‘It has always been my dream to plant tomatoes once I have my own space.’ Anna, who moved into West Green Place N17 in Haringey this year, was overjoyed when she found out that she would be able to garden on the communal roof terrace of her building. A new development, residents have been working with their neighbours to populate the plant beds with vegetables, herbs and flowers, making their shared spaces greener and more sustainable.
During the pandemic, we realised more than ever how vital these outdoor spaces are for the wellness of residents. Although communal amenities vary from development to development, we have found that when we provide allotments, they are received particularly well. We spoke to residents in two of our developments featuring allotments to learn more about how they are being put to good use.
West Green Place N17
Photo provided by West Green Place N17 resident Anna
Our development in Haringey is a community of city makers set next to Downhills Park, with both discounted Pocket homes and open market Pocket Edition homes. The plentiful landscaped communal areas are a great talking point for residents – Anna told us, ‘My neighbour and I have planted plenty of seedlings, and now there is loads and loads of fruit. It’s not only great having your own tomatoes, but it’s amazing to be able to share them with your neighbours and see how much they enjoy them.’ As this is a mixed use development, we’re pleased to see that the allotments have been bringing residents together.
Cowleaze Road KT2
Cowleaze Road KT2 is located in Kingston, just a few minutes’ walk from the River Thames. Riverside pubs and green spaces dot this established leafy area, and residents of the development also have three large shared terraces at their fingertips to enjoy.
The lusciousness of the allotments can partly be attributed to neighbours Lizzie and Emily, who have put a lot of work into them since moving into the building in 2018. They told us, ‘We’ve been using the raised beds on the roof terrace to grow a variety of veg including carrots, radishes and chard. We also use the balcony space on our floor to grow a wide selection of tomatoes and even have some lovely trees in large pots!’ Although gardening isn’t the hobby of all residents, the work that the residents with a green thumb put in ends up benefiting the whole development.
Talking to residents, we have learned more about how shared outdoor spaces can bring neighbours together, and as isolation can be common in big cities, this is a wonderful outcome. ‘We love being able to make use of the space and get outside,’ Lizzie and Emily told us. ‘This was something that was especially good during lockdown.’
If you’re interested in learning more about our shared spaces, read our blog post about our rooftop terraces. See our developments for sale here, and you can register here to begin your own journey to owning a Pocket Living home.