Sprowston Methodist Church has a large corner plot, right in the heart of Sprowston. Although the Church itself is used daily by both Church and community groups, the huge garden was the most under-used space, and not very inspiring, mainly just a large lawn edged by trees and neglected hedges. Apart from the annual community Free Family Fun Day, run by the Church every June, most of it was unused for the rest of the year, apart from an area around the back fenced off for the playgroup that uses rooms at the Church.
in 2022 the decision was made to develop part of the grounds into a welcoming, practical and productive area for community use.
PHASE ONE
A large area of lawn was replaced with a porous paving, suitable for wheelchairs and mobility scooters. A team of volunteers assembled 7 raised beds made from recycled plastic for growing vegetables one very cold day in December 2022, adding 5 recycled plastic benches once the ground works were completed. A section was chosen to create a Remembrance Garden, with an archway entrance and path leading to a bench under the cherry tree from which remembrance discs hang. The tree and bench are surrounded by attractive planting to create a reflective corner.
The large overgrown and neglected ground-cover conifers were removed, in their place are a new large flower bed, a wildflower area with a large bug ‘hotel’, bee posts, berry bushes, a Bog Garden, small shrubbery, thousands of bulbs added, a rhubarb patch and an additional area for veggies. We added bird boxes, bird table, pebble patch and a Little Free Library for community use.
Then came the Coffee Cabin, which enables hot drinks to be given to those using the garden or visiting when volunteers are there. We also added water butts and compost bins.
A Peace Pole carries its message in 8 languages plus braille.
The produce grown in the Garden is donated to the Church’s “Veg Bank” on Friday mornings, a food bank specifically supplying a bag of fresh vegetables rather than tins and packets. Any surplus veg can be collected by local people on Friday afternoons.
AWARD
In September 2023 we received the “Green at Heart” award in Broadland District Council’s “Community at Heart” awards.
PHASE TWO
An exciting expansion for the Community Garden was started and completed in summer 2024 – the Reflections of God Garden. The section of ground located at the end of the car park adjacent to the road junction was an unsightly weedy overgrown composting area, with a tall border hedge that had become unstable after it was smothered in ivy. The hedge was removed, replaced with a picket fence, the area levelled, new flower beds created, a level accessible paved area added, with recycled plastic seating.
Items are located in the colour coded flower beds with QR codes to scan to explain their relevance and provide songs, pause for thought, activities and more, related to each item.
Then came the all-age activity box under a seat by the silver birch tree, children’s Nature and Nurture table and activities box under the ‘jingle-jangle tree’ (contents of box changed weekly). We also have Measure Me and What’s the Temperature?
Sadly, that summer, the central cross became unstable, but we received a very generous donation of a beautiful olive tree to stand in the empty space, which also has a QR code link to information.
Now to tackle the rest of the Garden!
The L shaped beds around the back of the building, formerly neglected and weedy, are nearing their transformation into attractive low maintenance areas, with espalier apple trees, “planted chair pots”, shrubs, paving, more water butts and a few finishing touches will be added very soon.
This summer’s project is for under the Magnolia tree where we will add two new items, and the planting refreshed to reflect the new themes – you will have to come back later in the year to see the completed remodelling!
In the far corner of the Garden, we removed a section of dying hedge and replaced with picket fencing, clearing the very overgrown and ivy-smothered plants – currently covered by old carpet. Here we will create a shrubbery and in front another seating area, with items and planting based on Psalm 23 (The Lord is my shepherd). This will take time to complete but will be started this summer.
At Christmas the Garden comes alive with lights and displays! We also run Christmas and Easter events, children’s activity mornings and summer picnics. We love to do a community art project at the events for display in the lychgate.
There is always something to do or see in Sprowston Community Garden.
ALWAYS OPEN and you are ALWAYS WELCOME!
If you would like to volunteer here, come and join us on Fridays from 10am.
Comments about the Garden (given by visitors to the Church Fun Day):
“We love visiting this garden” – “The Library is great” – “I pop in here when every time I get off the bus.” – “It’s so peaceful to sit and listen to the birds, you wouldn’t think it is by a main road.” – “The children love coming to look for bugs since they came to your bug discovery morning.” – “My friends and I sometimes meet up here before we get the bus into the city together” – “I can’t believe how different it looks now, it was bare before. It is so lovely now.” – “It’s such a brilliant idea to grow veg.” – “It’s a great place to come and relax.” – “It’s a very calming space and so beautifully done.” – “My daughter told me about this. She lives in Sprowston and I wish we had something like this by me. So lovely.” – “I watched this being done. I pass on the bus every day and it is amazing how it has changed.” – “I love it as I can push my wheelchair around it.”
Sprowston Community Garden Facebook page.
Some pictures of the garden and garden events
