Early impacts of the Markfield Park community garden
Katie Yau
There is growing evidence that being in nature is good for our mental health. But communities who are more likely to experience poor mental health as a result of poverty and racism tend to have less access to green space.
Space to grow explores the early impacts of a new community garden in Markfield Park, Tottenham, in north London.
Back in 2023, Wild City Studio and Centre for Mental Health were supported by Project Giving Back to create The Balance Garden as part of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The Markfield Park community garden, in collaboration with Haringey Council and Friends of Markfield Park, is the legacy of this work.
Centre for Mental Health was funded by Natural England to undertake an early impact assessment of the garden, hearing from local residents and volunteers about their hopes for the space and the benefits of gardening on mental health.
We set out to explore how relocating The Balance Garden to Markfield Park could affect the mental wellbeing of local residents. People who used the Park showed good levels of interest and anticipation for this community garden, and we identified strong engagement from local school communities who have been involved in building the garden within Markfield Park.
Space to grow highlights the importance of green spaces, particularly for urban areas. It explores how being part of the build has fostered a sense of ownership for the children and young people involved. And it shows how developing community gardens can boost the mental health of people in urban environments.
