Volunteer and visit us
NOTE: Our Open Garden and volunteer gardening will be taking a break during December and January, resuming on Tuesday 4 February.
Come to our Open Garden, or volunteer with us, 10am – 4pm, every Tuesday, and on the third Saturday every month. Walk in our woodland and enjoy tea and biscuits in the garden. Families welcome. Just drop in.
Tuesday 4 February – Open Garden and Volunteer Gardening – 10am – 4pm
Tuesday 11 February – Open Garden and Volunteer Gardening – 10am – 4pm
Saturday 15 February – Open Garden and Volunteer Gardening – 10am – 4pm
Tuesday 18 February – Open Garden and Volunteer Gardening – 10am – 4pm
The garden house is available to book for parties and meetings
New memberships are available for the year ending 31st August 2025
A two-acre oasis of greenery in Islington, north London.
Over time, a herbaceous garden, an orchard, a pond, a series of vegetable terraces, a small meadow and an acre of woodland have all emerged from a railway embankment.
Under an agreement with Islington Council which owns the land, the volunteer-run Charity – Olden Community Garden – maintains the garden area, with the object to promote a community garden for the benefit of people living or working in the London Borough of Islington. Olden Garden gives local people opportunities for education and recreation, with the aim of increasing involvement in the community and reducing isolation.
A self-sustaining garden
We use harvested water, we compost all the green waste and create wildlife habitats from woody debris. There is a fruitful orchard and a flourishing vegetable garden.
Latest Posts
Our new leaf composters
Three new wooden leaf composters installed by volunteers from the BIG Alliance
Thank you to the volunteers from the BIG Alliance
Huge thank you to The BIG Alliance for the team of 15 volunteers who came along to install our three new wooden composters. The volunteers hung up our nine new bird boxes – bought earlier with our grant from Local Giving’s Magic Little Grants. They also dug, planted, weeded, moved dead branches and generally made a huge contribution in just one day!
Open House and gardening day Saturday 17 September
On Saturday 17 September, our garden and woodland will be open to the public from 10am-4pm, as a place of quiet for reflection and remembrance during the period of national mourning for Queen Elizabeth II.
We will also be participating in the Open House Festival and welcoming all who wish to drop in and visit Olden Garden.
And, if you would like to do some volunteer gardening, come and help plant lavender hedge. No experience required. Tea and biscuits available.
Volunteer with us on Saturday 20th August and bring your family for a summer holiday activity
Come along for a ‘Build your own bird box’ family activity. And invite your friends to come – everyone is welcome to join in.
Or come and help Caroline our gardener with
- Weeding and deadheading
- Cutting back geraniums
- Potential potting on of seedlings sown last month
- Clearing gutters and sweeping paths
Join us for an hour or longer, 10am – 4pm. Coffee and biscuits will be available.