Growing Hollingdean – Growing Hollingdean

Join Tree Guardian Volunteers on Sunday 2nd November 2025

29th Oct 2025

We meet at Growing Hollingdean shed on the corner of Brentwood Road and Lynchet Close at 10am. We wait 10 minutes before going on to our location within the estate. One of our Growing Hollingdean volunteers will talk through the mornings plan, give out equipment, including some Health & Safety tips. It’s free fitness, a chance to make new friends, and we always have a good laugh along the way.

Tree Guardian Volunteers seen Gardening behind the flats on Stephens Road, 7th September 2025

Tree Guardians seen on the Wildflower Verge in Hollingdean Park, 5th October 2025

Tree Guardians in Hollingdean Park Wildflower Verge, 5th October 2025

Tree Guardians took part in the Get Growing Harvest Festival by clearing the wildflower verge at the bottom of Hollingdean Park. Volunteers raked away the cuttings left by the mower and planted spring bulbs. All the cuttings were used as mulch around the nearby trees, helping to return nutrients to the soil. A big thank you to all the volunteers for their hard work!

If you would like to say ‘Thank You’ to our Growing Hollingdean volunteers please add your review here. Thank you.

For all the latest news on Growing Hollingdean free events and volunteering please sign up here or in the box below. Thank you to all the Growing Hollingdean volunteers who made this possible.

Get Growing Harvest Festival 2025

29th Sep 2025

Sunday 5th October, Hollingdean Park, 10 to 4pm

Join the Growing Hollingdean volunteers for gardening activities at the Hollingdean Park Community Orchard & Food Forest Garden, click here. Explore our Edible Hedge and meet the Tree Guardians, who’ll share their knowledge about Hollingdean’s fruit and nut trees.

Plus, enjoy a full day of activities:

🎲 Games in the Orchard with Helen (Brighton & Hove Food Partnership) — 10am–4pm
🍎 Apple Juicing with Stephan (Brighton Permaculture Trust) — 12pm–4pm
☕ Free Refreshments throughout the day
👩‍🍳 Cookery Demonstration with Anna Schwarz at the Hollingdean Family Hub — Sign up for a free lunch!
📖 Afternoon Storytelling with Shelia — from 2pm
🎶 Traditional Appalachian Folk Music — from 2:30pm

Come along, join in, and celebrate community, food, and nature together! Rain or shine we will be there!!

Growing Hollingdean and Get Growing Harvest Festival 2025, Sunday 5th October, Hollingdean Park, 10-4pm

Time to pick Apples & Pears in Hollingdean

See our Hollingdean tree map for your nearest fruit trees, here.

Tree Guardians, first Sunday of the month, 10am to 12pm!

If you would like to say ‘Thank You’ to our Growing Hollingdean volunteers please add your review here. Thank you.

Join us for Wildflower Verge Cutting & Planting 2025

22nd Sep 2025

Join us for Wildflower Verge Cutting & Planting September 2025, Jon Growing Hollingdean volunteers. — *Mountfields Wildflower Verge*

Saturday 27 September, Mountfields Triangle, 10am-12pm, Rain or Shine!

Join the Growing Hollingdean volunteers for our annual wildflower meadow cutting on Saturday 27th September 2025. We’ll meet at 10am at the Growing Hollingdean shed on the corner of Brentwood Road and Lynchet Close to collect equipment (or bring your own), before walking down to the wildflower triangle behind the 50 bus stop at Mountfields and The Crestway (in pink). Together we’ll be cutting the meadow with shears and scythes, and planting wildflower plants and bulbs using trowels and gloves. Come along, lend a hand, and help care for our beautiful community wildflower meadow!

Free Event Hollingdean, Brighton this September 2025

“The wildflowers attract pollinators such as bees, flies, moths and flower beetles. Other insects and spiders soon follow, as well as larger predators…” Says Natural History Museum. These wildflowers provide vital food and habitat for Hollingdean’s swifts, buzzards, blackbirds, sparrows and more—so come along, lend a hand, and see what insects you can spot while helping care for our community meadow!

Join us for Wildflower Verge Cutting & Planting September 2025, Growing Hollingdean volunteers.

If you would like to say ‘Thank You’ to our Growing Hollingdean volunteers please add your review here. Thank you.

Leave your review on Google, thank you so much!

Join the Tree Guardians on Sunday 6th July 2025. Training available, all welcome.

5th Jul 2025

What our Tree Guardians did on 1st June 2025, Hollingdean, Brighton volunteers

First Sunday of every month, 10am at the shed Brentwood Road and Lynchet Close, see more information here. Bring secateurs and a wheel barrow if you can. We look forward to seeing you there.

What our Tree Guardians did on Sunday 1st June 2025

A huge thank you to our incredible Tree Guardians! With the help of eight dedicated volunteers, we mulched 13 to fruit trees along Stephens Road (see our map) as part of our new maintenance plan. We carefully weeded around each tree, since weeds compete for vital water and nutrients. Then we laid down cardboard as a natural weed barrier. If you would like to join in next time, bring suitable clothing for the weather and sunscreen. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Gardeners World recommends using three overlapping layers of plain cardboard (no ink or tape!) for best results. On top of that, we added mulch made from woodchip or grass clippings. This helps suppress any remaining weeds, locks in moisture, and feeds the soil as it breaks down. Thanks to everyone involved — our trees are thriving because of you!

Please donate your cardboard boxes, there is a designated area at the Lynchet Close shed. If you can flatten them it would be much appreciated, thank you.

Tree Guardians litter pick in Hollingdean

We had a spare 20 minutes during Tree Guardians, and when we walked past this pile of dumped rubbish, we just couldn’t ignore it. What a powerful reminder that small acts of kindness can make a big difference. Big love to the Tree Guardians. Thank you!

If you would like to say ‘Thank You’ to our Growing Hollingdean volunteers please add your review here. Thank you.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Annual Plant & Seed Fair and Annual General Meeting (AGM)… and our 5th Anniversary celebration!

16th May 2025

Thank you to the volunteers for a wonderful day

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the annual plant & seed AGM fair, 27 April 2025

Thank you for bringing your plants to swap, sell or buy, on Saturday 27th April 2025. Hollingdean Community Centre was the place to enjoy plants with like-minded people-full of smiling faces, plant swapping and donations and buying indoor and outdoor plants. And plenty of chat about growing!

Thank you to those who donated cake and their time as well. And thanks to Carlotta for making us a delicious 5th Anniversary cake, covered in flowers, just right for the occasion.

This year’s plant selection was fantastic wildflowers, cottage garden plants and plenty of veg, from artichokes to pumpkins. There was something for everyone, as well as plenty of free advice from our volunteers on what there was to choose from, where to plant and how to look after them.

Thank you to Marc Stenham of Rodmell Forest Garden for the interesting talk on growing a low – maintenance Food Forest by working with nature and building up the soil fertility and resilience. And for answering all our questions. It has inspired us in creating our own Food Forest in the Park.

More thank you’s

Thanks also to our friends of the Repair Cafe for teaching us how to take care of our tools and keep them sharp and fit for gardening.

Thank you to Amos for donating young plants from his allotment, a large tray of young healthy vegetables plants came from Roedale Allotments (RAGS). Thank you Samson for the great photos.

If you would like to say ‘Thank You’ to our Growing Hollingdean volunteers please add your review here. Thank you.

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Growing Hollingdean volunteers plant the forest garden at Hollingdean Park Community Orchard

17th Mar 2025

On a fun sunny Sunday in March 2025

Volunteers planted a new edible forest garden at Hollingdean Park Community Orchard

We are really lucky to have been supported by Brighton & Hove Food Partnership and Brighton Permaculture Trust and to have been funded by Cultivate EU- a programme to promote food growing in many cities across Europe. In February an edible hedgerow, including fruit trees was planted between the Family Hub and the playpark. This month Hollingdean Community Orchard is being planted with new layers of plants so that it becomes a Forest Garden.

Everyone is welcome to visit. Please take care of the new young plants. It is wonderful to see them grow and come back to enjoy their fruit later in the year. We can all sample a few and leave more for others, too, including wildlife. This year the new plants need to get their roots down and really bed in. As the garden becomes mature, so it will become more and more fruitful over the years.

Volunteers planted a new edible forest garden at Hollingdean Park Community Orchard, March 2025 — Stephan briefing the volunteers

What is a forest garden?

“Forest gardens are food-producing systems which seek to emulate natural woodland ecosystems as closely as possible. They consist of mainly perennial plants which are agriculturally productive or useful, growing as they would in the wild.” Says Permaculture Association This includes fruit and nut trees, climbers and vines, shrubs such as currant bushes, herbaceous perennials and herbs, ground cover plants and roots. Some plants maybe edible and some medicinal. They all have a place in the Forest Garden.

Thank you to Community Chef Anna who cooked us all a lovely lunch! And everyone who helped make it a really productive day

Thank you to Stephan at Brighton Permaculture Trust, Helen at Brighton & Hove Food Partnership, Hollingdean Family Hub and Growing Hollingdean volunteers for organising all of this.

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Have you helped to create a Wildlife Habitat in Hollingdean this year? Would you like to make one now?

16th Nov 2024

All welcome at Froglife’s Wildlife Corridors event on Saturday 23rd November 2024, 1.30-4.30pm, Hollingdean Community Centre, Thompson Road

BUrstead Wood pond built by Froglife — Burstead Wood pond built by Froglife with Hollingbury and Burstead Woods volunteers

Join us to celebrate Hollingdean’s Wildlife Corridors and learn how to maintain ponds and other habitats too! Free event, all welcome.

Celebrate Hollingdean's Wildlife Corridors and learn how to maintain ponds and other habitats, November 2024

We have a lot to celebrate…the new orchard pond, the football field bog garden and many more small ponds and hibernaculum in community gardens and allotments and our own gardens

We want to say a BIG Thank You from Hollingdean to Will and Lily of Froglife -and to all the volunteers who built homes for frogs, toads, slow worms, lizards and many other wild creatures in 2024. We are really excited about the ponds, bog garden and hibernacula that are now wildlife havens in Hollingdean.

Many thanks also to Enjoolata Foundation for helping to fund all our new habitats this year

Join Froglife’s Will Johannson at this Neighbourhood Wildlife Corridor Forum and celebrate all the action for wildlife in Hollingdean and the city in 2024. Pick up more information on urban amphibian and reptile identification and how to manage and survey their habitats.

It will also be a chance to meet other groups who have been involved in creating Wildlife Corridors in the city. Groups can also collect habitat management and survey equipment.

When? Saturday 23rd November 2024, 2:00pm until 4:30pm. Doors from 1.30pm
Where? Hollingdean Community Centre, Thompson Road, Brighton, BN1 7BH

For the Growing Hollingdean Collective

Everyone is welcome to join the Tree Guardian volunteers on 3rd November 2024, 10 to 12 noon. Why not come along?

30th Oct 2024

Tree Guardian volunteers seen on Davey Drive and Southmount green mulching and pruning the Hollingdean fruit tree, 6 October 2024 — *Tree Guardian volunteers seen on Davey Drive and Southmount green mulching and pruning Hollingdean’s fruit trees on 6 October 2024*

Help us look after Hollingdean’s fruit trees

Last month eight Tree Guardian volunteers met at the shed on Lynchet Close at 10am and walked down to the green on the corner of Davey Drive and Southmount. Autumn is a great time to get cardboard and woodchip down to reduce the grasses around the base of these trees. They managed to finish this area, and took care of 014, 016, 017, 018 (all cherry plums), 022 plum tree and 020 pear tree. Very satisfying and easier when the temperature is cooler. Afterwards they celebrated with a cuppa and a catch up.

See our Tree Guardians page for all your meet up information

See our Tree Map for your nearest Hollingdean fruit or nut trees and let us know if you can care for it or if it needs attention. Training and support is available.

Thank you to the volunteers who made it, we look forward to seeing you and some new faces next time

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See our events calendar see what we are up to.

We look forward to seeing you at our next event.

Hollingdean 2024 Summer Street Fair

12th Aug 2024

Hollingdean Summer Street Fair, Sunday 18th August 2024 10am to 1pm

Sunday 18th August 2024, 10am to 1pm – join in the car less boot sale!

Inspired by Hollingdean car less boot sale in 2020, put your walking shoes on and get out looking for some bargains or set up a table, mat or rail outside your house / flat to sell! Click here for google map to view all the locations, you to be signed into google. Email Jo-seph on summerstreetfair@gmail.com with your address and what you be selling and he will add you to the map. Sign up now!

Growing Hollingdean and Froglife at Hollingdean Community Orchard

Growing Hollingdean and Froglife will be at Hollingdean Community Orchard, at the back of Hollingdean Park on 18th August as part of the street fair. This free event welcomes everyone. Join us and chat to the volunteers about Hollingdean’s wildlife pond and street tree’s. We look forward to meeting you and please share.

If you would like to know more about our events or help out as a volunteer please email through our contact page here. We look forward to meeting you!

Hollingdean Community Orchard Forest Garden Pond Planting Volunteers

22nd May 2024

Hollingdean Community Orchard Forest Garden Pond planting, May Bank Holiday 2024 Growing Hollingdean volunteers gathered with Froglife for pond planting

Monday 6th May Bank Holiday 2024 volunteers gathered with Froglife for pond planting

It was a very wet Bank Holiday Monday at the Hollingdean Community Orchard behind Hollingdean Park. Our Growing Hollingdean volunteer gardeners are not scared of a bit of rain or mud though and turned out in force! We were joined by Will from Froglife. Will provided the specially selected native pond plants, and showed us how to wrap them in hessian and where to put them.

Standing round the wildlife pond, Will guided us on where to place each plant at the correct depth. We had lots of giggles as we tried not to fall in! Especially as this would damage the pond liner and create a hole. Tea and cake was enjoyed by all as we chatted about the future of the new wildlife pond. Thank you to Will for sharing all his knowledge and expertise about wildlife ponds.

Hollingdean Community Orchard Wildlife Pond

Please visit the new pond at Hollingdean Community Orchard and see the results of everyone’s efforts. Let us know if your see any newts or frogs in the water. You can also help keep the wildlife happy and healthy by making sure nothing else goes into the pond and no new plants are added for now. It is especially important to make sure no diseases or non-native plants are introduced from other ponds. Thank you!

You breathe cleaner air on rainy walks

‘If you’re hoping to get a little fresh air, there’s no better time to go for a walk than when it’s raining. As a raindrop falls through the atmosphere, a natural phenomenon occurs whereby the droplet attracts tens to hundreds of air pollution particles such as traffic pollution. This process does a remarkable job of cleaning the air around you, making it better to breathe in.’ Says psychologies.co.uk

Sunday 7th April 2024, 12-2 pm, building the dead hedge, digging a pond-dipping area & footpath

6th Apr 2024

Growing Hollingdean Stage three of the pond dig at Hollingean Park Orchard with Froglife, March 2024

Come and join us!

Building a dead hedge is fun and very easy. A dead hedge makes fantastic shelter, homes, food, nesting sites for a variety of wildlife from birds and mammals to insects, amphibians and reptiles. And it will help keep the pond safe for young children. The bark ‘beach’ will be a place for children to experience ‘pond-dipping’ activities in future, under the guidance of our Growing Hollingdean volunteers.

Stage two and three build of the Hollingdean Forest Garden Pond

Stage two – 20th March 2024, excavation and digging

Growing Hollingdean Stage two of the pond dig at Hollingean Park Orchard with Froglife, March 2024 — Lizard seen at Hollingdean Park Orchard

Stage two of the pond dig was a clear crisp day, perfect for more digging. Growing Hollingdean volunteers and Will our Froglife expert at Hollingdean Park Orchard.

Continued on 21st March 2024

Level pond edges, line pond and dead-hedge. — Dead hedge building March 2024

Thursday was grey foggy March day and only one way to keep warm is to dig! Lots of fun was had by the volunteers.

Stage three – 3rd April 2024, level the pond edges, line the pond

Level the pond edges and add liner and add fence. Well done to all the volunteers.

PLUS 6th May 2024, Monday Bank Holiday, planting the pond and celebrating our fantastic achievements, 10am to 2pm

Join Growing Hollingdean volunteers on the May Bank Holiday with Froglife for pond planting with aquatic plants and bank planting. Please wear appropriate clothing and bring a drink. It is time to get together and celebrate as well.

Please share with friends and family and we look forward to seeing your there.

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Growing Hollingdean Volunteers gardening at Hollingdean Community Centre

20th Dec 2023

Gardening and the Real Junk Food lunch in December, 2023

Polly and Abbie our Growing Hollingdean volunteers, enjoyed some gardening at Hollingdean Community Centre today and lovely lunch with the Real Junk Food Project. They also bumped into Svenja and Emma, Tree Guardians with their gorgeous babies.

Polly says “Abbie and I removed weeds from the flowerbeds and spread nine bags of woodchip around the base of the trees, oon the beds and baby walnut at the top of Thompson Road. I moved a climbing rose from the planter to the flowerbed, planted Shasta daisies and miscanthus grass, spread some delicious compost created by the Tumblr and added cyclamen from Shirley the Centre Manager to the hanging baskets and planter.”

We recommend popping down to see the garden at the Hollingdean Community Centre and enjoy the events. The Real Junk Food Project is on Thursdays 12.30pm to 1.45pm @ Hollingdean Community Centre – donations or pay as you can.

If interested in helping with the community centre garden please email Polly via growinghollingdean@gmail.com or see where your local garden is here.

Thank you to September's Volunteers at The Old Green, The Old Green on Stanmer Street, Hollingdean from 10:30am - 12:30pm

Thank you to September’s Volunteers at The Old Green Community Garden

23rd Sep 2023

Join us next time Sunday 5th November 2023, 10:30am – 12:30pm

A massive thank you to Polly and Sarahjane from Growing Hollingdean, and to our other volunteers, for coming along to the Old Green Community Garden‘s September work day, 2023. After having to cancel our August session, the garden was looking at tad neglected in the morning, but everyone chipped in to battle the bindweed, prune the plants, and tend to the trees, and by lunchtime, everyone’s hard work had paid off and it was looking spectacular.

Thanks to Michelle for bringing along the refreshments – we were more than happy to make sure the chocolate biscuits were all eaten rather than being left to melt in the sun!

Our next work day is on Sunday 5th November, so if you fancy a little spot of gardening in the morning before some fireworks in the evening, please come and join us at The Old Green on Stanmer Street, Hollingdean from 10:30am – 12:30pm.

Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardians Out and About in August 2023

30th Aug 2023

*The Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardians were at Merevale Brighton in August 2023*

Join our group of volunteers in Hollingdean

The Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardians were at Merevale on 13 August 2023. Clearing the weeds from around the trees and installing new tree guards. One of the old tree guards was causing more damage than helping. These guard protect our trees so they grow big and strong. See our tree map.

We are looking forward to meeting again for the next Tree Guardian session on Sunday 3rd September 2023. Contact Growing Hollingdean here if you would like to join in and to let you know where we will be. One of our Growing Hollingdean volunteers will give everyone training and support. Please wear suitable clothing for the weather and bring a drink and a snack if needed. Equipment will be supplied (under 18’s must to be accompanied by a parent/guardian).

Thank you to all the August volunteers for helping out in Hollingdean

Our Tree Guardian Sessions run the first Sunday 10am-12noon every month. We meet outside Hollingdean Children’s Centre (Sure Start) on Brentwood Road. We will wait 10 minutes before going to our location.

Growing Hollingdean New Shed & Flats Mural to Hide Graffiti Tagging

23rd Aug 2023

What do you think of the design?

We will be applying to the next Estate Development Budget (EDB) for funding for murals being painted on our two green sheds and the block of flats opposite Hollingdean Park. Carl who painted and designed the other two block of flats next to the ally way between Merevale and Brentwood Road in Hollingdean will be painting this third one.

It’s Monday! Join Mel at Two Trees Community Garden, Hollingdean

21st Aug 2023

All skill level gardeners welcome, from beginners to expert

Every 3rd Monday of the month between 3-5pm at the Tavistock Down Community Garden. There are a variety of small gardening jobs requiring your help. Mel will be there to advise you. All skill levels welcome, from beginners to expert. We recommend you bring gloves, a drink and wear sensible shoes, all other tools will be provided.

Please pop over and lend a hand or just for a chat. We look forward to meeting you! Contact Mel on 07543 201 670 or tdcommunitygarden@gmail.com to let her know you will be attending and meet the locals. See her Facebook page.

How to find Two Trees Community Garden @TavistockDown

The gate entrance is accessible via south end of Tavistock Down, behind the play park, next to the turning to Thompson Road or use what3words, panel.fallen.trash.

Two Trees Community Garden, Tavistock Road, Hollingdean Brighton — *Two Trees Community Garden, Tavistock Down, Hollingdean Brighton, since 2014*

If you would like to know more about our events or help out as a volunteer please email through our contact page here. We look forward to meeting you!

Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardians learnt to scythe the long grass in July 2023

31st Jul 2023

Dryads Community Orchard Hollingdean, Brighton

The Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardians were at Dryads Community Orchard on Golf Drive in Hollingdean the first Sunday in July 2023. Jo-seph, our lead Tree Guardian, showed everyone how to use a scythe and cut their way through the long grass. After a safety briefing other gardening and tree care tasks were carried out, such as weeding and mulching around the trees and the newly planted soft fruit bushes.

Trees found at Dryads Community Orchard 090 Plum, 091 Apple, 092 Apple, 093 Apple, 094 Black Elder, 095 Apple, 096 Apple, 097 Apple & 098 Hazel Hedge

Thank you to all the July volunteers for helping out in Hollingdean

We are looking forward to meeting again for the next Tree Guardian session, change of date to Sunday 13th August 2023. Contact Growing Hollingdean here if you would like to join in and to let you know where we will be.

Come and join us for our next tree guardian volunteer session. Email us through our contact page here to let us know your coming.

Successful Growing Hollingdean Plant Stall & Activities at the Lucky Dip 2023

13th Jul 2023

Growing Hollingdean Plant Stall

It was wonderful to see the return of the Hollingdean Lucky Dip, this time around at St. Richards Church. Growing Hollingdean volunteers had a good showing, with a plant stall, and three different activities.

Free Growing Food in Small Spaces

‘There was also a chance to get started with growing your own with Growing Food in Small Spaces, by planting up a pot of herbs, salads or vegetables to take home to a windowsill, balcony, or sunny corner. A total of 16 pots where planted up and taken home for free on the day.

Growing Food in Small Spaces activity with Growing Hollingdean volunteers at the Lucky Dip 2023

Decorating Earwig Bell Houses

First up was making and decorating Earwig Bell Houses to encourage aphid munching creatures and pollinators to move in and protect our fruit trees.

Earwig Bell House making at Growing Hollingdean Free Activities at the Lucky Dip 2023

Free Mini Water Garden making

Finally, Growing Hollingdean volunteers hosted a water garden on behalf of the Lucky Dip team to make a mini pond-in-a-pot with free water plants and containers.

Mini water garden making at Growing Hollingdean Free Activities at the Lucky Dip 2023

With all the activities it was a lovely, relaxed day with people dropping in and out and getting involved! Thanks to the Lucky Dip crew and other stall holders for bringing the Lucky Dip back to Hollingdean once again. It’s always a lovely community to be part of. Look forward to seeing you at our next event. For the Lucky Dip Facebook page click here.

Growing Food in Small Spaces Free Events in Hollingdean, June 2023

10th Jul 2023

*Polly our Growing Hollingdean volunteer Growing Food in Small Spaces Free Event at Hollingdean Community Centre was in June 2023*

It was a wonderful opportunity to meet with our wider community of all ages from three years to teenagers, families and retired people. 19 beautiful pots of herbs and salad were planted up and taken home for free at Hollingdean Community Centre in June. Claire and Polly our Growing Hollingdean volunteer for Grow Food in Small Spaces helped locals choose their plants. At our Hollingdean Park event, Joseph another Growing Hollingdean volunteer helped plant up 15 tasty pots.

Growing Food in Small Spaces Free Event at Hollingdean Community Centre was in June 2023

A big thank you to Amos from RAGS

A big thank you to Amos from RAGS (Roedale Allotments and Gardens Society) for donating the these small plants he grew rainbow chard, Pak choi, lettuce, chives, spring onions, basil, coriander and thyme. Polly grew tomato, spinach and Pak choi plants.

Grow Food in Small Spaces where funded by our local Healthy Neighbourhood Fund. Our new stickers and flyers about our work where funded through a Community Engagement Fund from the council.

To hear about all future events, sign up to our newsletter. We look forward to meeting you.

Horton Road Community Flower Bed June 2023 Update

28th Jun 2023

*Horton Road Community Flower Bed Update June 2023*

Our Growing Hollingdean volunteers got together for some local gardening

A couple of our Growing Hollingdean volunteers got together today to do a few hours of gardening on the Horton Road flower bed. They also added recycled cement roofing tiles to support the soil for the plants and mulch. They also added in a few more plants for the empty patches. And of course tea, biscuits and chat was involved. Here is what our volunteer says.

“Today we dug in some roof tiles, to stop wood our chip from falling onto the entrance pathway and to give our new flower bed some structure. It looks really good. I would not have been able to do any of this, without the support and enthusiasm of other fellow Growing Hollingdean volunteers. Being part of this great group gives me a great sense of community. We help each other out, we learn, we watch things grow, not to mention the benefit for the local environment, the joy from the neighbours and passers by.“
Leigh, Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardian

If you would like to know more about our events or help out as a volunteer please email through our contact page here. We look forward to meeting you!

Tavistock Down Community Garden Growing Food in Small Spaces Free Event on Monday 26th June 2023

21st Jun 2023

From 3pm to 5pm the Growing Hollingdean volunteers will be there!

Want to grow your own salad and herbs, but don’t have a garden? Join us and plant up your FREE window pot with lovely fresh salads and herbs. We have the seedlings, the compost and the containers. Just bring yourself and your neighbours! No experience needed, all welcome, just turn up and have some fun at Tavistock Down Community Garden. We look forward to meeting you.

If you would like to know more about our events or help out as a volunteer please email through our contact page here. We look forward to meeting you!

First Sunday in May, our Tree Guardians were on Horton Road, Hollingdean

7th Jun 2023

*First Sunday in May, our Tree Guardians where on Horton Road, Hollingdean. 032 Mirabelle Tree*

Our local volunteer Tree Guardians spent a couple of hours clearing weeds and grasses away from the base of some fruit and nut trees. Based near the community notice board on Horton Road on a this beautiful May Sunday morning.

A couple of the Cherry Plum trees required a little pruning today

Jenni talked us through the gardening process with some health and safety tips before we started. She also explains how, when and what to prune on this Cherry Plum tree. She also taught us the correct way to use the Growing Hollingdean secateurs.

First Sunday in May our Tree Guardians where on Horton Road gardening, this is one of the Cherry Plum trees in fruit

See our Growing Hollingdean tree map here to find all the tree’s we care for.

If you love being in nature, join us the first Sunday of the month for a spot of community gardening and chatter.

Join our volunteer Tree Guardians group next month

Join our volunteer Tree Guardians for a few hours on the first Sunday of the month. A small group of locals get together to weed, mulch and learn about the fruit and nut trees in Hollingdean.

Email to say you are coming or just turn up, we usually meet at the Hollingdean Park entrance community notice board. See you on the 2nd July 2023!

Come and join us for our next tree guardian volunteer session. Email us through our contact page here to let us know your coming.

Growing Hollingdean volunteer Tree Guardians May 2023

Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardians May 2023

7th May 2023

Join our small group of volunteers in Hollingdean

Have you ever noticed the many fruit and nut trees around Hollingdean? They were planted by Brighton Permaculture Trust (BPT) and are now in the care of Growing Hollingdean by our Tree Guardian volunteers.

They were plant to increase biodiversity, food security, and to reduce carbon while capturing carbon.

Would you like to become a Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardian?

Our Tree Care Sessions run the first Sunday 10am-12noon every month. We meet outside Hollingdean Children’s Centre (Sure Start) on Brentwood Road. We will wait 10 minutes before going to our location.

One of our Growing Hollingdean volunteers will give everyone training
and support. Our task is to care for the trees by clearing the weeds, mulching
with woodchip, pruning dead branches and checking for damages and disease. See
our Tree Map for all the trees in our area.

Please wear suitable clothing for the weather and bring a drink and a snack if needed. Equipment will be supplied (under 18’s must to be accompanied by a parent/guardian).

Come and join us for our next tree guardian volunteer session. Email us through our contact page here to let us know your coming.

Growing Hollingdean Joseph Blossom Walk April 2023

Growing Hollingdean Free Blossom Walk, April 2023

30th Apr 2023

Sunday 30th April 2023, 10am – 12pm @ Hollingdean Sure Start Centre

Come for a guided walk with us to explore the beauty of 250+ fruit and nut trees across Hollingdean. While the apple and cherry trees are in blossom. We will end in a orchard where we can talk with like minded people.

Growing Hollingdean Blossom Walk April 2023

Tickets are free on Everbrite

Click here for your free ticket. Please wear suitable footwear and clothing (under 18s need to be accompanied by an parent or guardian).

We look forward to seeing you.

Growing Hollingdean volunteers at the AGM, April 2023

15th Apr 2023

Everyone had a fun day, lots of bags of plants and big smiling faces

*Growing Hollingdean AGM volunteers April 2023*

Thank you to Hollingdean Community Centre for having us and to our Growing Hollingdean volunteers. Our plant and seed swap (or donation) tables where very busy and successful. Polly our Growing Hollingdean volunteer for Grow Food in Small Spaces helped locals plant up 20 pots of herbs and salad and taken home for free. Lots of smiling faces all round.

Growing Hollingdean AGM meeting and slide show April 2023

If you would like to know more about our events or help out as a volunteer please email through our contact page here. We look forward to meeting you!

Two Trees Community Garden, Hollingdean, Brighton

9th Apr 2023

Tavistock Down Community Garden Hollingdean Brighton 2023 — *Tavistock Down, Two Trees Community Garden Hollingdean Brighton, 2023*

Also know as Tavistock Down Community Garden is a volunteer run garden established in 2013, aiming to provide the mental health benefits of working in the garden, with the goal of creating a supportive community. They grow lots of perennial fruits such as gooseberries, currants and raspberries to name a few.

All gardening volunteers welcome

Volunteers of all abilities and backgrounds are welcome to help maintain the garden every 3rd Monday of the month between 3-5pm.

How to find Two Trees Community Garden

The gate entrance is accessible via south end of Tavistock Down, behind the play park, next to the turning to Thompson Road.

*Tavistock Down, Two Trees Community Garden Hollingdean Brighton*

Contact Mel on 07543201670 or tdcommunitygarden@gmail.com to let her know you will be joining her and meet the locals.

Mel also volunteers with the Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardians. See our other Community gardens here.

Growing Hollingdean AGM & Plant Swap

8th Apr 2023

On 22 April 2023 at Hollingdean Community Centre

'Growing Food in Small Spaces' with be at Hollingdean Community Centre

Growing Hollingdean has a Annual General Meeting (AGM) in spring each year and everyone is welcome to join us. Will will have:

Plant and seed swap or make a donation
Free! Plant a salad pot
Book sale
Raffle
Brighton Permaculture Trust – Apple Juice for sale
AGM meeting and slide show
Tea, coffee, drinks, homemade cakes and snacks

Come alone to chat to fellow local gardeners and find out what Growing Hollingdean volunteers have been up to this past year and what we plan to do.

If you would like to know more about our events or help out as a volunteer please email through our contact page here. We look forward to meeting you!

Hollingdean Park Bee Hotels, April 2023

2nd Apr 2023

Hollingdean Park Community Orchard

This morning the Tree Guardians had the pleasure of installing several bee hotels and a new information sign in Hollingdean Community Orchard, behind the Sure Start Centre.

Beth Nicholls from Sussex Uni, Brighton

These were provided by Beth Nicholls from Sussex Uni with support from Brighton Permaculture Trust. After a cold start, it turned into a beautiful sunny morning and several bees came out to see what we were up to! The orchard is looking stunning as the blossom starts to come out – why not visit and have a picnic.

Tree Guardians helping out in the Hollingdean Orchard

Tree Guardians are a group of volunteers who get together once a month to care for the local fruit and nut trees.

University of Sussex pollination research, Hollingdean, Brighton

Please go to Hollingdean Park and see the orchard and it beautiful new sign.

Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardian Volunteers, at Two Tree Community Garden, March 2023

5th Mar 2023

Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardian Volunteers in March 2023 — *Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardian Volunteers at Two Tree Community Garden, March 2023*

Have you ever noticed the many fruit and nut trees around Hollingdean?

They were planted by Brighton Permaculture Trust (BPT) and are now in the care of Growing Hollingdean (GH) by our Tree Guardian volunteer. They were planted to increase biodiversity, food security, and to reduce carbon while capturing carbon.

*Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardian Volunteers on a grey Sunday morning, March 2023*

Would you like to become a Tree Guardian? Or come to our Tree care session?

We can give you training and support. The Tree Care Sessions run the first Sunday 10-12pm every month. Meet outside Hollingdean Children’s Centre (SureStart) and we will wait 10 minutes before moving to our location. Our tasks will be to mulched with woodchips, prune, check for damage and disease. Under 18’s need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Please wear suitable clothing for the weather and bring a drink and a snack if needed.

Well done to those who joined us on a grey March Sunday morning!

Come and join us for our next tree guardian volunteer session. Email us through our contact page here to let us know your coming.

Polka Dot Wild Flower Beds Planted by volunteers in Hollingdean, February 2023

26th Feb 2023

*Growing Hollingdean Volunteers creating Polka Dot Wild Flower Beds. Planted in Hollingdean. February 2023.*

Our Growing Hollingdean volunteers enjoyed a wonderful couple of hours in February 2023 at the triangle of grass near Mountfields bus stop. Ben Bennatt, a local ecologist, showed us the best way to cut and turn the grass over in a circle to plant seeds and plants.

Everyone was very proud of what they had achieved

Local neighbours joined us and helped with planting their own polka dot circle with seeds and plants. A Mountfield neighbour supplied water for the plants.

Thank you all your help, it was a great turn out and everyone enjoyed cake and treats at the end.

Wild Flowers are important in Hollingdean

Our small selection of wildflower plants and seeds will help bees, butterflies and other creatures to thrive. In turn, we can all enjoy beautiful flowers and better fruits and vegetable crops.

Supported and thanks to Brighton & Hove City Council and St Matthias Fund

See what Brighton & Hove Council are up too with our verges, click here.

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Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardian Volunteers February 2023

5th Feb 2023

Join our volunteer Tree Guardians group next month

Join our volunteer Tree Guardians for a few hours on the first Sunday of the month. A small group of locals get together to weed, mulch and learn about the fruit and nut trees in Hollingdean.

Gloves and equipment will be supplied

Come and join us for our next tree guardian volunteer session. Email us through our contact page here to let us know your coming.

Food & Wildlife Community Garden at St Richards Church Hollingdean

4th Feb 2023

St Richards Church Hollingdean Community Garden

On Beale Crescent, February 2023

A huge THANK YOU to the many locals who turned up to help create the two ‘No Dig’ veg and flower beds. General gardening, pruning, planting, chatter and fun was had by all for a few hours. St Richards Church is on Beale Crescent and our Growing Hollingdean volunteers also turned up to help on Saturday morning.

The volunteers also cleared the weeds and mulched around the existing fruit trees. This is phase one in the creation of a Food & Wildlife Community Garden. See our Facebook page for more photos.

Join us next time

If you would like to know more about our events or help out as a volunteer please email through our contact page here. We look forward to meeting you!

Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardians on a damp Sunday in October 2022

2nd Oct 2022

Thank you to our wonderful tree guardians at our Tree Care Session, braving the rain – true hero’s of the fruit trees!

Wonderful to see new and regular volunteers with big smiles

Today we cleaned the grass / weeds from under the trees to reduce competition and then mulched with wood chips / grass clippings to create a barrier from moisture and too keep the heat in the ground while it breaks down, putting the carbon back into the ground. We looked for disease and damage to the trees (under 18s will need to be accompanied by a parent / guardian).

Tree Care Sessions run every first Sunday of the month 10am-12noon. We meet outside Sure Start Centre, Lynchet Close and we will wait for 10 mins for everyone to arrive.

Next session: 6th November 2022

Come and join us for our next tree guardian volunteer session. Email us through our contact page here to let us know your coming.

Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardians August 2022

25th Aug 2022

The fruit trees across Hollingdean are looking amazing thanks to our Tree guardians volunteers which session run every first Sunday of the month meet at sure start centre 10am we will wait for 10 mins before leaving and the session ends at 12noon.

In these session you will learn about how to care for fruit trees like how to prune, mulching, water and looking for damage/ disease.

Come and join us for our next tree guardian volunteer session. Email us through our contact page here to let us know your coming.

Hello Hollingdean Community Centre!

8th Jul 2022

Growing Hollingdean event day at Hollingdean Community Centre

Welcome to the world of food growing, tree guardians, wild flower verges and seed swapping.

Growing Food in Small Spaces in Hollingdean

Growing Food in Small Spaces aims to support people without access to outdoor space to grow their own food.

Hollingdean Tree Guardians

Tree guardians are local volunteers who are matched to specific trees and given support to help make sure they thrive.

Hollingdean Community Gardens

There are several community gardens across Hollingdean, many of which welcome volunteers.

Would you like to get involved? Grow some vegetables? Care for some trees?

If you would like to know more about our events or help out as a volunteer please email through our contact page here. We look forward to meeting you!

John Funnell of the Brighton and Hove Archaeological Society guided walk of the Hollingbury Iron Age Hill Fort, July 2022

Hollingbury Hill Fort Guided walk by John Funnell

1st Jul 2022

Local Archaeology Walk, July 2022

A guided walk of the Hollingbury Iron Age Hill Fort by John Funnell of the Brighton and Hove Archaeological Society. Organised by Growing Hollingdean.

We had a huge turn out (115 people plus dogs!) and increased our knowledge of our local ancient landscape.

We look forward to seeing you on the next walk.

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Lynchet Close Community Garden, 3 Beds Build, June 2022

25th Jun 2022

Growing Hollingdean volunteers build 3 sensory flower beds in Lynchet Close

Volunteers build a place for clam and nature

Here in the first picture you can see the start of a sensory beds there’s couple of resident on the road with autistic and ADHD so we wanted to create a place where they can be calm with the different touch’s and smells. Like a selection on mint that include strawberry mint, chocolate mint, ginger mint, lemon mint and you classic mint. There’s cotton sage your classic sage with some grass for sight and touch.

The 3 beds are made form recycled plastic planks that are sage to use for food growing these where picked as they won’t much more expensive than wood choice it will last a longer time than wood and dose not need continuously be painted also this site gets strimmed and that would damage the wood where as the plastic states it’s strimmer proof.

The first raised bed is planted with autumn raspberry, chives and has nasturtium seeds planted these plants are companion planting.

The second bed is plated with perennial fruits like strawberries, currents, thyme, rhubarb and sorel.

The third bed is currently planted with annual vegs like tomato, lettuce and chard as the Perennial cabbage plants haven’t arrived yet.

The final product of Lynchet Close community garden

This community garden has been designed for perennial plants and drought tolerant plants to keep it low maintenance.

If you would like to know more about our events or help out as a volunteer please email through our contact page here. We look forward to meeting you!

Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardians February 2022

6th Feb 2022

Thank you to the people who came to todays tree care sessions who battled through the rain and wind. Tree care session run every first Sunday of each month.

Our volunteers mulching a Cherry Plum tree in Hollingdean Park

One of our Growing Hollingdean volunteers will give everyone training and support. Our task is to care for the trees by clearing the weeds, mulching with woodchip, pruning dead branches and checking for damages and disease. See our Tree Map for all the trees in our area.

*Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardians February 2022*

Come and join us for our next tree guardian volunteer session. Email us through our contact page here to let us know your coming.

Growing Hollingdean is a volunteer group of local residents that help develop community growing and wildlife spaces in the Hollingdean area

Tree Guardian Volunteers seen Gardening behind the flats on Stephens Road, 7th September 2025

Tree Guardians seen on the Wildflower Verge in Hollingdean Park, 5th October 2025

If you would like to say ‘Thank You’ to our Growing Hollingdean volunteers please add your review here. Thank you.

Sunday 5th October, Hollingdean Park, 10 to 4pm

Time to pick Apples & Pears in Hollingdean

Tree Guardians, first Sunday of the month, 10am to 12pm!

If you would like to say ‘Thank You’ to our Growing Hollingdean volunteers please add your review here. Thank you.

Saturday 27 September, Mountfields Triangle, 10am-12pm, Rain or Shine!

Free Event Hollingdean, Brighton this September 2025

If you would like to say ‘Thank You’ to our Growing Hollingdean volunteers please add your review here. Thank you.

What our Tree Guardians did on Sunday 1st June 2025

Tree Guardians litter pick in Hollingdean

If you would like to say ‘Thank You’ to our Growing Hollingdean volunteers please add your review here. Thank you.

Thank you to the volunteers for a wonderful day

Thank you to those who donated cake and their time as well. And thanks to Carlotta for making us a delicious 5th Anniversary cake, covered in flowers, just right for the occasion.

More thank you’s

If you would like to say ‘Thank You’ to our Growing Hollingdean volunteers please add your review here. Thank you.

On a fun sunny Sunday in March 2025

What is a forest garden?

Thank you to Community Chef Anna who cooked us all a lovely lunch! And everyone who helped make it a really productive day

All welcome at Froglife’s Wildlife Corridors event on Saturday 23rd November 2024, 1.30-4.30pm, Hollingdean Community Centre, Thompson Road

Join us to celebrate Hollingdean’s Wildlife Corridors and learn how to maintain ponds and other habitats too! Free event, all welcome.

We have a lot to celebrate…the new orchard pond, the football field bog garden and many more small ponds and hibernaculum in community gardens and allotments and our own gardens

Many thanks also to Enjoolata Foundation for helping to fund all our new habitats this year

When? Saturday 23rd November 2024, 2:00pm until 4:30pm. Doors from 1.30pmWhere? Hollingdean Community Centre, Thompson Road, Brighton, BN1 7BH

Help us look after Hollingdean’s fruit trees

See our Tree Guardians page for all your meet up information

See our Tree Map for your nearest Hollingdean fruit or nut trees and let us know if you can care for it or if it needs attention. Training and support is available.

Thank you to the volunteers who made it, we look forward to seeing you and some new faces next time

See our events calendar see what we are up to.

Sunday 18th August 2024, 10am to 1pm – join in the car less boot sale!

Growing Hollingdean and Froglife at Hollingdean Community Orchard

Monday 6th May Bank Holiday 2024 volunteers gathered with Froglife for pond planting

Hollingdean Community Orchard Wildlife Pond

You breathe cleaner air on rainy walks

Come and join us!

Stage two and three build of the Hollingdean Forest Garden Pond

Stage two – 20th March 2024, excavation and digging

Continued on 21st March 2024

Stage three – 3rd April 2024, level the pond edges, line the pond

PLUS 6th May 2024, Monday Bank Holiday, planting the pond and celebrating our fantastic achievements, 10am to 2pm

Gardening and the Real Junk Food lunch in December, 2023

Join us next time Sunday 5th November 2023, 10:30am – 12:30pm

Join our group of volunteers in Hollingdean

Thank you to all the August volunteers for helping out in Hollingdean

What do you think of the design?

All skill level gardeners welcome, from beginners to expert

How to find Two Trees Community Garden @TavistockDown

Dryads Community Orchard Hollingdean, Brighton

Thank you to all the July volunteers for helping out in Hollingdean

Growing Hollingdean Plant Stall

Free Growing Food in Small Spaces

Decorating Earwig Bell Houses

Free Mini Water Garden making

A big thank you to Amos from RAGS

Our Growing Hollingdean volunteers got together for some local gardening

From 3pm to 5pm the Growing Hollingdean volunteers will be there!

A couple of the Cherry Plum trees required a little pruning today

Join our volunteer Tree Guardians group next month

Join our small group of volunteers in Hollingdean

Would you like to become a Growing Hollingdean Tree Guardian?

Sunday 30th April 2023, 10am – 12pm @ Hollingdean Sure Start Centre

Tickets are free on Everbrite

Everyone had a fun day, lots of bags of plants and big smiling faces

All gardening volunteers welcome

How to find Two Trees Community Garden

On 22 April 2023 at Hollingdean Community Centre

Hollingdean Park Community Orchard

Beth Nicholls from Sussex Uni, Brighton

Tree Guardians helping out in the Hollingdean Orchard

University of Sussex pollination research, Hollingdean, Brighton

Have you ever noticed the many fruit and nut trees around Hollingdean?

Would you like to become a Tree Guardian? Or come to our Tree care session?

Everyone was very proud of what they had achieved

Wild Flowers are important in Hollingdean

Supported and thanks to Brighton & Hove City Council and St Matthias Fund

Join our volunteer Tree Guardians group next month

Gloves and equipment will be supplied

On Beale Crescent, February 2023

When? Saturday 23rd November 2024, 2:00pm until 4:30pm. Doors from 1.30pm
Where? Hollingdean Community Centre, Thompson Road, Brighton, BN1 7BH