Grow for the Future

Grow for the Future is a pioneering Hounslow initiative and the UK’s first policy to transform unused council land to grow food and educate children on healthy living. Funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) – which is part of the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda - this new policy will enable local communities to grow food.

The aim is to pair each new site with a local school or VCSE group in areas across the borough which are built up and have limited access to green spaces and to encourage individuals to get active, get involved and participate in local community growing sites.

The Council plans to open up to four new sites per year.

Current Sites:

Manor Gardens

Fourth site that has been added to GFTF is former allotment site Manor Gardens, an abandoned space for decades with no initial aspirations for change, is the perfect location for transformation.

Phase 1 – Water connection by Thames Water – in progress

Phase 2 - Fencing works by Greenspace contractors – to be completed this side of Christmas

Phase 3 - Signage

Phase 4 - Survey site towards end of year.

Phase 5 - Conduct clearances - dangerous trees to be removed but minimal thinning to occur to maintain buffer between main road and residential properties.

Phase 6 - Residents will be welcome to form their own cooperative to establish the space as their own community growing space.

Stakeholders involved:

1. Residents on Manor Court and Manor Gardens
2. Lampton Greenspace

Van Gogh Close

Third space that is being transformed into a site which will include fruit trees, wildflowers, bulbs and a wood carving to commemorate Van Gogh's time in Isleworth. Planting will be taking place end of 2024 - early 2025.

Phase 1 – Wood carving in commemoration of Vincent Van Gogh in progress

Phase 2 – Planting of fruit trees, wildflower meadow, bulbs, scented plants

Phase 3 – Sunflower planting

Stakeholders involved:

1. Residents on Van Gogh Close
2. Lampton Greenspace

Lampton Park Community Garden

This space has served as an education hub for residents to explore food growing, maximise small spaces, share their knowledge and contribute to biodiversity. Many residents lack the access to their own garden, allotment or live in built up spaces and therefore have not had the opportunity to grow their own food. As part of this, Lampton School have their own raised bed where students are learning how to grow food, identify plants and their properties, harvest and nature journal. Kew Gardens have also been involved in providing nature journalling sessions for Lampton Park Community Gardeners – exploring themes such as roses, pollination, soundscapes and mindfulness.

Phase 1 – enabling works: Completed

• 3 raised beds
• Fence and gate installation

Phase 2 – Pop up workshops (May/June) Completed

• 3 workshops with Urban Trailblazer focused on herbs
  • Medicinal
  • Nutritional
  • Aromatherapy
• 3 workshops with Cultivate London focused on growing
  • Seeding
  • Root propagation
  • Plug plants

Phase 3 – Lampton School workshops Completed

Phase 4 – Summer sessions Completed

• 3 workshops with Cultivate London

Phase 5 – enabling works Completed

• 1 raised bed
• Storage container
• Water butt installation

Phase 6 - Autumn/Winter sessions in progress

• 8 fortnightly sessions with Cultivate London

Results:

1. Raised veg and herb beds
2. Bug hotel
3. Composter
4. Wormery
5. Tyre planters
6. Vertical planting
7. Ollas

• Stakeholders involved:
  1. Cultivate London
  2. Urban Trailblazers
  3. Lampton Park Community Gardeners
  4. Friends of Lampton Park
  5. Residents
  6. Lampton School
  7. DofE students

Brabazon Estate- Henley's Orchard

The second orchard project of Hounslow's Grow for the Future initiative has opened up a neglected alleyway in Cranford's Brabazon Estate and transformed it into a thriving space with new fruit trees and lavender. The site is still being progressed due to constant fly tips and littering, however the team is working with residents to combat these issues and foster more ownership of the space. More planting to come this year and early 2025.

'Creative Growing' sessions hosted by Creative Spaces London took place to encourage residents of all ages to learn the skills needed to grow food. These sessions include indoor planting, visits to local parks and open spaces, creating their own gardening toolkit, and a summer school has now ended.

Phase 1 – Fruit orchard and lavender planting Completed

Phase 2 - Creative Growing workshops Completed

• 3 sets of 6 Creative growing sessions at Brabazon Community centre
• 1 Celebration day at Brabazon Community Centre
• 1 set of 8 summer school sessions at Brabazon Community Centre, Henley’s Orchard, fruit picking farm and Avenue Park

Phase 3 – Replanting on site in progress

Stakeholders involved:

1. Creative Spaces London
2. Lampton Greenspace
3. Brabazon Community Centre
4. Brabazon residents

Westmacott Drive Open Space

The initiative's first orchard project has transformed an underused, empty space in Westmacott Drive Open Space into a natural green haven.

The wildflower meadow has grown, and fruit trees have been established. Raspberry and blackberry bushes have been intertwined with the native hedging and the local school children have grown sunflowers which were planted on one of the boundary sides closest to the wildflower meadow.

Update :All phases completed.

• An interpretation sign which will explore the food elements of the space has been installed.
• Lampton Greenspace’s Business Development and Parks have created a herb and vegetable garden to add onto Rivers Academy West London growing space in the school. This will allow school children to grow within their current raised planters, grow more herbs and vegetables and learn about food growing.

Stakeholders involved:

1. Cultivate London
2. Lampton Greenspace
3. Rivers Academy West London
4. Environmental Champions