London's once abandoned library undergoes a stunning transformation, now blooming as a captivating community garden, thanks to a designer awarded with a prestigious Chelsea Gold Medal.
A Blossoming Haven: The Community Garden at The Exchange in Erith
Nestled in the heart of Erith, London, lies a hidden gem – The Community Garden at The Exchange. This small but rapidly developing space, designed by renowned landscape architect Sarah Price, is quickly becoming a beacon of community spirit and heritage storytelling.
Sarah's painterly design approach unifies the garden's diverse range of plants, creating a harmonious blend that reflects the community's ethos and the site's rich history. The garden is an integral part of The Exchange's broader mission to celebrate craft, community, and empowerment, all while connecting to the heritage of Erith and the old library building on the site.
The garden's charm lies in its unique atmospheric areas, each offering a distinct character. Many elements of the garden, including plants and materials, were reclaimed or repurposed, adding a touch of history to the contemporary design. One such example is the installation of bespoke Corten-steel steps, a testament to Sarah's creative vision.
By autumn 2021, Sarah had a palette of several thousand plants to plant, aided by volunteers ranging in age from toddlers to octogenarians. The planting was done in two mad days, requiring careful attention to ensure the subtle relationships between plants would survive.
Head gardener Colin Stewart was astonished by what had been achieved by the time he started in January 2023. He now maintains the garden, introducing splashes of orange horned poppies and shell-pink Beth's poppies to add color to the garden. The garden requires constant subtle tweaking to maintain its balance, with examples including the use of Euphorbia seguieriana subsp. niciciana, Iris 'Benton Susan', Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus, Hesperaloe parviflora, and self-seeding Eschscholzia californica 'Ivory Castle'.
The greenhouse at The Exchange, shaped like a library bus, is filled with zingy pelargoniums. The garden's paths are made from a mixture of crushed aggregate and bricks handmade in community workshops, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere.
The garden is actively promoted through tours led by Colin, emphasizing its growing importance as a community space and garden. The address of The Exchange, The Old Library, is Walnut Tree Road, Erith, London DA8 1RA, and the phone number is 01322 341144. The garden's website is theexchangeerith.com, and it is open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10.30am-5pm, Thursdays from 10.30am-9pm, and some Saturdays in summer and autumn. Volunteers still turn out every Friday morning to help maintain the garden.
Sarah sourced plants for her garden from a pop-up garden for luxury brand Hermès and online nursery Crocus, demonstrating that even on a limited budget, a phased approach and lateral thinking can lead to stunning results. The garden at The Exchange, The Old Library, is more than just a garden – it's a testament to the power of community spirit, creativity, and the transformative potential of green spaces.
- The Community Garden at The Exchange, a highlight of horticulture in Erith, is an integral part of the home-and-garden mission at The Exchange, fostering a sense of community, celebrating heritage, and promoting gardening.
- In the garden, Sarah Price's painterly design approach unifies diverse plants in a landscape that reflects the community's ethos and the site's history, showcasing her creativity in gardening.
- The garden, open for visits on select days, offers a blend of lifestyle and heritage, featuring reclaimed materials, contemporary design, and a variety of plants sourced from pop-up gardens and online nurseries, highlighting the transformative potential of green spaces within the home-and-garden realm.
