Olden Community Garden has won gold for best self-contained community garden in the Islington in Bloom competition, beating expected winner King Henry’s Walk.
Jill McKeown, membership secretary of the garden, said: “I was very surprised that King Henry’s Walk didn’t win but I suspected we’d do well because our garden was very beautiful. The judge was absolutely wowed by it.”
The garden received £75 in vouchers, as well as a framed certificate.
The community has looked after the garden, located on the railway embankment between Drayton Park and Whistler Street, since 1987. It had been owned by British Rail and there were plans to turn the plot into social housing before local homeowners decided to begin cultivating it.
Olden Community Garden has 230 keyholding members who are allowed to use the garden at any time. There is a communal garden, as well as separate plots and a wood that has been allowed to grow wild.
City and Islington College’s horticulture class and Drayton Park School also use the garden for classes.
Islington in Bloom was judged by Islington Gardeners and Greenspace, who will manage the borough’s entry into London in Bloom.
