Green light for green space in historic Abbey Gardens

The unique, What Will the Harvest Be? project, devised by award winning artists Nina Pope and Karen Guthrie and supported by Newham Council, the Arts Council England and the London Development Agency, is set to revitalise the land containing the remains of a 12th century Cistercian Abbey, St. Mary Stratford Langthorne, Essex.

Located next to a new extension of the Docklands Light Railway, which is planned for opening in 2010, and in the grounds of one of only two scheduled monuments in the borough, the garden will provide green space for locals to grow their own flowers and vegetables.

Newham, with its new transport links, new residents, commuters, and in time the Olympic visitors and competitors, provides an inspiring context for the gardens.

The design will echo the Cistercian origins of the Abbey which was once a hub for travellers, commerce and food production.

With the help of volunteers over 30 raised garden beds will be constructed on the 1,600 sq metre site from May.

The beds will be laid out in a triangular motif based on the Triangle Camp, which was established nearby in the early 20th century by the Plaistow Landgrabbers - a group of unemployed men who squatted on land as allotments.

Executive member for culture, Councillor Jo Corbett, said: "This is a great example of the regeneration going on around the borough, which will make Newham a better place to live for all residents.

"As well as ending up with an appealing looking green space, there are opportunities for local residents to get their hands dirty and join in with the gardening by growing vegetables and learning new skills.

"The overall effect of such an expanse of plants will build to a crescendo of colour with plants in full bloom from late summer to early autumn."

Karen Guthrie, one of the commissioned artists, said: "The project aims to produce a garden which is beautiful, productive and thought-provoking.

"It's a social experiment as well as a horticultural one - we want to see what happens when you make productive land - and the skills to cultivate it - and make this accessible to anyone."

The raised beds will be freely-accessible to members of the public who are keen to sow and grow flowers and vegetables, and will be ideal for those on allotment waiting lists or without a garden at home.

For beginners who would like to be involved but lack green fingers, there will be a Garden Club held on site several times a week all summer, with advice and hands-on help freely available for visitors.

Friends of Abbey Gardens (FOAG) will meet onsite on Sunday, April 26 from 11.30am. New members are welcome.

Tools and seeds will be available to use, and it is free to attend the Club or to visit.

For further details on the project visit the artists' website:
http://www.somewhere.org.uk/abbeygardens and the FOAG blog: http://www.abbeygardens.org/