We have been alerted that pots and plants have been removed without permission from a much-loved community garden space at Bolney Meadow in Lambeth.
The garden had long been maintained by one of our residents, David, who passed away last year. We are keen to preserve his legacy while also addressing the concerns of some residents that a number of plants and pots had died or become overgrown.
We spoke to David’s sister and agreed thar our garden maintenance contractors would tidy up and remove any dead or failing plants, and would speak to residents about potentially starting a gardening club to look after a smaller, more manageable area and how we could honour David within the garden.
We are writing to all residents to begin discussions over the long-term future of the garden and explain what has happened so far.
Our contractors arrived earlier this month and residents were under the impression the garden was being removed in its entirety. We apologise for any hurt or distress this confusion caused.
Further, it has become clear that people unconnected to Bolney Meadow or Notting Hill Genesis took plants away for themselves. This is unfortunate and we share residents’ disappointment that this has happened.
Our contractors are due to return to remove the remaining dead or wilting plants on 15 and 16 March, after which consultation will begin to find volunteers for the resident gardening club.
We all appreciate the huge amount of work that David put into the garden, which was loved by residents and staff alike. If you live near Bolney Meadow and mistakenly took any of the plants thinking they were no longer wanted, please feel free to drop them back by 15 March so they can be part of the garden’s future.