Such is the weird and wonderful nature of Dalston the idea of a community garden doesn’t strike you as anything out of the ordinary or particularly special. But that’s just the thought of it, one visit into the secreted, out of sight shrubbery and you’re sold on what is actually one of Dalston’s most extraordinary places.
So many Londoners live without a garden that it doesn’t come as a surprise to find out that The Dalston Eastern Curve Garden is truly cherished. Located on the former derelict site of the old curve railway line on Dalston Lane, the garden and small café-bar are maintained by a community group of residents and volunteers. The garden is a leafy oasis that is as pretty as it is improbable given its location. Wildlife-friendly trees and shrubs have been planted to encourage the eco-system to thrive and there are spaces where fresh produce is grown. You’ll find hazel, birch and hawthorn as well as tomatoes, peppers and herbs. Filled with nooks in which to settle in and picnic the garden is the ideal place for urban dwellers to force a slice of nature into their lives.
A wooden pavilion stands at the top of the garden and here you can buy coffee, cakes and beer. While families dominate the Eastern Curve Garden during the day, the evenings give way to a different crowd - one that pounces on the idea of the picnic and BYOB, or of sampling one of the cask ales. Live events and workshops add to the inspiring project but the garden is the main event. Once again, when so many Londoners have so little access to wild, overgrown spaces like this, the beer; the music and the workshops are just a bonus.
