space2grow is located in central Farnham in Surrey and offers local people the opportunity to connect with others in the great outdoors, through horticulture and conversation.

Emphasis is on enabling people to reconnect with nature, each other and themselves.

We offer group activities across generational and socio-economic divides in the beautiful outdoor space (and in a big indoor ‘talking shed’), for a huge variety of individuals, schools and community groups, all of whom live locally.

aerial view of the acre

the talking shed

Our large and vibrantly decorated talking shed is used for many activities including parenting classes, mother/ baby support groups and local art organisations. 

The garden

The garden is made up of different areas of interest. We have an entrance garden which greets you as soon as you arrive, this opens up to a meadow where we have wild flowers, spring flowers and fruit trees. Along the back we have a wooden walk way for children which leads to a little maze. A little further into the garden is the ‘working’ area of the garden where we have our veg beds, fruit cages as well as our gardening shed, greenhouse, Men in Sheds team and our ‘doing’ shed for activities when the weather is less kind. We have a large wild pond which is home to newts, frogs and many dragonflies and at the back of the garden is our ‘secret garden’; a large play area for children with mud kitchen, gravel pit and fire circle. This area is surrounded by established willow and bamboo creating a tucked away haven for the children to play in.

vegetable & fruit garden

Both children and adults use our veg beds to learn how to grow and tend a variety of tasty veg. The produce from the acre is enjoyed by the volunteers and gifted to the local community. Our greenhouse allow us to cultivate the vegetables during the spring and to grow chillies and cucumbers in the summer.

the pond

Our wildlife pond provides a perfect spot for pond dipping for local schoolchildren, allowing them to see dragonflies and other wildlife close up.  It’s also a lovely spot to sit and relax.  A true collaborative project, the liner was funded by NHS innovation conference, funding for the decking was provided by 2020/2021 Farnham Town Mayor Pat Evans and installed by Farnham Men in Sheds.  Our volunteer gardening groups landscaped the edges of the pond and added plants and Farnham Town Council generously donated soil and wildflower seed to finish off the area beautifully. On the 1st of May 2021 the pond was officially opened by Farnham Mayor Pat Evans and Michael More-Molyneux, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Surrey.

history of the space

Historically known as Bet Meadow, the space was originally a collection of allotments used by the local community.

The land was bought in the 1980's and owned as a private garden for 30 years, but is now once more being used for the benefit for the local community.

One of the first tasks to make the space usable again was to repair the garden shed. The shell of the old building was retained with wood cladding covering the insulation that keeps parents on the evening parenting courses warm throughout the winter.

Please contact us if you'd like to come and see the continual progress we are making and particularly if you would like to join in! ....