St Mary's Secret Garden
ABOUT US
About St Mary's Secret Garden
St Mary's Secret Garden is a horticultural project in Hackney, London. This small secret garden is often described as a peaceful oasis in the middle of a very busy area of the capital. It is approximately 0.7 of an acre in size and has been developed to create a diverse green space. There are four interlinking areas - a natural woodland, a food growing area (including vegetable beds, sort fruit and fruit trees), an herb and sensory garden and an area of herbaceous borders. We have a fully accessible classroom and a large greenhouse. Organic principles are used in maintaining the site and to encourage wildlife and biodiversity within the garden.
Our garden is a resource for the whole community to enjoy and we hold community events and are open for plant sales 9 to 5 Monday to Friday.
St Mary's Secret Garden provides a diversity of projects including accredited horticultural education, therapeutical sessions, volunteering, an annual flower show and work experience for students and school children.
Staff profiles
Paula Gent - Senior Horticultural Therapist
Paula has been working with people in
the great outdoors for 11yrs now providing training in forestry,
conservation & horticulture. Paula works in the garden on a
daily basis with learners, clients & volunteers. Paula is a keen
fan of live music and is always to be found in the mosh
pit (or compost heap).
Catherine Birkett
Is a busy mother of 2, who would love to see more children getting involved with the garden.
An ex-schoolteacher and now a professional gardener, she is currently busy at St Mary's getting kids building a mini-beast trail.
If you're a kid or know one who wants to get digging – Catherine is the woman to contact.
Catherine just loves taking her dog for long walks on the commons.
Claudia Sartori
Has joined the garden from Friends of the Earth as she wanted to bring gardening to the community!
Currently busy recruiting keen gardeners on all of Hackney's housing estates to give them free training and to get Hackney growing.
If you are interested or want to find out more about community gardening – Claudia is the woman for you.
Whilst not working she is a keen cyclist & pizza maker.
We would like to say 'Thank you & Good Luck' to Alex Parrish, who has left us for a new job with MTV. We expect her back on our volunteer workdays though!
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Designed
by Quynh Hoang:
quynhoang@gmail.com