In 1990 a group of local activists met in north London. The group, Naturewise, included Alpai, a self-employed gardener, and Marek and Angus who were engaged in a vegetable-growing project. Marek had also attended a permaculture course run by Andy Langford, which included a visit to Robert Hart's forest garden in Shropshire. Through the local neighbourhood forum, of which Angus was chairperson, they learned that £3,000 was available from Islington Council for a job creation and training scheme. With a sound financial base, they began planning their first community forest garden, creating work and training for local people.
Negotiations began with the Parks and Recreation Department for a steep, South-facing bank of one fifth of an acre, forming part of formal landscaping in a residential area.
On the site, to manage the steep incline, the team made three terraced bays, supporting them with wattle fencing made of branches from the locality. Two swales were dug to each bay to channel water.
More than a ton of compost was bought from the North London Waste Authority which recycles green waste. (As a vegan, Alpai had held out for non-animal compost.) Boxes of leftover fruit and vegetables were also carried up from the local greengrocer for mulch instead of being thrown away.
In July 1994, four more terraced bays were built.
Almost everything is thriving; herbs, comfrey and angelica have been lush and all bushes and trees have fruited, except the pear.
To protect valuable fruit-trees from children, dogs and vandals, they will in future plant more deterrent shrubs such as gooseberries and blackberries around each tree, which can withstand the odd broken branch.
Every day, especially in the school holidays, children play in the forest garden. 'Recently,' says Alpai, 'I watched an eight-year-old leading his ill father from bush to bush, showing him the ripe blackcurrants and gooseberries, and both eating them as they went along.'
Naturewise can be contacted on: 0171 271 3765.
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