Always on
This project successfully funded on 6th November 2021, you can still support them with a donation.
Restore the Sunken Garden!
Margate, Kent, United Kingdom
Aim
We are on a mission to restore the stone edging around the sunken grass 'pools' and replace missing benches in the Sunken Garden, Margate.
We are the Sunken Garden Society. All dedicated volunteers with the same passion of wanting to restore the Sunken Gardens in Margate to their former glory in a natural and sustainable way.
Since 2018 the gardens plants and wildlife are improving every year. Many thousands of bulbs, shrubs, herbs, trees and flowers have been planted and tended by hand.
The garden is a unique part of Thanet's past history, very few seaside sunken gardens exist and through the hard work of volunteers ours is slowly coming back to its past glory.
We urgently need your help!
As a small group with limited funds, we really need your help to finance our major projects and to keep our monthly volunteer task days going. Since 2018 we have received support from Margate Rotary clubs, Co-operative Society (Westgate), Margate Mayor and Thanet District Council. The Bumblebee Conservation Trust have provided pollinator friendly plants and the local community often donate tools.
Small volunteer groups like ourselves do not have access to funds for major projects and this is where your help is now needed.
- Help us restore the broken stone edging around the sunken grass 'pools'
Since its creation in the 1930s the Sunken Garden was a popular and well-kept visitor attraction. During the 1990s, council cuts meant the gardens could not be managed as they had once been and they entered a period of neglect. Shrubs became overgrown and the flower beds were bare. Littering and anti-social behaviour became issues for this once well-loved and cared-for space.
Over the last 50+ years the stonework around the sunken grass 'pools' in the suffered vandalism and wear and tear. We have now removed all shrubbery and exposed the damage for evaluation. These original walls need urgent repair to save them. They have been standing for nearly 100 years. With your help we can preserve them for future generations.
As the walls become fragile vandalism is occurring.
Shrubbery left unattended became embedded within the walls causing structural damage.
Previous attempts of repair have now reached end of life.
Wear and tear is quickly eroding the gardens' style.
Professional work is now needed urgently.
Please pledge what you can to help us achieve our aims and help us Restore the Sunken Garden!
More about us......The story so far......
In 2018 Peter Hasted, a volunteer coastal warden and professional horticulturist, founded the Sunken Garden Society after attending a Bumblebee Conservation Trust volunteer task day. With the support of the BBCT and as part of their 'Making a Buzz for the Coast' project, Peter set up the volunteer group and started the Sunken Gardens Revival.
Sunken Garden 2018
Sunken Garden 2021
Our monthly task days are well attended by up to 30 volunteers from all backgrounds and all ages. Some have fond memories of the gardens and think nothing of travelling miles to pitch in and help with the restoring the gardens.
Testimonials
From Sunken Garden visitors previously local to the area
'Today we were thrilled, delighted and overjoyed to find beautiful flowers and plantings and to see that an amazing amount of work is being carried out, and we wish to wholeheartedly thank all involved for your work and dedication to this project. We are also delighted that the bumblebees will benefit greatly too!'
Awards
2019 RHS 'It's Your Neighbourhood' level 5 'Outstanding'
2019 Kent Wildlife Trust 'Wild about gardens' Bronze
2019 Kent Life magazine 'Best Community Garden' Runner up
2020 RHS 'It's Your Neighbourhood' level 5 'Outstanding'
2020 DEFRA Bees Needs Award
2021 RHS 'It's Your Neighbourhood' level 4 'Thriving'
2021 RHS 'Environmental Challenge' Highly commended.
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made