The Filton Community Garden project began in 2012 with the simple idea of ​​creating a space and a focal point for the local community so they can not only relax and play, but also be part of their creation.

Now the garden has become a very popular part of the community and has won a number of awards from national bodies, including the RHS, which have described it as the best garden of its kind and a benchmark for others.

The original plan for the garden was a central seating area with flower beds in the shape of Concorde wings and paths winding through the garden and the trees. This simple plan soon became something far more important. The garden now has a rock garden, an edible bed, a bug hotel, a fernery, a herbaceous border, and a recently created wildflowerbank. All this is complemented by individual beds created by two local elementary schools, the Youth Club, South Gloucestershire and Stroud College and the Filton Twinning Association.

The garden has now opened up a whole new section of the Elm Park recreational park and has become a place to meet, have a picnic, take a walk with the dog and relax in the beautiful surroundings. It is also a fantastic venue for events. Looking to the future, we will shortly be creating two large rose garden beds at the entrance to the garden, and we have a long-term quest for a bandstand.

We worked with the community team to make sure the design was as accessible as possible, and we were really proud that the garden became such a center in the city. It is a great example of what a community group can achieve when it comes together with a clear goal and purpose. We can not wait to see where the garden is developing next and look forward to working on further community projects in the future.