See how to grow your own! Have a lovely afternoon out…FREE!
You are invited to be inspired and visit one of our lovely unique FREE Open Food Gardens – The annual event has been running for over five years – with hundreds of people coming along to visit the gardens. Now included are local allotments. See programme below from April to August.
- Sat 26th May 3-5pm 4 York Road, St Albans, AL1 4PL
- Wed 27th June 3-5pm 13 Abbey View Road, St Albans, AL3 4QL
- Sun 8th July 3-5pm 23 Gresford Close, St Albans, AL4 OUB
- Sun 22nd July 3-5pm 30 Gustard Wood (off The Slype) Wheathampstead, AL4 8RR
- Sun 29th July 3-5pm 47 Beaumont Avenue, St Albans, AL1 4TW
- Sun 5th Aug 11-1pm Burydell Allotments, Burydell Lane, Park Street, AL2 2PU
- Fri 10th Aug 2-4pm 66 Sherwood Avenue, St Albans, AL4 9PL
- Fri 10th Aug 3-5pm 104 Marshalswick Lane, St Albans, AL1 4XE
- Sun 19th Aug 3-5pm The Holt, Holtsmere End Lane, Redbourn, AL3 7AW
Residents who are passionate about growing food in their gardens open up their Food Gardens – to inspire and encourage local people to do the same! You too, can grow your own food at home. Seedlings sometimes on offer – see details for each garden below.
These events are friendly, fun and informal. You are invited to come along, have a look round, even get a cup of tea and cake if you are lucky! You are welcome to talk to the plants, chat to the gardener or other visitors. Come on your own or bring a neighbour! See what fruit and vegetables can be grown at home! Get tips and advice on designing your vegetable plot and how to deal with critters! We welcome suggested £2 donation to help us cover our costs. Any profit goes to Sustainable St Albans charity.
Last Open Food Garden of the Year:
Sun 19th Aug 3-5pm The Holt, Holtsmere End Lane, Redbourn, AL3 7AW
Self-contained vegetable and soft fruit garden with wide range of vegetables. Additionally at the rear of the house tomatoes, peppers and herbs are grown in pots.
Includes a wide range of vegetables – potatoes, onions, carrots, beetroot, pumpkins, courgettes, garlic, sweet potatoes, beans, kale etc. There is soft fruit – gooseberries, currants, raspberries, strawberries, Herbs, rhubarb.
They are grown in the self-contained garden raised beds, half of which are new this year. Also containers with potatoes, carrots, garlic.
There are two small ponds; 5 cats, 9 alpacas, and ducks!
There is a large open compost pile. Manure from site – alpaca. All manure/compost sourced on site. Water butts on shed.
The house is at the end of Holtsmere End Lane. After taking the left hand turn at the green triangle it is the third and last house on the right. Parking on driveway or grass verges.
No booking required.
For the Open Food Gardens, there is a suggested donation of £2 per garden visit for over 16s.
No dogs please except Assistance Dogs. Wheelchair access is restricted at most gardens.
2018 Completed – Open Food Gardens
Sustainable St Albans Week allotment tours and open days:
TWO gardens on Friday 10th August:
Fri 10th Aug 2-4pm 66 Sherwood Avenue, St Albans, AL4 9PL
A mature and wildlife-friendly ornamental garden with raised beds recently added.
Growing this year are tomatoes, aubergines, chillies, salad leaves, beans, courgettes, strawberries, a range of herbs and a number of unusual perennial vegetables, such as Good King Henry, pink purslane, French scorzonera, sea beet, sorrels and various edible alliums. Raspberries have been added to the back of a bed and Chilean guavas, a Brown Turkey fig and a Victoria plum grow in pots.
The garden also has a pond, a small bog garden, a running water feature, a log pile, insect houses, bird feeders and bath, a dalek-style compost bin, a plastic greenhouse for seedlings and two water butts.
Fri 10th Aug 3-5pm 104 Marshalswick Lane, St Albans, AL1 4XE
Quiet garden despite its proximity to Marshalswick Lane. It covers approximately 1/3 acre. Fruit trees are scattered around the back garden, including two large, old Bramley apple trees, minarette apple trees and pears and a quince. Various different rhubarbs are grown, including one for Autumn use. There is an early and a late blackberry and Autumn Bliss raspberries.
Sun 5th Aug 11-1pm Burydell Allotments, Burydell Lane, Park Street, AL2 2PU
Sun 29th July 3-5pm 47 Beaumont Avenue, St Albans, AL1 4TW
This is a family garden where fruit & veg beds are integrated with mature planting, space for the kids to play, and space to sit. The veg garden is relatively new; now in its second year. There are two mini-greenhouses. The owners like to grow a little bit of a lot of things, to help their kids learn where food comes from, so there is a real variety to see.
Sun 22nd July 3-5pm 30 Gustard Wood (off The Slype) Wheathampstead, AL4 8RR
This large garden is in a semi-rural location, in a cul-de-sac off The Slype, north ofWheathampstead. It is a very well established garden, tended by the resident family for many years. The front garden contains mainly ornamental plants; the food growing area behind the house includes a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, mainly grown in beds, but also in a greenhouse and in reused containers.
Vegetables – runner beans, courgette, brussels sprouts, swede, cabbage, purple sprouting broccoli, carrots, asparagus, yellow patty pan (squash), potatoes, aubergine. Tomatoes. Red pepper. Onions, garlic, leeks.
Fruit –cooking apple tree; one eating apple tree; raspberries; grape vine.
Herbs –rosemary, mint, tarragon, sage, thyme, parsley, chives.
There are also chickens, and one cat!
Sun 8th July 3-5pm 23 Gresford Close, St Albans, AL4 OUB
This is a small garden with a wide range of fruit and vegetables. They are currently picking gooseberries, loganberries, various beans, cucumber, Swiss chard. Also growing figs, cherries, blackberries, sweet corn, courgettes, carrots, herbs and more.
Wed 27th June 3-5pm 13 Abbey View Road, St Albans, AL3 4QL
This garden is opening for its fifth season. A wide variety of fruit and vegetables are grown in a flat area of ground at the far end of this medium-sized south-west facing garden near the city centre. – with a fantastic view of the abbey.
The top part of the garden is mainly given over to flowers, lawn and a seating area but is interspersed with a few food-producing plants including rhubarb and two plum trees. Herbs (lemon balm, mint and rosemary) are grown in a bed nearer to the house.
The garden features use of various reclaimed materials, tumbling composter and several water tanks and butts
** Looking for tomato seedlings?**
There will be tomato seedlings grown by some of our gardens owners for sale at this Open Garden for a small donation to Sustainable St Albans.
Sat 26th May 3-5pm 4 York Road, St Albans, AL1 4PL
A large mature garden of established trees and shrubs with a large false acacia tree acting as a focal point. The entire garden is managed following organic principles and techniques. Mixed borders of shrubs, climbers, flowering bulbs and herbaceous perennials flank a central lawn. Fruit and vegetables are grown in the centre and rear of the garden.
The garden has wooden slatted compost stations and waterbutts, and the stone pathways are made from reused crazy paving stones.
There is limited on-street parking (no vouchers required). Bike storage is available at the side of the house. Wheelchair access would be possible to the patio and lawn at the rear of the house. Suggested donation of £2.00 for over 16s; all proceeds go to TSA funds.
Sat 21st April, 2-5pm Riverside Allotments, opposite junction of Station Road and Coldharbour Lane, Harpenden, AL5 4XT
Sun 22nd April, 11-2.30pm (tours on the hour) Cottonmill and Nunnery Allotments, Cottonmill Lane, St Albans, AL3 1HJ
Sat 28th April, 1.30-4pm FoodSmiles, Hammonds End Farm, Harpenden, Herts AL5 2AY
NEW from FoodSmiles: Community Food Gardens in St Albans!
Pick-your-own food and flowers, planted by the community for the community!
FoodSmiles St Albans has launched the first of two ‘Incredible Edible’ gardens; open to all, with free food to pick and take home: just by Civic Centre in front of the Alban Arena, off St Peter’s St.
Anyone who lives, works or plays in St Albans is welcome to be a part of these community food gardens. FoodSmiles hopes that they’ll bring local people together, help us to share and teach growing skills, help pollinators and other wildlife, enhance the city centre and provide free food!
Both gardens will feature forest garden planting, with a rich mix of different edible plants in close proximity, chosen to tolerate the shade under trees.
How Can I Get Involved?
Join us at our monthly ‘Come and Grow’ sessions. No experience required!
Incredible Edible Civic Centre (in front of the Alban Arena, off St Peter’s Street)
Second Sunday of each month, 1-4pm (same day as Farmers Market! Also 22nd April 1-4pm)
For further details or to join the community gardens mailing list email incredible@foodsmilesstalbans.org.uk
