London SE1 > News & Features > June 2000

Christ Church Garden

The grand re-opening of Christ Church Garden - part of the Bankside Open Spaces scheme - falls exactly to the day on the centenary of the opening of the original garden.

This time round the garden will be opened by the Mayor of Southwark Cllr Harry Canagasabey at 12.30pm on Friday 16 June. There will be a brass band and a short overture composed by architect Marcus Beale.

There will be walks round the garden, a barbecue at the rear run by the recently refurbished Rose & Crown and a number of garden-related stalls, the Museum of Garden History, Roots and Shoots and Walworth Garden Farm among them.

The Green Man and the Spirit of Midsummer will be in attendance on the day and an actor from Southwark Playhouse will present the raffle prizes, which have all been donated by local businesses and organisations. They include a one day course at Morley College, tickets for the Young Vic theatre and tea for two on the terrace of the House of Commons.

The garden - still in need of further funding - is the result of the combined efforts of the local community, local businesses (including Sainsbury's), the church and the Metropolitan Gardens Association.

A real feature of the garden is the magnificent set of old plane trees which provide a welcome green space in the middle of a very busy area. Eventually it is planned to have a small play area for children and a quiet meditation space.

This is the first garden to be completed in the Bankside Open Spaces Programme to be completed. Little Dorrit Garden opens in July.

For more on the project visit the Marcus Beale website at www.marcus-beale.co.uk/pages/ccg