Calling BHS Members Interested in Summer Greenhouse Planting!

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At the end of June we are expecting the installation of a temporary structure on St Giles Terrace called ‘The Veggerie’. It is essentially a fairly large greenhouse that will be in place for three months (as part of the London Festival of Architecture 2026 and supported by the Culture Mile BID).

The Veggerie will be a rather splendid wood and glazing pavilion, complete with stained glass panels designed by City of London Girls School pupils. It will have some integrated water butts and these will be refilled once a week. Overnight it will be locked (a service kindly being provided by St Giles’ Church), keeping the same opening hours as the church.

The Veggery by Studio Folk with RASKL | Architects Journal

‍The aim is that The Veggerie is planted up and used over the summer by as many people in the community as possible. The City of London pupils will be planting the seedlings they have been growing over the last month or two and we are delighted that the Barbican Horticultural Society has been offered the use of some shelf space for its members. The Veggerie will be watered once a week by the gardeners who look after the grounds of the Girls School.  Beyond this it will be down to volunteers to water the plants that are growing there.

‍It is envisaged that the space inside The Veggerie can be used to host occasional events. We will try to keep BHS members posted when we hear about these. The BHS will be asking to use The Veggerie space for our Children’s planting activity to run during the Barbican Association Summer Party on 12 September.

‍If you would like to be involved in planting and tending some veg, fruit or other plants in The Veggerie this summer, please get in touch with Sue Gilbert (grannysgilbert@gmail.com). And look out for information from BHS confirming the dates when we will aim to have a planting-up session (if we can we will try to coincide with the Girls School).

‍Nearby on St Giles Terrace there will also be some specially commissioned planters installed. This ‘Urban Farm’ project is supported by City Gardens, St Giles’ Church and the CoL Girls School, also funded by the culture Mile BID. The pupils will be growing a variety of vegetables they have grown from seed. The School’s own garden team will provide oversight together with volunteers from within the community.

‍Both these projects are supported by the Culture Mile BID team and they can be contacted directly if you want to know more at info@culturemilebid.co.uk.