Together with

It’s Mayday weekend, it’s hot, and we’ve got green shoots and fragrant blooms erupting everywhere – yes, even in the concrete jungle off the Euston Road.

And it’s right there, with a deft seasonal aptitude, that the British Library launched its latest major exhibition last night. Unearthed: The Power of Gardening digs deep into our relationship with growing things, and reveals the simple, inescapable beauty of hundreds of years of horticulture, plus the wide-ranging impacts this pursuit has had.

That breadth of experience means it is an instantly engaging show, with as much for restless young minds as more meditative allotment folk. One minute you’re listening to words of wisdom courtesy of the Coco Collective, who run an Afro diaspora-led community garden in Lewisham inspired by the Rastafarian ‘Ital’ plant-based diet, the next, marvelling at an illustrated guide to carrots from the 1600’s.

The overpowering message is simple – if we care for and nourish plants and crops, they in turn will do the same for us. Yet the titular ‘power of gardening’ is also demonstrated to stretch way beyond that vital symbiosis of photosynthesis (excuse the deliciously tempting tongue twister – or try saying it out loud three times 😉).

It’s particularly exciting to see so many local examples of radical gardening on display, from the enthusiastic lush urban reinventions of Henrietta Barnett’s Hampstead Garden Suburb, to the historic battle for Tolmers Square, where residents campaigned to save derelict Georgian homes in the shadow of Euston Tower from rapacious developers, (resulting in the creation of a green oasis that you really should visit next time you’re near Warren St).

To the west, Meanwhile Gardens - who’s Mayday Fayre poster from exactly 44 years ago to the day is featured above - is still open near Westbourne Park as an important galvanising community hub that’s improved countless local lives.

Another bold artwork declares ‘fuck lawns!’ – deriding traditional clipped, flat, green monocultural expanses in favour of the natural chaos of flowers, weeds and grasses – and shows that our approach to gardening can become controversial and is ever-shifting.

There’s inspiration for guerilla gardening, to be seen brightening up pavements and deterring dogs from turning trees into toilets across the borough, and artifacts from Victorian expeditions to bring exotic plants to the UK for the first time, radically impacting diets and poverty.

Ultimately there’s a humbling statement, from one of the Coco Collective voices, that things will grow whether we like it or not. It’s up to us to ensure we are still here and growing too. The exhibition is a timely reminder that every human story, conflict and emotion is rooted back to the soil.

Unearthed: The Power of Gardening opens today and runs to 10th August.

More local green shoots

Previous to last night’s inspiring launch at the British Library, the rest of the week has proved to be no less of a showcase of amazing events highlighting good people doing fine things in this part of the world.

On Monday it was at the Night Time Industries Association’s Ambassadors of the Night Awards at the Hippodrome, which shines a rare light on the people behind the scenes who have dedicated themselves to our nightlife. That means the barristers who fight venue closures, the promoters who champion safe spaces for the marginalised, the activists who believe in the transformative power of culture after dark.

Among the winners, we heard from Dr Charisse Beaumont of Black Lives In Music, appealing to Black and Asian artists, promoters and venue owners to share their experiences of ongoing prejudice, cancellations and restrictions aimed at them and their audiences. She highlighted that it’s not just Drill parties getting shut down by the police, but events ranging from Bollywood nights to Gospel choirs are still regularly being treated negatively.

Tuesday struck another optimistic note, as we celebrated the all-conquering power of the sun ☀️ for supercharging the all things hospitality. My former colleague Stephen, now of East London food title Leytonstoner, and I took a trip down memory lane and returned to the Rotunda canalside terrace at Kings Place, scene of many a fabulous waterfront party in our Kentishtowner days.

The lovely team at Green & Fortune were unveiling their summer terrace, themed around orchard fruit-inspired cocktails with Gattertop Drinks Co and BBQ meats from their own Northumberland farm, hung and aged on the premises. It’s always been one of the KX area’s better kept secrets, and with the sun out and the odd narrowboat chugging past, it’s a really fabulous spot for a sundowner, or three.

Then Wednesday saw the borough’s young musicians and singers decamp en masse to South Ken for unbridled excitement of the bi-annual Camden Music Festival at the Royal Albert Hall. Honestly, you’d have to have a heart of the coldest stone not to feel a swell of raw emotion at the sonics of 1,800 young voices belting it out in unison. I’ve been covering the event since 2014, and it’s still just as overwhelming in its mix of musical talent and the optimism and potential emanating from the assembled performers.

Being in the venue is the real deal, (especially with all that waving and screaming) but the recording of the very slick livestream still delivers the emotional punch. Watch it whenever the relentless bilge from the sadists in the White House is getting you down, as a timely reminder that there’s an alternative vision of today’s society unfolding in places like Camden, regardless.

📊 This week’s one-click poll

Do let us know your alternative views and thoughts on the topic in the comments, either when voting or via the online version of this newsletter…

Last week we asked the question: Should Councils be able to use their parks to generate much-needed revenues from festival operators?

Yes - summer festivals are hugely popular, and only last for relatively short periods of time🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨 41%

No - the events are noisy and do environmental damage. Keep them out
🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 15%

Maybe - there's a way to find a balance between hosting the festivities and managing the public space for everyone
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 44%

Some of your comments:

“Local parks are also an essential revenue stream for councils now: host a weekend event = keep a library open for a year.”

”Councils need to have more dialogue with a wide variety of park users and hear ideas. There’s always a solution! And it starts with listening and sharing differing thoughts and experiences other than our own.”

“A balance is what is required and an obligation for those using the parks for such events to clear up after themselves. A limited number of events over the summer months would be fair and perhaps a bbq area with some built bbqs.”

“Totally agree with you about people needing to party in less regulated spaces, but after years of going to Notting Hill I won't any more. Ever since the era of the steaming gangs, which may still happen, I perceive it as genuinely dangerous down there. Saw some horrible attacks up close which probably never made it to the news and were unprovoked.”

“Great article from a balanced POV. As my husband said while out walking Regents Park and Primrose Hill with the dog this week, there’s no shortage of gardeners in London’s Parks - they’re everywhere - but they’ve just pulled all the park police.”

“Festivals attract visitors from far and wide, versus the daily use of the green space by those living close by, which the festivals interrupt. These two user groups have opposite interests. The balance will have to err on the side of the locals, particularly, as quite often the summer festivals do not seem to generate significant profits for the borough, but instead simply for the organiser.”

“I object to not being able to walk my dog in my neighbourhood, Waterlow park, as folk complain yet they shit in bushes leave load beer cans smashed glass and burn the grass and don’t stay within BBQ area it’s been over a year so enough is enough!”

“Fun should be encouraged - particularly outdoors - where people can connect, collectively and creatively enjoy being part of city life.”

FESTIVALS

📍 Summer starts right here

Yay! It’s the return of your weekly guide to the area’s jam-packed calendar of street parties, summer fayres, festivals and other outdoors event that reaffirm the communal, often eccentric, joy of urban living.

🪧 Dig It Mayday bash - with our rundown of the new wave of street DJs and pop-up soundsystems last week, Camden’s original mobile protest and bandstand legends Dig It Soundsystem kick things off tonight, Fri 2nd May, with their annual Mayday shenanigans. Join Dan Carrier, Matty G, vocal sensation Vanessa Freeman and the rest of the crew at Bold in Dartmouth Park for live roots rock reggae and jump-up party classics. Donations on the door for Love Music Hate Racism.

🚶🏾‍♂️The pedestrianisation of Camden High Street outside the tube launches with the Camden at 60: the big street party on Mon 5th May, with everything from jig and swing from friends of the London Irish Centre to a fusion of trad folk and contemporary dance, plus trailblazing local DJ Linette Kamala DJing and loads of arts and crafts for the family. There’s a restriction to the numbers, so if you’ve not got in the list, prepare to queue.

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