Every week, next to St Jude’s Church in Hampstead Garden Suburb, a crew of young pioneers, armed with gloves, watering cans and a whole lot of enthusiasm, get to work.
And this year, all that happy chaos paid off: the club has brought home multiple gardening trophies.
I chatted to some of these budding superstars to find out why they love gardening so much.
One young “earth explorer” told me he enjoys planting and getting his hands dirty, while another said gardening club is “fun and a place you get to meet new friends.”
Several were big fans of eating the food they grow, there was even popcorn later in the evening!
Hampstead Kids Garden
Come rain, wind or shine, these young gardeners show up every week with the same mission: grow nature and have fun. Even during the dark winter evenings, they don’t stop – they simply move indoors.
One garden wizard showed me inside St Jude’s Church, where this week’s task, planting peperomia, was already underway.
Thankfully, the talented members of the compost crew guided me through the process, and I even took home my very own peperomia plant, expected to flourish within the year.
Peperomia Plant ready to grow
At the heart of this green-fingered community is Dominic Rose, founder of the Hampstead Kids Gardening Club, supported by many volunteers and the Vicar of St Jude’s.
Inspired by his own children, who wanted, like Paddington, to have a garden of their own, Dominic decided to open a community gardening club so every child could experience that same joy.
Dominic Rose Founder of Hampstead Kids Garden Club
Dominic’s wife Louisa told CityNews what she thought when she first heard his idea:
“When Dominic told me he wanted to build a place to help kids get closer to nature, to give them a space to nurture something, change something and have fun, I was in.”
Louisa, who had initially forgotten, nominated Dominic for a BBC Make a Difference Award for his mission to inspire the next generation to care for our planet. It wasn’t until a letter arrived announcing he’d been shortlisted that she remembered what she’d done. Proudly, she told CityNews:
“I nominated him because what he’s built here is incredible, and it all started from nothing.”
Dominic and Louisa also thanked the Vicar of St Jude’s Church, noting that this blossoming community grew from a simple piece of lawn she gifted them, now home to a pond, a log circle and a greenhouse.
In a city short on green space, these future garden masters are learning to grow food, build habitats and reconnect with nature, all right on their doorstep, snacks included.
Submitted Article
Headline
Short Headline
Standfirst
Published Article
HeadlineLondon’s Littlest Gardeners Are Growing Big Wins
Short HeadlineLondon kids are winning trophies… for gardening
StandfirstIn the heart of North London, a group of local children have transformed a small corner of land into an award-winning garden.
Every week, next to St Jude’s Church in Hampstead Garden Suburb, a crew of young pioneers, armed with gloves, watering cans and a whole lot of enthusiasm, get to work.
And this year, all that happy chaos paid off: the club has brought home multiple gardening trophies.
I chatted to some of these budding superstars to find out why they love gardening so much.
One young “earth explorer” told me he enjoys planting and getting his hands dirty, while another said gardening club is “fun and a place you get to meet new friends.”
Several were big fans of eating the food they grow, there was even popcorn later in the evening!
Hampstead Kids Garden
Come rain, wind or shine, these young gardeners show up every week with the same mission: grow nature and have fun. Even during the dark winter evenings, they don’t stop – they simply move indoors.
One garden wizard showed me inside St Jude’s Church, where this week’s task, planting peperomia, was already underway.
Thankfully, the talented members of the compost crew guided me through the process, and I even took home my very own peperomia plant, expected to flourish within the year.
Peperomia Plant ready to grow
At the heart of this green-fingered community is Dominic Rose, founder of the Hampstead Kids Gardening Club, supported by many volunteers and the Vicar of St Jude’s.
Inspired by his own children, who wanted, like Paddington, to have a garden of their own, Dominic decided to open a community gardening club so every child could experience that same joy.
Dominic Rose Founder of Hampstead Kids Garden Club
Dominic’s wife Louisa told CityNews what she thought when she first heard his idea:
“When Dominic told me he wanted to build a place to help kids get closer to nature, to give them a space to nurture something, change something and have fun, I was in.”
Louisa, who had initially forgotten, nominated Dominic for a BBC Make a Difference Award for his mission to inspire the next generation to care for our planet. It wasn’t until a letter arrived announcing he’d been shortlisted that she remembered what she’d done. Proudly, she told CityNews:
“I nominated him because what he’s built here is incredible, and it all started from nothing.”
Dominic and Louisa also thanked the Vicar of St Jude’s Church, noting that this blossoming community grew from a simple piece of lawn she gifted them, now home to a pond, a log circle and a greenhouse.
In a city short on green space, these future garden masters are learning to grow food, build habitats and reconnect with nature, all right on their doorstep, snacks included.
London stations are exhibiting their seasonal Christmas tree, which has raised questions of whether these displays are festive celebrations or clever pieces of brand promotion.
