Celebrating our award-winning wildlife garden and community growing site with London & Tower Hamlets in Bloom.
2025, Tower Hamlets in Bloom
We were very excited to yet again be honoured at Tower Hamlets in Bloom which took place at the Art Pavilion in Mile End Park on 10 December 2025.
1st Prize, Best Community Garden
2nd Prize, Best Community Growing Site
2024, Tower Hamlets in Bloom
We were very excited that our garden and incredible chair were honoured at the 2024 Tower Hamlets in Bloom at the Art Pavilion in Mile End Park.
1st Prize, Wildlife Group
2nd Prize, Best Community Growing Site
Lifetime Achievement Award
Margaret Wilson Approach Gardens
“Margaret Wilson, who in 2009 was instrumental in founding Approach Gardens in Bethnal Green, collected the lifetime achievement award. When the gardens started, they were an unloved patch of green and rubble. Margaret secured a grant from the council, and brought residents from her estate together to turn the space into a community garden where they could grow flowers and food.
Under Margaret’s guidance and role as chairperson for over a decade, the previously neglected piece of land is described by fellow gardeners as much more than an allotment. It has become a place for the whole community to gather to share food at summer events, for wildlife to thrive in the pond, for fruit to grow on the trees, for wildflowers to bloom, and for local schools to enjoy educational activities.”
2023, Tower Hamlets in Bloom
We were very honoured to be recognised this year for our contribution to the community.
3rd Prize, Wildlife (Group Category)
2nd Prize, Best Community Garden
Lifetime Achievement Award
2018, London in Bloom.
Hurray for us!! Our first entry in the overall ‘London in Bloom’ awards and we go straight in with a ‘silver’ award as a thriving category garden space.
A very chuffed Margaret and Nathan collect our certificate.
2018, Tower Hamlets in Bloom
A big year for Approach Gardens!
Overall Winner, Group
1st Prize, Best Community Garden
1st Prize, Best Wildlife Garden (Group Category)
2017, Tower Hamlets in Bloom
Prizes awarded during a ceremony event at the Art Pavilion in Mile End Park on 14th December.
Our thanks go to everybody who has helped, supported and participated in any way along with Tower Hamlets for recognising the work we’ve put in to our beautiful garden.
Approach Gardens awarded 1st prize Wildlife Garden PLUS Winner Overall (group).
Approach Gardens member Christopher Raven also awarded Gardener of the Year!