Chorlton Community Garden
The Friends of Chorlton Community Garden steering group has been very busy, and we’re excited to share our progress!
After community consultations and design work, we secured planning permission from Manchester Council to rescue and refurbish the garden. Thanks to generous support from the National Lottery Awards for All, Manchester Council’s Neighbourhood Investment Fund, and the Co-op, we’ve been able to make huge strides:
🌟 The ground has been resurfaced with golden self-binding gravel – durable, accessible and environmentally friendly.
🌱 Two raised beds rebuilt, including an edible forest garden with integrated benches.
🌼 A new vibrant flower bed planted.
🍄 Projects like Space to Grow (supporting first-time veg growers), a mushroom growing workshop, and learning how to process flax for fibre.
🌿 A green roof installed on the storage shed.
🎶 Work underway on a sheltered performance space and wheelchair-accessible paving.
And there’s more to come!
We’re now looking for local businesses and community groups to get involved. Could you sponsor a bench, planter, or climbing boulder seat? Or maybe adopt the care of a planter with wildflowers, edibles, or fruit trees? Volunteers are always welcome to help with the raised-bed edible forest garden and the flower garden too.
📧 To get involved, contact Carolyn at secretary@chorltoncivicsociety.org
✨ Stay up to date by signing up for the Chorlton Community Garden newsletter – and don’t forget to pop by and see the transformation next to Chorlton Library!
Check out the video of our very own song written by Carolyn Kagan and Peter Topping - enjoy the images and learn about the history of this 'little oasis twixt library and pub', Green Chorlton's Hub.
Watch Chorlton's Mad Donnas performing the song at our launch event in October 2025.
Nature-themed sculpture commission
This sculpture sponsored by Manchester Council's Neighbourhood Investment Fund, is now closed to further applications. Further information will be added from October/November 2025.
Edible forest gardening
Find out more about our thriving mini edible forest garden, a system for growing annual fruit and veg in layers with its own varied ecosystem.
Chorlton Community Garden is on Manchester Road in Chorlton, between the Sedge Lynn Pub and Chorlton Library. It used to be a public toilet! The garden was open to the public from around 2014 but then fell into a state of disrepair during closure times of Covid when it couldn't be looked after. A group of volunteers including individuals and people from organisations like Chorlton Voice, Chorlton Arts Festival Chorlton Plant Swap & Gardening Advice, Chorlton Community Land Trust and others are working to get the space cleared and re-designed. We welcome anyone who can bring time, skills or expertise to the group.
Email Carolyn at secretary@chorltonvoice.org. to find out how to get involved so the garden can hopefully be reopened to the community.
Get involved in different aspects of caring for the community garden
Visit the garden
Manchester Road next to Chorlton Library M21 9PN. Closed for health & safety reasons, refurb underway.