For several years the Highgate Society guerrilla gardening team has been turning neglected spaces into green havens, with a focus on biodiversity.

Our latest project, in partnership with the Highgate Group Practice in North Hill, aims to create a calming garden for the local community. This came about during a separate joint project to install a defibrillator which will soon be unveiled.

During the summer, a team from the Society and the Practice revitalised a patch of grass at the corner of Church Road and North Hill.

The space has been planted with native UK wildflowers that are expected to bloom by next summer, creating a peaceful garden.

Although the area is still in its early stages, green shoots are already bringing life to the space, with the promise of a vibrant display in the year ahead. The garden aims to serve as a place of relaxation for patients, staff, and the wider community.

Souzana Theofanopoulou and Chooi-leng Tan hope the garden will be a place for patients and staff to relax Souzana Theofanopoulou and Chooi-leng Tan hope the garden will be a place for patients and staff to relax (Image: Highgate Society) The project has been driven by Highgate Group Practice’s business manager Souzana Theofanopoulou and social prescriber Kate Laceby.

Their leadership and enthusiasm have helped bring the project to life. For Kate, the garden has particular importance in her social prescribing work, which seeks to offer non-medical support to patients. The garden should provide a calming environment for patients, offering them a moment of peace during or after their visits to the practice.

A key element of the project is the planting of wildflower seeds, which should grow into an array of colours next year. The element of surprise that a wildflower meadow brings adds to the garden’s natural charm as it flourishes in its own unique way.

Part of the area has been left as a no-mow area for grassland to grow naturally, reinforcing the idea of letting nature take its course.

This project highlights the positive impact of community collaboration.

With more than 17,000 patients registered at Highgate Group Practice, the garden aims to offer a peaceful retreat for anyone who visits. Whether it's for a moment of relaxation or to support the practice’s social prescribing initiatives, the space can serve as a sanctuary for all.

In a fast-paced world, such efforts remind us of the value of creating spaces that nurture both physical and mental well-being.     

  • Chooi-leng Tan is from the Highgate Society (highgatesociety.com) and Souzana Theofanopoulou from the Highgate Group Practice in North Hill.