To mark 10 years since the beginning of the Greengage Community Garden in Swanage, Dorset, a brand new garden room was officially opened by the Swanage town mayor.
Guests were invited to the garden just off Prospect Crescent, to enjoy tea and cake, and explore the new multifunctional building on Thursday 24th September 2026.
The Greengage Community Garden has become a lovely place to enjoy
New lease of life
An autumn open day for everyone to come and visit the Greengage Community Garden is on Friday 25th September 2026 from 11 am to 2 pm.
Once the old Swanage Town Council parks and garden depot, it used to supply the town with its bedding plants, but had been unused for several years.
However in 2016 it was given a new lease of life by Dorset Wildlife Trust who saw the potential to develop the site as a community garden.
With a huge greenhouse and raised beds, the trust set to work laying the foundations to create a garden to promote wellbeing. But with the charity’s priorities changing and its finances hit by the Covid pandemic, it could no longer continue to fund the project.
On hearing the news, local residents stepped in and took over the lease in 2021. Now the Greengage Community Garden operates under the umbrella of the Swanage and Purbeck Development Trust.
The garden room has given the garden a social hub
A great space for events, workshops, and to escape the rain!
A social hub
Over the years, the garden has been developed with the latest addition being a large garden room, which provides a social hub with a kitchenette, as well as functioning as a learning space when required. It is also a good place to take cover when it rains!
Now fully installed, the garden room was opened by the Swanage town mayor Chris Tomes, who also planted a quince tree to mark the community garden’s 10th anniversary.
Before unveiling the plaque, councillor Chris Tomes said:
“It’s places like this which make Swanage the wonderful place it is, so thank you to everyone who has been involved in this project over the years.
“Thank you to everyone who has planted, done the clearing up, for everything you’ve done – it’s such an amazing place!”
Swanage town mayor Chris Tomes unveils the plaque on the garden room…
And plants a quince tree in the grounds
Support from the wider community
Lots of local organisations have also contributed towards the cost of the garden room including the Co-op, the Talbot Village Trust, and Swanage Town Council. Howdens donated the kitchen and helped install it.
Swanage Carnival, Swanage and Purbeck Rotary, cosmetics company Lush, and TPM Plumbing have also donated towards garden improvements.
For the 10th anniversary celebrations, a gorgeous cake was made by the Pines Hotel in Swanage.
The garden has developed into something special
Chair of the community garden Bob Walters (second from right)
“Everyone is welcome”
The community garden is now run by a committee, chaired by Bob Walters. He said:
“A lot of friendships are made here, so the garden room will make us even more sociable. Everyone is welcome, if they are interested in talking about plants, gardening, or just want to chat.
“We are next to the allotments, so there are always people popping in. Often we are able to share some of our seedlings or offer some plants.
“I got involved at the start – there was an advert in the local paper asking for volunteers – and the community project appealed to me. It has all evolved from there.
“There is no membership or subscription to pay – people can just turn up and everything we do is affordable.
“Looking to the next 10 years it would be good to build more links with the local community. We don’t have any more space to get bigger but we can get better!”
Watch the plaque unveiling
Further information
- More about Greengage Community Garden
