St John’s Garden is given a new lease of life

This initiative is part of a broader vision outlined in the Camden and Islington’s Parks for Health Strategy, launched in July 2022. The vision emphasises increased access to green spaces to enhance physical and mental wellbeing. St John’s Garden was identified by Islington Council as a key opportunity to bring this strategy forward and utilise the Parks for Health Toolkit in a dense urban area.

Historically, St John’s Garden served as an overflow burial ground for St John’s Church, before its transformation into a public garden in the 1880s. The space is located within the Clerkenwell Green conservation area, bordered by residential properties and businesses. It proudly holds Islington’s Local Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) status, reflecting its biodiversity significance. Recent enhancements build on a refurbishment in 2014 and focus on balancing its ecological character with modern urban needs.

This collaborative project brought together key stakeholders:

• CDA as a financial contributor and project advisor
• The Friends of St John’s Garden as community stewards and maintenance partners
• Islington Council for governance, investment and project management. Groundwork provided expert design and advice services, while Gingko led the construction and replanting efforts

The revitalised garden boasts enriched biodiversity with diverse planting, wildlife-friendly features and a new pond, which enhances the woodland character of the space. These improvements reflect the project’s commitment to improve the biodiversity whist honouring the garden’s historical significance. The space now includes improved pathways and seating increasing accessibility for visitors, for relaxation, social connection, or outdoor meetings. This aligns with Islington’s Parks for Health strategy goals and the CDA’s vision for enriching local biodiversity, while fostering community attachment to green spaces.

The garden now serves as a tranquil retreat for Clerkenwell’s residents, workers, and visitors, enhancing the area’s identity and community. It was featured at the EcoCity World Summit 2023, showcasing its alignment with community-focused sustainable development. Additionally, it played a key role in the London Festival of Architecture, highlighting its integration of heritage, ecology and community needs.

Moving forward, St John’s Garden stands as a testament to how urban spaces can balance ecological preservation, historical integrity, and community enrichment. It supports CDA’s commitment to transforming public spaces into sustainable and inclusive spaces for everyone to enjoy.

Lydia Clarkson, Head of Placemaking at CDA, commented: “We are really pleased to have had the opportunity to partner with Islington Council and the Friends of St John’s Gardens to breathe new life into this important green space in Clerkenwell. It has always been well loved by the local workers and residents and the dedication of the Friends group in fostering birds, butterflies and other insects and wildlife in this small space, is humbling. It has been an honour to be part of elevating the potential for even more diversity in the garden, with thoughtful planting for this woodland setting and a new water source. We are proud that this will cement the garden’s place as somewhere that is not only calming and cool in the summer for people in the middle of London, but also rich with wildlife.”