‘When a community garden finds you, don’t let it go’

The first time I discovered Dame Emily Park was a warm August evening. The need for fresh air and the willingness of a good friend to walk with me took us through the residential streets of Bedminster.

We used the last rays of sunlight to take pictures of the plants and flowers we found, trying to identify them on the way. I finally felt like I was starting to speak a language that I’d been hearing around me all my life.

The night, or perhaps the spirit of adventure, led us to the Dame Emily Park entrance. We ventured into the darkness to find monstrous, creeping figures standing together. I flashed my phone’s torch at them and couldn’t have been more amazed.

“Are those courgettes? Look at those sunflowers! I think those are nasturtiums… Have you ever tried them?” I laughed when my friend tried to swallow one of the green fiery seeds.

There was an announcement board calling for volunteers to join their gardening sessions. I emailed them and the next day I received a very friendly invitation to show me around. It was love at first sight! Admiring the garden under a blue sky and a warm welcome just felt right. The team made it very clear that there was absolutely no commitment, I could come over whenever I felt like it.

Many volunteers share a similar story. Some can see the park from their windows and others walk all the way from Redcliffe, but something draws them every time, including the less experienced gardeners (like me).

“The great thing about urban community gardens is that they’re beneficial on every level” – photo: Dame Emily Park volunteers/ City Nature Challenge

I’m not exaggerating when I say I’d never even sown a seed before I joined Dame Emily Park’s sessions. Our garden grows by following each other’s guts and advice. Who needs experience when you’ve got all the will in the world?

The great thing about urban community gardens is that they’re beneficial on every level. For you, it can almost become a therapeutic ritual. Many volunteers live in high rise flats or homes without gardens, so having somewhere to take action on the things they care about is life-changing.

Empowering the local community also contributes to building a better Bristol. Initiatives like Veg on the Edge, where people grow seasonal food at home and then bring it back to the garden, encourage self-sufficiency and sustainability.

No matter how small your closest green space is, let it become the canvas to build a miniature utopia.

City Nature Challenge is a great way to take your first steps into making a better world. Explore the wildlife near you, be curious and see your neighbourhood as you’ve never seen it before. Sometimes slowing down is the best kind of revolution, especially when your weapon is an app that identifies plants and animals.

Actually, now that I think about it, I don’t think I found that park. The park found me.

Paula Rincon Naranjo is a volunteer at Dame Emily Park

This blog was written to inspire people across Bristol to find new areas of the city during the City Nature Challenge from April 29 to May 2. Get involved with a free event or download the free app to take part in wildlife surveying – www.citynaturechallenge.org.uk

Main photo: Dame Emily Park volunteers/ City Nature Challenge 

Read more: The Bristol gardeners working to create system change 

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