, is moderately or highly dependent on nature. Yet the economic system is still failing to account for nature’s true value. As we have discussed in our work building on the Dasgupta Review of the economics of biodiversity, the UK’s natural assets have steadily declined over the past few decades and the UK is struggling to meet its international obligations to preserve nature.  

But local initiatives can be surprisingly powerful in helping to buck this trend. I spoke to Vanessa, one of the founding members of a community garden project in Essex, known as the Woodford Greeners, about the importance of initiatives such as theirs. 

The garden and people have flourished
Tucked away in Woodford’s Ray Park is a hidden walled garden. You enter through a small gate in plum brick walls, a Grade II listed remnant of an 18th century octagonal garden. Inside are wooden pergolas and sheds alongside rows of beds, which in the summer are brimming with purple cosmos, pink dahlias and frothy blue clouds of forget-me-nots. Curious robins perch on heaps of soil, while the garden’s volunteers chat and work together to replenish the space. Outside the walls stands a recently planted Wollemi pine tree, a ‘living fossil’ species dating back to the dinosaurs, thought to be extinct until its discovery in Australia in the 1990s.  

Woodford Greeners started in late 2021, removing litter and reviving neglected public planters in the local area. As the group grew, they connected with conservation rangers, who, unbeknown to them, held a key to the walled garden. The site was in disrepair, used formerly by the council to store vehicles, and much of the early work involved clearing rubbish and weeds, improving soil quality and seeding. Today, it is a flourishing mix of plants and DIY projects, with volunteers gathering in ‘gangs’ every Tuesday and Saturday. 

There have been obstacles along the way. It has been hard to get funding for the ‘boring stuff’ like public liability insurance, forcing the group to constantly adjust projects to meet funders’ criteria. The council has been very supportive but is stretched thin on funding and staff. The Woodford Greeners think more frequent discussion with the council could help bridge the gap, even if they can’t always influence decisions made. Since Woodford Greeners does not technically own the space, they are worried about what the future holds, as the site’s octagonal wall may need expensive renovation.  

There is something for everyone
Despite these challenges, the garden has improved the lives of people from many different socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. Retired locals have enjoyed opportunities to socialise and spend time outdoors, sometimes even just from sitting and having a ginger biscuit with a cup of tea. Those with physical or mental health difficulties (and their friends) have told Vanessa how much of a positive impact the regular sessions and friendly atmosphere have had. There is space for everyone, from those interested in carpentry and heavier work to those preferring gentler tasks like weeding or preparing soil. The public also benefits through regular informative events on topics like vegetable growing and the medicinal uses of local plants.  

Green spaces like this one must be cost effective. Green social prescribing (GSP) – where health professionals refer patients to nature-based activities – has grown rapidly recently. A two year, government funded pilot scheme involving over 8,000 people suggests GSP is more cost effective than traditional therapies at improving happiness, life satisfaction and mental health outcomes, with a social return of £2.42 for every £1 invested. Consultants at Ricardo and the Institute of Occupational Medicine estimate that investing £5 million in a single countrywide nature programme, run by The Wildlife Trusts and reaching 1.2 million people, could save the NHS more than £600 million. 

Nearly a third of people have no nearby green space
Cultivating and supporting more local green spaces, maximising the use of public sector land for people’s benefit, would be a powerful way to counter cynicism around green initiatives and bring nature closer to more people, demonstrating its everyday benefits. The recent People and Nature Survey shows that almost one in three people in England do not have a green space within a 15 minute walk, and this is more the case for deprived communities. The government’s upcoming Environmental Improvement Plan is an opportunity to reaffirm the ambition for everyone to live within a 15 minute walk of a green or blue (water) space, and consider how to support local green projects, whose benefits ripple far beyond their boundaries. As Vanessa says, the Woodford Greeners community garden wouldn’t have happened if they hadn’t just started planting a few things down the road.