In conversation with Megan Williams: One year of the Denmark Hill Community Garden

More than just a garden, Denmark Hill Community Garden is a volunteer-led project that’s grown into a hub for creativity, sustainability and community. To celebrate its first anniversary, we spoke with Megan, one of the organisers, about her role in transforming a once-overlooked area into a flourishing part of campus life and how you can get involved.

Who looks after the Denmark Hill Community Garden?

The garden officially opened in August 2024 and is now looked after by a group of volunteers who do everything from donating plants and watering to organising events. I manage the logistics, coordinating volunteers, applying for funding, and helping to plan events alongside my full-time role at King’s as a Laboratory Safety Adviser. 

What inspired the creation of the garden?

While working as a Technician at Denmark Hill, I noticed there weren’t many quiet, green spaces on campus where you could take a proper break. Most of the outdoor seating is right by a busy road and very exposed. My lunch was often interrupted by people asking for hospital directions just because I had a King’s lanyard on!

The current garden site used to be a COVID-19 vaccine centre, and after it closed, it sat unused. I passed it every day while locking up my bike and realised it had real potential so I started lobbying for the creation of the garden and here we are today!

How can we get involved with the garden more?

There are a few ways:

• Sign up to volunteer through the King’s Volunteering platform and log your hours for recognition and rewards.
• Drop in during lunch or breaks. There’s a whiteboard to track which plants have been watered!
• Join a volunteering session with a facilitator who can guide you through tasks like watering, tidying, and planting.
• Attend social events or even host your own. Just email DH.community.garden@kcl.ac.uk to express interest.

To stay up-to-date with upcoming events and volunteering sessions, sign up to our mailing list.

What would you say to someone who is keen to volunteer but isn't sure if they're green-fingered enough? 

Gardening can seem a bit intimidating if you’ve never done it, I felt the same way when I started, but it is never as hard and technical as it seems!

The great thing about our group is how mixed it is. We’re comprised of volunteers who have never done any gardening (ever!) and people who have allotments with lots of experience, so we're a big, open group with lots of different knowledge. Our volunteering sessions are a great way to get started as a beginner as you’ll have a facilitator on-hand to provide advice.

We hear you're hosting a family open day in August - can you tell us what we can expect?

Yes! On 22 August from 11am to 12pm, we’re hosting a Family and Friends Open Day to mark our 1st anniversary (time has really flown by!). There’ll be family-friendly crafts and refreshments so please come along, bring your family and friends, and enjoy (non-King's guests are very welcome too). Please register here to let us know you’re planning on joining and you can find the garden on the day at Denmark Hill Campus (What3Words: Hammer.Slower.Dirt).

It’s the first time we’re opening the garden to the wider public, so we’re also looking for volunteers to help welcome guests and set up. You can find out more and sign up on the King’s Volunteering platform.

And don’t forget, if you’re a staff member, you can take time out of your usual working hours and use your Service Time to volunteer. Find out more about King’s Service Time policy on the intranet.

What's your  favourite plant in the garden and why?

I love the jasmine that’s started climbing up the wooden bannisters - it smells amazing when it’s in bloom and has these really pretty white flowers. It also survived a tough winter and dry summer, so I feel a proud of it when I see it thriving.

The wildflower tubs around the pond are another favourite. They’re great for biodiversity and add a lovely pop of greenery.

When you imagine the garden a year or two from now, how do you picture it and what do you imagine is happening there?

I’d love to see more people using the space and for it to feel like a regular part of campus life at Denmark Hill. It would also be great to have more King’s community events hosted here. My dream would be to improve our crop yield and host an event we cater ourselves with all the fresh produce we've grown. Fresh from the ground salad for lunch, anyone?

Overall, I want to see the Community Garden empower people, build skills and bring a little bit of fun to people's working days!

How can people stay up-to-date with what's on at the garden?

The Community Garden is swipe card access, so people have to request access with their King's email address via this form.

When you request access we add you to a mailing list, which I send an email to once or twice a month with updates and upcoming events. Otherwise, we have a LinkedIn, Instagram and  Whatsapp which we keep up to date with everything happening at the garden!