How a disused park became a community growing space
A once-abandoned area in a community park in Huntingdon has been transformed into a growing space where residents can discover the joy of gardening together
The Coneygear Community Garden’s wellbeing garden at a glance:
- Type of garden: community garden
- Location: Cambridgeshire, England
- Budget: over £50,000
- Dimension: 400 square metres
- Implementation phase: spring to autumn 2022
- Key features: vegetable beds. -friendly and sensory planting, meadows, trees, herbs, accessible pathways, hedges and borders, a patio and shaded seating areas
How the wellbeing garden began
The initial drawing of the Coneygear Community Garden
In 2022, as part of a campaign led by the RHS in partnership with BBC The One Show, four community gardens were built across the UK’s four home nations with sponsorship from The Newt.
Huntingdon in Bloom applied for this unique opportunity and was crowned the winner for England, gaining funding to create an inclusive space for the community to access and enjoy. The garden build started in early spring 2022 and was completed by the autumn.
Today, the Coneygear Community Garden is a vibrant space, visited daily and enjoyed by people of all ages for the many activities and events organised throughout the year, such as the traditional snowdrop planting event in spring and a growing contest that encourages the community to get growing.
Budget and process
The Coneygear Community Garden under construction in May 2022
The initiative brought award-winning garden designer Arit Anderson into the project. She saw something special in Huntingdon’s spirit, and through consultation with the community, developed a design that would serve people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. The main concept, inspired by the beehive, emerged from observing how the community already worked.
“When turning to nature for inspiration, bees and beehives came to mind. They represent interconnectedness, organisation, teamwork and dedication, qualities that Huntingdon demonstrates. I therefore wanted to incorporate them into the garden,” said Arit Anderson.
"When turning to nature for inspiration, bees and beehives came to mind. They represent interconnectedness, organisation, teamwork and dedication, qualities that Huntingdon demonstrate."
Hexagonal patterns echo throughout the design, weaving together bright flowers, fragrant herbs and productive vegetable beds. The Coneygear Community Garden also includes pollinator-friendly and sensory planting, wildflower meadow areas, trees providing structure and shade, accessible pathways, hedges and borders defining intimate spaces and a welcoming patio area for gathering. Shaded seating offers space for rest and reflection and help reduce social isolation.
The RHS Community Outreach Team supported the development of the Coneygear Community Garden for a year, delivering community consultation sessions on what to grow and making monthly visits to help set up and run a gardening club. Total costs were around £50,000, including funding for three years of maintenance and for Coneygear Park staff to study towards an RHS Qualification.
Lessons: what challenges did you encounter?
The hexagonal raised beds are inspired by the concept of a beehive
Initially, the hexagonal raised beds had drainage issues that affected plant growth, but this was resolved by adding additional drainage holes to the planters.
Many of the vegetable beds were also planted with , creating an attractive display but leaving little space for edibles. “Once the garden build was complete, we added edible plants so the community could begin growing food,” said Alison Findlay, RHS Senior Community Outreach Advisor.
Lessons: what went well?
Huntingdon Town Council
Coneygear Park employed a Communities Officer to manage volunteers and activities in the garden and a close partnership with the Council’s Park Department helped to support the project.
The garden is now completely managed by local groups, who carry out general maintenance. This includes regular weeding, leaf raking, sweeping pathways and litter picking. Produce is also grown and shared among the Community gardeners and centre users and is occasionally prepared in the centre’s kitchens and served to the Coneygear Seniors Group.
“From the very beginning, the garden has focused on the community centre and a monthly volunteer gardening group has been launched to support the space, with other groups using the centre also able to contribute and enjoy it,” explained Alison.
Community garden sessions are also well attended from March to October. “We cover a range of activities, including seed sowing, edging, pruning and harvesting. We grow a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, and in 2025 we trialled unusual veg such as New Zealand Yam and mangelwurzel, which were cooked and served to our Coneygears Seniors club as part of their weekly meal,” said Kim O’Brien, Communities Officer of Huntingdon Town Council.
Impact of the wellbeing garden so far
Since its opening, the Coneygear Community Garden has received several awards
The Coneygear Community Garden has quickly become a cherished part of Huntingdon’s community. It offers a place to walk, relax and actively participate in its care, giving participants autonomy and encouraging them to grow new crops.
Natasha Pierson, former coordinator of Huntingdon In Bloom, said: “So many different groups use our community centre now and having a beautiful space outdoors where different generations can meet and interact in a safe environment is having huge benefits on mental, physical and social wellbeing.”
The garden’s success continues to be recognised and celebrated both locally and regionally. In February 2024, the community came together to mark 60 years of Britain in Bloom by planting 2,000 snowdrop bulbs across the park. Schoolchildren from Thongsley Fields Prumary & Nursery School’s Eco-Committee worked alongside Coneygear Seniors, volunteers and residents, each planting a clump in honour of a friend.
In the same year, Coneygear Park received a Best Community Project Nomination at the Anglia in Bloom Awards and was awarded ‘Outstanding’ at the It’s Your Neighbourhood Awards.
By September 2025, Huntingdon had claimed a Gold medal in the Large Town category at the Anglia in Bloom Awards for the eighth-year running, with the Coneygear Community Garden once again highlighted among the town’s standout projects.
