Definitely a good year for valerian.
Have added some red campion to this garden so that will be coming through along with digitalis lutea, gillenia trifoliata and alcea rugosa which are all about to pop. Going to put in some bare root Rosa glauca at the end of the year for a bit of contrast. Love the velvety geranium nodosum clos du coudray.
#frontgardens
Six months in, and Camden subSTRATUM is thriving 💚
In an environment as high-intensity as Camden High Street, our care strategy has been vital in commanding public respect for these shared assets.
Our design process was guided by a series of provocations:
Can a retrofit mindset and a hyperlocal approach help us imagine insertions within as-found conditions?
Are friction and disruption inherently negative, or are they devices for eliciting new patterns?
How do logistical parameters push us to finesse our creativity, making complex spaces feel effortless?
And, most importantly, how do we reframe the narrative of the public realm from one that requires defence and eradication, to one that exudes elegance and generosity?
Step into the space and experience it for yourself 😎
📷
@thinking_out_lau
Commission: Camden Council in partnership with @londonfestivalofarchitecture
Design and community engagement: @edgycollective
Planting design and care @hellotherelinda
Gardeners: @lauraarison@fieldnotesbyemilia
Community partnership @ccacamden
Fabrication: @jamps_studio_london@fallenandfelled@wilkinson_rivera
Lighting design and fabrication @bailesandlight
Sign Painting: Banu Balkiraz
Today was the first day of this year’s Modern Gardener training with @katymerrington and @annalena_hahn talking about creating micro-habitats, close observation and what it means to be a gardener in a public space. Accompanied by many excellent insect interventions from @bennyhawksbee and excellent food from Fi.
So pleased to be working with this brilliant set of gardeners who we hope will share this knowledge far and wide!
To all those lucky ticket holders of our 2026 spring seminar - SAVE THIS POST - screengrab it or hand write it in your notebooks… it’s the schedule for the day, and it will help you make sure we all run to time. We’ve packed the day with 6 slots of speakers. We can’t wait to see you there!
We heard from many people that Camden High Street needs more trees and planting. Luckily, our trial pedestrianisation has given us the opportunity to try adding some green to the landscape 🌲🌼
Developed by @edgycollective and Susanna Grant from @hellotherelinda as part of the London Festival of Architecture, the Camden subSTRATUM offers new, sustainably sourced seating developed together with the local community and drought-resistant, diverse planting.
@fieldnotesbyemilia visits weekly to keep the planting healthy – listen as they explain why plants like this are so crucial for our urban environment.
If have thoughts on the subSTRATUM as part of our trial pedestrianisation, let us know by filling in our additional survey that you can find in our #linkinbio.
We’re excited to announce our free Modern Gardener Training for the second year. Gardeners will be able to apply via our website later this month.
We are looking for people with, ideally, at least two years professional experience, though this can be negotiable. We particularly welcome applications from minoritised groups as well as those who are economically disadvantaged to try and ensure our trainees are representative of a variety of backgrounds and perspectives.
The training will take place in John’s pioneering and experimental Essex garden, Hilldrop, over five days this summer. We receive a large number of applications, so please ensure you are able to commit to all of the below dates:
Friday 15 May
Friday 5 June
Friday 19 June
Friday 26 June
Friday 17 July
Sign up to our website - link in bio - to be the first to hear, or email us if you have any questions.
Please do forward this information on to any people or organisations who might be interested.
Photographs 3,4,5,7,9 and 10 by the brilliant @you_dig_gardens
#carenotcapital #gardenersfirst
New seating and greening has landed onto Camden High Street thanks to @edgycollective and @hellotherelinda 's subSTRATUM installation 🪴
Commissioned as part of our 'Square' Camden High Street design competition alongside @wemakecamden , subSTRATUM forms part of a wider cultural programme from the Borough of Camden, and the trial pedestrianisation of part of Camden High Street.
You can enjoy this reformed section of the high street, and leave your feedback with the borough to inform the future of your city spaces 📝
🔗 See more on the design, the team and the installation via the link in our bio
📸 Nathan Piccio
#SquareCamdenHighStreet #Camden #CamdenHighStreet #DesignCompetition
We're pleased to reveal the winning design for the upcoming installation of 'Square' Camden High Street. Introducing subSTRATUM from @edgycollective and @hellotherelinda 👏
Commissioned from a design competition open to emerging Architects and Designers in collaboration with the London Borough of Camden, there will also be an event on October 30th to mark the unveiling of this meanwhile civic square.
🔗 See more on the design, the competition, and the event via the link in our bio
#CamdenHighStreet
Tiny garden in Herne Hill planted last November and largely un-gardened since then as the owner spends a lot of time out of the country.
Planted in heavy, heavy, heavy compacted clay with little direct light so needed tough plants, but everything grew. No hard landscaping, just cut down the self-seeded maple and then dotted little wood piles about.
Spiders loving the upright digitalis lutea seed heads.
#shadegarden #londonclay #lightouch
