Planted in 2010 on an empty patch of land that was once occupied by railway tracks from the old Eastern Curve line, this volunteer-run community garden has been a social enterprise since 2012 and remains one of Dalston’s best-kept secrets.
Step past the unassuming wooden front gates that open out onto the hectic junction between Balls Pond Road, Dalston Lane and Kingsland High Street and you’ll find a tranquil patch of land filled with colourful flowers and greenery maintained by volunteer gardeners.
The luscious space is dotted with tables and benches, with a wooden pavilion building situated by the entrance. Visitors can settle down in a comfy spot with a coffee or beer from the on-site café, which also serves homemade cakes and soups making use of fresh produce grown in the garden, with all food waste being composted to fertilise the vegetable beds and raised planets filled with herbs. There are blankets available during colder months, while in the summer it does a roaring trade in pizzas cooked fresh in a wood-fired oven.
The garden also hosts an array of community-focused events, from gardening, craft and children’s workshops and school performances making use of its colourful wooden stage to annual traditions including Christmas carol-singing and a pumpkin lantern festival around Halloween.
In one of the most built-up areas in the city, Dalston Eastern Curve Garden is a real haven for the many locals without gardens. Long may it flourish!