Having just spent the past week dodging raindrops in Scotland, we fully appreciate that summer is a fleeting thing.  So without further adieu we would like to make you aware, or remind you of, a wonderful little green space in our not very green patch of earth.

Roots and Shoots is a registered charity and vocational hub dedicated to educating disaffected young people aged 16 -25 in Lambeth and Southwark and preparing them for the world of work through one year internships in areas such as horticulture and retail.  It’s also a green space for urban biodiversity and is frequently visited by school groups eager to learn more about plants and how much of our food is grown.

The roughly half acre around Roots and Shoots is quite a unique space and presents itself less as a garden and more as an active, urban farm and space for insects and urban animals to grow and thrive. On our visit we saw tomatoes, marrows and blackberries ready to be harvested in addition to loads of veg which we had never heard of.  Unlike Walworth Garden (which we wrote about in June) Roots and Shoots does not provide a wealth of places to sit and ponder but loads of space to wander and ponder and is open to the public daily.

If you’re keen to get involved in Roots and Shoots you can attend one of their ‘Magpie Kitchen’ pop up dinner nights or hire a room for an event. They also have a fun ‘apple day’ in early October where you can learn about apples, buy apple juice, and maybe even throw apples if the mood takes you there….