The Providence Row roof garden, managed by our gardener Julie, recently won 3 awards at the 2021 London in Bloom Awards.
The roof garden which occupies 100m2 above Providence Row is filled with up to 100 different types of produce including fruit, vegetables and herbs, all planned and grown so that food can be harvested for 52 weeks of the year. The garden provides a constant source of food for the kitchen downstairs to transform into meals for rough sleepers and people living in local hostels.
These incredible efforts impressed the judges who said…
‘A very challenging year for the Providence Row rooftop garden and orchard but Julie, as usual, has risen to the challenge and adjusted. Growing more food than ever to create food for not just the residents but many neighbouring hotels and hostels feeding more people than ever before. A remarkable achievement during the pandemic and a heroic endeavour’.
All of Julie’s monumental effort was rewarded with an amazing 3 awards all of which commended her efforts in food production, the range of plants grown and the organisation of the roof terrace, the awards included:
It’s Your neighbourhood (IYN) – Outstanding Award
Our Community – Gold and Category Winner
National Certificate from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Very few organisations in the UK have achieved this and it is given in recognition of our outstanding awards sustained over the last 5 years.
The judges called the project exemplary and commented that…
‘Stepping up the efforts and increasing production of food for the local community and beyond. Sharing and exchanging knowledge and skills continues. But most importantly the provision of organic, quality, and tasty food to the community is to be lauded. This is an exemplary project’.
Well done Julie and a big thank you to all of the volunteers who make our garden possible!