In 2010, Nightingale Community Garden was founded by Gardening for Health and Queen Edith’s Community Forum. Their mission: to revitalise the disused bowling green in the corner of Nightingale Recreation Ground and turn it into a space for the community to enjoy. You can read a little about this era on the Grow Places website here.

In 2016 the torch was passed to locals Rebecca and Julian, who continued work on the garden together with volunteers from the local community. 

In May 2018, the constituted group Nightingale Community Gardeners was formed, with a committee and an annual AGM.

In August 2021, we started a Friends Group for locals to support the garden.

From 2023 to 2026, the garden was developed and managed by a committed group of volunteers, with two community leaders at the helm.

From 2026, a new Garden Committee and Community Events Group have taken over the running of the garden.

Throughout the history of the garden, the aim has always been to create a home for as many species of plants and animals as possible. To learn more, visit the Biodiversity page of this website.