MISS ELAINEOUS VISITS DALSTON CURVE GARDEN...

Dalston Curve Garden is in Hackney, East London, and is a community garden and cafe/ bar.  It is also referred to as Dalston Eastern Curve Garden; that's because it sits on the site of the old Eastern Curve railway line, and is a real hidden gem.  The railway stopped running in 1944, and the tracks were removed in 1965.

Here is the brightly lit entrance...

The Hackney Peace Carnival Mural sits right next to the garden.  This mural was created in 1983, to celebrate the GLC's (the Greater London Council, which is now defunct) Peace Year.  It shows a crowd of local faces making music and includes anti-war slogans and references.  It was designed by muralist Ray Walker, to celebrate community and multiculturalism.

Inside, under the sheltered space, and the garden is open all year round, for as many hours as possible...

Walking through into the open space, with the staff/ volunteers' space to the left.  Laptops are banned at this table, to encourage human interaction.

The garden provides a much-needed community space, in an urban area where people might not have access to their own garden.  Many people in this densely-populated, urban area live in flats.

Opened in 2010, this delightful garden offers numerous social, environmental and health benefits to the local population...

The garden is free to enter, and a programme of activities is on offer- the aim being to break down social isolation...

The area is very built up, and Hackney is the third most densely populated borough in London...

I love the expression on this concrete face- the SuperDean would describe the expression as him with a hangover!

The garden is run by staff, and an extensive supply of volunteers...

The garden funds itself through its cafe, which is a not-for-profit social enterprise...

The cafe sells hot and cold drinks, cakes, bread and soup, and they even have their own pizza oven...

You can also bring your own food...

The garden is licensed, and you can buy beer, cider, wine and spirits...

The garden contains wildlife-friendly trees and shrubs, and is a charming rural oasis!

Hawthorn, birch, bracken and hazel complement plants that were already growing on the site.

The railway once connected Dalston Junction station to the old North London line (now part of London Overground; recently re-christened the Mildmay line).

The site had been used as a scrapyard for a while after the Eastern Curve railway closed, but stood derelict after that...

There is a stage right at the end ot the garden, and performances do take place here, during special events.  They also have the annual Dalston Pumpkin Lantern Festival at Halloween- it's such a shame I missed that by a few weeks...

The Pineapple House is a conservatory-style greenhouse, and workshops are held here...

Raised planters have been added to the garden; for the purpose of growing herbs and vegetables...

The flowers and plants support insect life; and birds, butterflies and bees are attracted to this urban bucolic area...

Dalston Curve Garden came about following the "Making Space in Dalston" project, commissioned by Design for London...

...This is where Hackney Council and local residents and groups got together to discuss the paucity of green public spaces, and how to address the issue...

I have worked in this area before, and I used to buy my fabrics for college- when I was studying fashion design- from nearby Ridley Road Market.  This garden wasn't here then, but I don't think Dalston has changed that much.

The bar/ food counter, and this strikes me as a lovely venue to nip along to for relaxation, and to meet people.  For that reason, the garden is not available for private hire- it is a COMMUNITY space, for EVERYONE.

My eyes were drawn to the Queen of Hearts cookies here- I managed to resist scoffing one, but next time I won't!

Dalston Curve Garden, I will return (possibly with the SuperDean in tow- he'd love the pizza, and he'd certainly love the bar!)

Until then,

TTFN

The Miss Elaineous

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