In 2017 we decided to create an award for the person or group that had done most to improve or create an unofficial garden around the Chiswick area.
“Guerrilla gardening” includes tree pits, small dilapidated areas, and also gardens where the local community has asked permission from the council or landowner and taken responsibility to create something of worth – beautiful and biodiverse, that could create pleasure for passersby and maybe a tiny habitat for wildlife.
2020
The Abundance gardening award was not presented during the Pandemic
2019
Winner:
Flower bed corner at Sutton Court Road, near the railway bridge.
Steve Nutt has been looking after the tree pit outside his house for several years, but over the last year has expanded to the other side of the road, under the curve of the railway bridge and created a little garden there, full of poppies, plum trees and bee friendly planting.
Runners up:
Library beds, raised beds at Chiswick Library
Gill Harding looks after the beds outside the library, filling them with beans, herbs and rhubarb and making the area a very pleasant place to pass or to sit.
Devonshire Road tree pits, outside the Pet Shop
Alan looks after these flower beds and they make a huge difference to the street by his shop.
2018
Winner:
Stile Hall Gardens.
A long wide strip alongside the pavement and railway at the Kew Bridge end of Stile Hall Gardens has been transformed into a garden with a variety of planting – alliums, day lilies, geraniums, honesty, santolina, echinops, tulips and much more ensure a constant display of lush colour with plenty for passing people and insects to enjoy. Gardened by the community this provides a very welcome oasis.
Runners up:
Dean Lane (aka Dead Donkey Lane) running between Herbert & Ernest Gardens.
A small alleyway running between Herbert and Ernest Gardens, looked after by the local community. There is a long thin strip of earth that runs the length of the alleyway, which is planted up with a bright and diverse selection. This has turned a potentially threatening narrow alleyway into a pleasant and friendly walk, and has also brought the community together.
Dianne’s Memorial Garden, Strand-on-the-Green
This small garden transformed a corner of the Strand-on-the-Green towpath in memory of a local lady. Instead of boring green bushes filled with discarded cans and worse, there is now a lovely tiny garden.
2017
The first award went to Cheryl Lanyon for looking after the Flagpole garden at the Town Hall so well.