News

Stratford’s ancient downtown Abbey is flourishing

To mark Community Garden Week (1st-7th April 2024), Fawn Bess-Leith uncovers the secrets of Stratford’s Abbey Gardens 

A group of people engage in an outdoor task together
Abbey Gardens

To get a relaxing break from life’s hustle and bustle there are few places better than the safe haven of Abbey Gardens E15, nestled on the site of a 12th Century Langhorne Abbey in the heart of Stratford. 

Newham is rich with community gardens thanks to a rising need for calm, quiet places to support emotional wellbeing and the movement has been boosted by support from the People Powered Places grants programmes in recent years. There will be a special focus on these quiet corners from 1 April to 7 April which is national Community Gardens Week. 

Abbey Gardens is open access 8am to 8pm and is a favourite choice for people of all ages who can connect with nature and each other whilst experiencing the joys of planting and reaping and not just seeing the end product on a supermarket shelf. 

Xuan Sinden, the project manager and café operator of the garden, who has had a love of the outdoors for as long as he can remember, speaks with passion and enthusiasm about the garden and his involvement over the past two years. He was first captivated by the sea of daisies on the lawn. 

“What started out as a derelict, overgrown patch of land was transformed into a public space for food growing, creativity and health and wellbeing 15 years ago,” he said. ‘It’s an oasis that creates an environment of calm and tranquillity.” 

Due to its rich monastic heritage, Abbey Gardens has been protected from development by Historic England. 

Xuan said: “Abbey Gardens is a holistic family environment, a space for people from all cultures to come together in nature, to grow, share skills and ideas and enjoy the benefits of a green open space.” 

They have grown a range of crops including artichokes, beetroot, chard, kale, radishes, goji berries, strawberries, raspberries, black currants, figs, apples and various herbs’ like thymes, lavender, rosemary and others native to individual’s country. The farm to fork approach is one of the aims of the gardens. 

The garden café is also thriving and foods harvested are used for the seasonal hot bowl of the day. Community garden sessions run from 3-5pm every Sunday. 

Xuan said his toddler is inspired by his involvement in the garden and wants to be a gardener like dad; and especially likes picking the fruits and vegetables and can also identify the plants and their produce; music to my ear. 

I asked Xuan how his work in the garden has impacted on his diet. “100%, my family including our toddler are enjoying the nutritional benefits of eating much more organic fruits and green leafy vegetables”. 

Xuan said “Abbey Gardens is welcoming to all and brings everyone together in nature, something that predates our human existence”. 

“People need each other” is Xuan’s mantra, as many people are craving connection. He is eager to see more people use Abbey Gardens to grow their own food. He is hopeful that Abbey gardens will be included in Newham’s social prescribing service. 

To mark Community Garden week a gardener will be on site preparing for the planting season, and encouraging everyone to get involved, share ideas, skills and seeds and propagate plants to take home. Abbey gardens has a diverse schedule of events planned throughout the year; including fitness session; the first Thursday of every month; a gourmet mushroom cultivation workshop on 14 April; and a plant sale organised by Sustainable Newham on 20 April. 

www.abbeygardens.org 


No news is bad news 

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts. 

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less. 

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation. 

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit 

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else. 

Donate now with Pay Pal

More information on supporting us monthly or annually 

More Information about donations