OmVed Gardens aren’t your common or garden… gardens.
They make up a secluded, verdant pocket of greenery tucked away in Highgate, not far from the considerably larger pocket of greenery that is Hampstead Heath. But though diminutive in size, the gardens are mighty in their ambitions to rewild a patch of the city, and give people a place to reconnect with nature.
The word ‘rewild’ gets thrown around a lot these days, but the team have really managed it here. In 2017 they took a tarmac-covered hilltop and rejuvenated the space as a green oasis with a wildflower meadow, ponds, vegetable plots, orchards, and more. They grow rare and endangered species in glasshouses and geodesic domes; keep beehives; and run seed exchanges to promote biodiversity.
Their thinking is that introducing more green spaces is just the first step – to really fix all the problems we face, we need to totally rethink our relationship with nature. To this end, they work with initiatives like the Chefs’ Manifesto; a 700+ strong collective of chefs from 77 countries with a view to reducing food waste and improving food security for people around the world. And while the gardens look beautiful, they’re really the product of huge amounts of research and sustainability efforts going on behind the scenes.
Currently, you can only visit OmVed Gardens when they’re running an event – but the good news is that there’s loads on. You can take inspiration from the garden in their natural dyes or poetry workshops; sample the fruits of the earth at their zero-waste supperclubs (held in a candlelit greenhouse); join yoga sessions in their willow circle; or get your hands dirty in a volunteer gardening session. They’ll give you all the knowledge and techniques you’ll need to start nurturing plants and seedlings…
…so don’t worry if you’re a little green.
NOTE: OmVed Gardens are open to the public for events only – you can see what’s on, and book, HERE.
OmVed Gardens | Townsend Yard, London N6 5JF
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