The Arnos Vale Community Garden

Aim: We want to turn an unloved and neglected area into a beautiful community garden for all.

Arnos Vale for all

Since being saved for everyone over 10 years ago by the people of Bristol,  Arnos Vale Cemetery has become a place for people.  The 45 acre site is a haven for wildlife and a fantastic spot to breathe and relax in the bustling city.  The volunteers and staff have worked hard to take the site from an delapadated overgrown mess to a beautiful place.  The team working on this project include Janine Marriott (Public Engagement Manager), Mike Coe (Chief  Exective Officer), Nick Bull (Estates Manager) and Liam Matthews (Estate Worker)

Arnos Vale is open everyday for free, for everyone.  Families use it as a safe and welcoming place for a walk, joggers breathe in the fresh air, relatives can again get to their loved ones graves and visitors take tours and explore with our free map.  We have a fantastic team of volunteers who help us run the place.

A Wildlife Haven

Arnos Vale is part of Bristol's lungs and we work hard to encourage lots of wildlife.  The site is home to a variety of creatures including bats, badgers, deer, hedgehogs, grass snakes and slow worms.  We want to make the site  even better by building a community garden.

Whats this all about? The Garden Project

This garden project will  turn a very negelected area  into a beautiful accessible community garden.  It will have a range of sections designed to be managed and worked by a variety of members of the community, local groups and nearby schools. The garden will be open to all visitors to the site to enjoy and relax in.

Why build the garden?
The garden will create a community focal point for all,  in a lovely green space.  It  will also provide a range of native, wildlife friendly plants and spaces that will provide shelter and food to the large number of invertebrates that inhabit Arnos Vale. 

It will provide an opportunity for local people to get involved in looking after it, making it a community and social resource.
Much of the grounds in the cemetery have been improved with support from our volunteers, but this project will focus on this one particularly visable area which is at the top of cemetery right next to a well used regular on-foot route. Due to its neglected and dilapidated state the area now suffers from fly tipping and general litter accumulation.

Being Green and low impact

This project will protect and improving biodiversity. The wood for the compost bins will be re-cycled pallets and any additional wood needed will be sourced from Bristol Wood Recycling Project. We will always ensure the suppliers used for plants and soil are responsibly sourcing and environmentally sound. Peat free compost and responsibly sourced native plants will always be used.  

The project will recycle green waste in to usable compost for use locally. Any plants that can be sourced from cuttings from other sites and donations will be used, instead of buying plants.
The project will be approached in 3 phases

Project Phases

Phase one: Planning and clearing the garden area with a volunteer team. Recruiting volunteer groups to plant and manage the garden, undertaken by Janine the Public Engagement Manager
Phase two: Creation of the main garden plots. Installation of wildlife friendly features like bird boxes, bug hotels and feeders. 
Phase three: Planting of garden with community groups and local organisations. Followed by an opening party.

The project will be led by Nick and Liam who work to manage the beautiful landscape of Arnos Vale but will be well supported by our team of dedicated volunteers.  

How can you get involved?

Pledge, share and volunteer.