The Community Healing Garden is a small forest garden plot at a busy junction in Walthamstow, on the corner of Forest Road and South Countess Road. It has been developed by a group of local residents over the last 5 years as a site for generating and increasing urban biodiversity, sharing the idea of forest gardening and making space for wild healing weeds, edible aromatic herbs and fruits and all the creatures that take part in such an ecosystem. Through cultivation and allowing arrivals of different plants, there are now 50+ species on this site.

We meet once a month at the plot, on the last Sunday of each month, 11am-1pm to do garden care and social time.

The garden was supported in getting started by William Morris Big Local Green Grants in 2019.

This year we have introduced into the garden the Vertical Polycultures project which is a community-made willow sculpture facilitated by local resident and designer Daniele di Paolo and collectively woven with a group of volunteers who have learned the art of willow weaving and through the process are creating a structure to nurture cultivation of multiple edible and medicinal plants and companion planting principles. The project is adding to the diversity of the garden, improving air quality and bringing more people together to learn and create together.

Plants in the Community Healing Garden:

Wild arrivals: Yarrow, Ribwort Plantain, Nettles, Common Mallow, Teasel, Dock, Burdock, Chickweed, Cleavers, Sow Thistle, wild Geraniums, various grasses

Planted by us: Wormwood, Lavender, Santolina, Tree Mallow (Lavatera), Mugwort, Apple Mint, Peppermint, Salad Burnet, Lemon Balm, Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Roses, Soapwort, Fennel, Calendula (Marigold), Rhubarb, Forget-me-Not, Lady’s Mantle, Apple, Currants, Bay, California Poppy, Hypericum, Sedum (iceplant), Carex grasses, Hollyhocks, Crocuses, Narcissus, Three-cornered leek, Cherry