Better Bankside has contributed £1,000 to Tate Modern’s Edible Estates project which has helped to turn an underused front lawn on one of Southwark Council’s interwar estates into a vibrant and productive local resource.

 

The inspiration for the transformation is the American landscaper and artist Fritz Haeg (www.edibleestates.org) who has come to London as part of Tate Modern's major new exhibition, Global Cities, in the Turbine Hall. The LA artist's project involves turning dormant patches of grass into fruit, vegetable and herb gardens.

 

The garden that has been realised at Brookwood House on Webber Road, SE1 is designed by Fritz Haag but has been created through the energy of enthusiastic local resident gardeners, directed and driven by the experience of the Bankside Open Spaces Trust and with practical as well as financial support of the team from the Tate Modern.

 

The garden, with its amoeba like layout, was created and fully planted up over a weekend at the end of May and consists exclusively of edibles or flowers that attract beneficial insects. These include fruiting vines and trees, vegetables, herbs and grains.  The garden is created around a central gathering/seating area that will become more secluded as the garden grows and is provided with rustic seating made out of found materials for the enjoyment of residents when they are not working.