Hammersmith's Sycamore House Wins Trophy for its Gardens

---

Residents celebrate being awarded second Challenge Cup

Residents of Sycamore House sheltered housing scheme in Hammersmith are celebrating after their gardens won the trophy for the best almshouse community garden in the 2015 London Garden Society awards.

Residents make the most of the communal gardens in spring, summer and autumn, and hold parties on the patio areas outside the building’s library and lounge.

Designed with a twisting, wheelchair-friendly path winding through it, the Sycamore House garden was created to give residents different vistas every few steps.

Community gardener Jackie Thompson was delighted with the prize, which is a tribute to everyone who assists with weeding, planting, sweeping and dead-heading.

" The garden is a bit special," says Jackie.  " It’s three years old – which is very young in garden terms – but it’s already won the London Garden Society challenge cup twice. It’s been planted with successional planting, so there’s something to look at through the year."

Residents also personalise the space immediately outside their flats with colourful pots of flowers and hanging baskets. In early spring residents help in the greenhouse, potting up the annuals.

" The whole ethos is to keep people fit, healthy and happy, and just sitting in the garden makes everyone feel better,” added Jackie. “Many of the residents come out to water plants during the summer, and we also have a raised pond with carp in it."

London Garden Society judges, who inspected the gardens, praised the Sycamore House colour, artistry and plant health.

The Sycamore House gardens are bee, butterfly and bird-friendly, adding to the enjoyment.

The housing scheme, in Sycamore Gardens, close to Hammersmith Grove is administered by Hammersmith United Charities along with John Betts' House in Rylett Road in Shepherd's Bush.

Residents at John Betts' House were also delighted to find the scheme was placed third with a silver gilt in the small community garden category of the London Garden Society Awards.

Local people can also enjoy the gardens when they are opened to the public for the annual Open Garden Squares weekend, which takes place in June.

 

December 21, 2015