How to turn your community garden into a thriving hub

Yourspace.sutton is a warm, welcoming place rooted in the south London community it serves, reaching thousands of local people. Neighbours come together to volunteer, garden, chat, learn and play in this vibrant shared space – shaped by the community, for the community.

In 2025, this community gardening group's achievements were recognised with anRHS Community Award for Community Engagement, celebrating its efforts to engage the wider community and creating positive and long-lasting benefits.

Learn more about community gardening

Brambles and potential

What is now a thriving community garden began as a neglected patch of land at the back of a park in Sutton. Founder Kevin Plicio recalls: “I got into horticulture in a teaching sense. I was delivering City & Guilds training in parks in Morden. When I took on this place in 2010, it was derelict, unloved and wild – a site full of brambles and potential. I knew I wanted to grow a garden, but that would have been impossible without people. I had to grow my volunteer base, so I got the word out there and it has grown and grown.”

Thanks to a team of dedicated volunteers, Yourspace.sutton is open to the community five days a week

Fifteen years on, the group has 37 regular volunteers, with numbers boosted every weekend by young people completing their Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards. Together, volunteers have transformed the one-acre site into an inclusive community garden featuring a wildlife pond, a lawn for community events, indoor and outdoor play areas, a tearoom and spaces for hire.

Nothing goes to waste

The garden has been created entirely from salvaged, recycled and upcycled materials – all provided by local people, local businesses or rescued from nearby skips and building projects. Around 95% of the plants have been grown from cuttings

A method of growing new plants from parts of an existing plant, such as sections of root, stem, leaf or bud. When prepared correctly and planted in the right conditions, they can produce roots and eventually become independent plants. There is a wide range of different methods for taking cuttings, depending on the plant and time of year.

or seeds by those taking part in workshops on site, making the garden a celebration of local skill, creativity and collective achievement.

With no paid staff, it’s the strength of the volunteer community that keeps the garden open and free for everyone to enjoy five days a week. There are countless ways for people to get involved: lending a hand at volunteer drop‑in sessions, coming along to family fun days, craft fairs or the repair café, a cup of tea with friends in the cafe or exploring the local history and heritage project.

The group runs three drop-in sessions a week for volunteers

A local nutritionist regularly leads Mindful Monday wellbeing sessions

The community tearoom doubles as a space for wellbeing workshops, where skills and passions are shared on everything from women’s health to the benefits of gardening and mindfulness. Outdoor learning sessions with visiting schools and care homes are another essential part of the garden’s community life.

How to be a greener gardener

Plants and nature are a real leveller

At Yourspace.sutton, volunteers have the opportunity to learn new skills and pursue their passions – woodworking, gardening, building and beekeeping to name just a few. There’s something for everyone.

People visit the garden for all kinds of reasons, but what keeps them returning is the sense of connection, the friendships formed, the welcoming atmosphere and the joy of being part of something meaningful together, an ever-evolving journey.

New volunteer Jess explains: “I recently moved to the area and while out running I came across the site. A volunteer invited me in and introduced me to people. It was such a welcoming and warm atmosphere. Plants and nature are a leveller. There's real acceptance here and no pressure. You find what you're interested in and get what you want from it.”

“Every day is different,” adds Emma. “It's good to be outdoors, it's important for wellbeing. I've made some good friends and we learn from each other.” Emma began volunteering in September 2025 and has already laid a new path (pictured above).

The group’s Facebook and Instagram pages feature regular updates and have a combined following of more than 8,000

For Pete (pictured above right) retirement wasn’t what he expected: “A friend introduced me and that was five years ago. It's something to get up for. Everyone mucks in and helps each other.” Martin (pictured above left) agrees: “Being here is great for my mental health; it keeps me sane and helps me channel my energy and focus. I also enjoy the company. We all get on well.”

Sometimes good can come out of adversity

The group has learned to be self‑enterprising rather than rely on external funding. Today, Yourspace.sutton is sustained entirely through its own activity, from plant nursery and tearoom sales to workshops, space hire for local providers and even honey produced on site.

The group has had its share of challenges including an arson attack in 2019

It hasn’t all been plain sailing. “In 2017, Storm Doris ripped off the roof and side of one of the polytunnels. In 2019, an arson attack burned the cafe to the ground. We were nine years in and I thought it was over,” says Kevin. “But the community rallied round and raised £8,000. You soldier on and get through it. Sometimes good can come out of adversity. When we rebuilt the polytunnel, the new framework meant you could see the café, so people looking into the site can now see what’s going on, it’s more open and inviting.”

Looking ahead

The future looks bright for this south London group. “Things are evolving all the time. We’ve just launched a new website and have plans for a Japanese koi garden, a community kitchen, a visitor centre, a butterfly house and an art space,” says Kevin. “We’re opening up more and more of the site. Through doing what we’re doing we’ve achieved a lot together but there’s still so much more to come.”

Yourspace.sutton is part of theRHS It’s Your Neighbourhood programme – supporting communities to green up local areas with friends and neighbours. Find out more and see if your community can get involved.