A brand-new community garden has officially opened on the Saffron Lane estate in Leicester, offering local residents a green space designed to bring people together and combat social isolation.
The project, based behind a cluster of 28 bungalows in Meadow Gardens, is a collaboration between tenants, Leicester City Council, and The Conservation Volunteers. The once-empty green plot has been transformed with new benches and raised beds, giving residents the opportunity to grow their own fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Additionally, the city council has planted fruit trees and bushes, providing free, fresh produce for tenants to enjoy.
Picture credit: Leicester City Council
The initiative has been supported by multiple council departments—including public health, planning, housing, and grounds maintenance—and was funded with £24,000 from the council’s housing revenue account. The Conservation Volunteers will continue working alongside residents, offering gardening sessions such as seed and bulb planting.
Assistant City Mayor Cllr Vi Dempster, who leads on public health and community food growing, said: “Loneliness and social isolation are linked to increased risks of mental and physical health issues, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and depression.
This garden gives local people a place to connect, have a chat, and enjoy gardening—an activity proven to boost well-being. It also supports our Food Plan for Leicester by encouraging people to grow their own produce. I’m delighted that we’ve been able to bring this space to life through partnership working.”
Deputy City Mayor for Housing, Cllr Elly Cutkelvin, added: “We’re committed to making our estates safe, welcoming, and enjoyable places to live. Many of our improvement projects come directly from feedback at community meetings, estate walkabouts, or tenant suggestions.
This garden is a perfect example—it’s funded by the housing revenue account, meaning rent money is being reinvested in ways that matter to our residents. Huge thanks to everyone who helped shape this project—I hope they enjoy it for many years.”
Residents have already harvested potatoes from the new raised beds and are currently growing tomatoes, with plans to plant Brussels sprouts for the winter season. Herbs like mint, rosemary, sage, and thyme have also been used by tenants, and damson trees—long-established in the area—have provided fruit for homemade jam. New fruit trees planted as part of the project will begin to bear fruit in the coming years, further enriching this vibrant new community space.
