Growing Together: Gentle Gardening

Every Tuesday morning, come rain or shine, Coin Street’s Gentle Gardening group rolls up their sleeves and sets out to work in their own little corner of Bernie Spain Gardens. 

Beds are watered and weeded, seeds are sown, and crops are harvested as they come into season. Much of what they grow is edible: potatoes, onions, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, greens and strawberries all find their way into the soil here. Alongside the food, flowers are planted to bring colour and to support pollinators, helping the garden feel welcoming and beautiful to the thousands of people who visit each year.  

After each session, the group shares lunch. Most weeks this means heading back to the Colombo Centre for soup and bread, with something freshly picked often added into the pot. When harvests are generous, the garden becomes the focus of the meal, whether that’s salads or something simple made together. In warmer months, lunch sometimes stays outside, with a picnic in the garden. 

Over the past two years, funding from The National Lottery Community Fund has made it possible to invest in the garden itself. Raised beds that had reached the end of their life have been replaced and others have been repaired. Old compost has been cleared out, and invasive tree roots, which had been draining nutrients, have been tackled, which has led to healthier soil, stronger plants, and better harvests. A new raised bed has opened up a sunny corner, while grow bags have been used to increase capacity across the site. 

The group itself continues to grow and change. Over the last two years, 46 people have taken part, with 25 attending regularly and others joining for shorter periods. For some, it has become part of their weekly routine. The sessions offer time outdoors, gentle physical activity, and the chance to be alongside others in a relaxed, supportive setting. People come with different experiences and needs, including those who are unemployed, managing mental health challenges, living with disabilities, or who are neurodivergent.  

Several autistic participants attend regularly, and the team has built its confidence and understanding through training with The Autism Project. This year, the group has welcomed a work experience placement from The Autism Project, Southwark Resource Centre brings young adults with their support workers to take part, while students from London Nautical School’s autism unit visit during the spring and summer. These sessions are a chance to learn practical skills and to see the results of that work overtime.  

The group doesn’t stay within the garden all the time. Visits to other green spaces across London are a highlight, including regular trips to Kew Gardens. Earlier this year, a group visited the Orchid Festival, and trips have also included places like Stave Hill Ecological Park and the Garden Museum. 

Participants often talk about what the group means to them. Feeling calmer, enjoying time outdoors, and meeting others are themes that come up again and again. For some, it has opened doors to new opportunities. One regular gardener has recently gained a new qualification and began a new job, sharing that the encouragement and routine of the group helped build the confidence to take the step to try new things.  

Gentle Gardening continues to evolve. New ideas are tested, partnerships grow, and the sessions adapt to meet the people who take part. There is always more to learn, and that is part of what makes the space feel alive. 

We connect with other local partners including King’s College University, London School of Economics, Bankside Open Spaces Trust and Incredible Edible Lambeth.  We are grateful for volunteers who have supported in sessions, including students and staff from King’s College London, staff from Lambert Smith Hampton, and members of the Coin Street staff team.  

We’re incredibly thankful to The National Lottery Community Fund for supporting this work and making it possible for our gardening community to keep growing.