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.

Funding from the UKSPF was available from 2023- 2025 and supported the delivery of six sites which are detailed below.

Current Sites:

Faggs Road North Allotment (W3W///much.dusty.opens)

Sixth site that has been identified as part of the GFTF project, a former allotment site that has been closed for over many years has now been restored as an allotment site with a community growing space and an ecology zone.

Works consisted of:

• Concept design and landscape architectural services
• Clearance works and removal of historic flytip
• Creation of pathways and entrance areas
• Creation of allotment plots and communal growing space

(Photos below 1. before the improvements, 2 and 3. after the improvements)

Manor Gardens (W3W ///cheese.parent.grew)

The fifth 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.

Works consisted of:

• Fencing works by Greenspace contractors
• Clearance of dead, dying and dangerous trees
• Habitat enhancements including dead hedging, bat & bird box installations and tree planting

Future works:

• Water connection by Thames Water
• New signage
• The Council will be working with residents to support them in establishing as a cooperative/community group to manage the allotment as a community growing space

Stakeholders involved:

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

(Photos below 1. before the improvements, 2. after the clearance works)

Van Gogh Close (W3W ///weds.crazy.urban)

Fourth space that has been transformed into a site to commemorate Van Gogh's time in Isleworth. Planting took place end of 2024 - early 2025.

Works consisted of:

• Wood carving in commemoration of Vincent Van Gogh
• Planting of fruit trees, wildflower meadow, bulbs, scented plants
• Installation of interpretation sign which explore the food elements of the space.
• Sunflower planting

Stakeholders involved:

1. Residents on Van Gogh Close
2. Lampton Greenspace

(Photos below 1. before the improvements, 2. after the works)

Lampton Park Community Garden (W3W ///pinks.skips.bunks)

The third space created as part of the programme is the community garden at Lampton which has become 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.

Kew Gardens have also been involved in providing nature journaling sessions for Lampton Park Community Gardeners – exploring themes such as roses, pollination, soundscapes and mindfulness.

Works consisted of:

• Enabling works-4 raised beds (veg and herbs), potato patch
• Installation of interpretation sign which explore the food elements of the space.
• Fence and gate installation
• Storage container
• Water butt installation
• Bug hotel
• Composter
• Wormery
• Tyre planters
• Vertical planting
• Ollas

Sessions:

• 3 workshops with Urban Trailblazer focused on herbs (May/June 2024)
  • Medicinal
  • Nutritional
  • Aromatherapy
• 3 workshops with Cultivate London focused on growing (May/June 2024)
  • Seeding
  • Root propagation
  • Plug plants
• Lampton School workshops (June-October 2024)
• Summer sessions (August 2024)
• Autumn/Winter sessions- 8 fortnightly sessions with Cultivate London (September- December 2024)

NEW 2025 sessions - in progress

• 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

(Photos below 1 and 2 recently taken in May 2025)

Brabazon Estate- Henley's Orchard (W3W ///puts.copies.keen)

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.

Works consisted of:

• Fruit orchard and lavender planting
• Creative Growing workshops
• 4 sets of 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 raised beds at Avenue Park
• Lavender replanting and bush rows.
• Installation of interpretation sign which explore the food elements of the space.

Stakeholders involved:

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

(Photos below 1. before the improvements, 2. after the works)

Westmacott Drive Open Space (W3W ///churn.dangerously.powder)

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.

Works consisted of:

• Wildflower meadow
• Bug Hotel
• Fruit tree orchard
• Native hedging
• Sunflower planting
• Installation of interpretation sign which explore the food elements of the space.
• 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

(Photos below 1 and 2,early 2025 photos)