What
This week, our Natural Champions programme took to the Hackney Marsh Adventure Playground for some high-energy, hands-on urban gardening sessions. Local children transformed industrial-sized catering cans—saved from the bin—into vibrant, hand-painted planters.
Using a technique called ‘lasagne planting,’ the children layered the cans with gravel, compost and a variety of bulbs including Daffodils, Muscari (Grape Hyacinth), Tulips, and various Alliums. By planting the bulbs at different depths, these upcycled containers will act as “flower cannons,” providing a staggered explosion of blooms from early March right through to the height of summer.
As the months roll on we’ll be planting more bulbs, herbs and other plants, building bug hotels and bird boxes and more, and working with people young and old across Hackney to pioneer healthy Natural Neighbourhoods for all our benefits.
Where
The sessions took place at the heart of the community in the Hackney Marsh Adventure Playground. However, the impact of the project is now spreading much further. The children take their finished masterpieces home, meaning these new mini-habitats take up residence on balconies, windowsills, and in gardens across Homerton and Clapton. These “pollinator pitstops” are essential in our food and drink for precious and threatened bees, butterflies and other wildlife that struggle to find food in our nature-deprived neighbourhoods. They don’t just beautify our outdoor spaces they also create a vital pollen and nectar corridor for our local wildlife.
Why
Urban pollinators, such as Bumblebees, Hoverflies, Butterflies and Beeflies, often struggle to find food in early spring when they first emerge from hibernation. By planting now, we are ensuring that by Spring 2026, Hackney’s bees will have more reliable sources of energy right on their – and our – doorsteps.
Beyond the environmental benefits, the project taught the children the value of the circular economy. By upcycling catering cans, we showed that you don’t need an expensive garden or a big budget to be a conservationist; all it takes is a bit of paint, some bulbs and soil, and a bit of time to get together and have fun whilst helping nature.
What Achieved
Through these sessions, we will have:
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Had a lot of fun!
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Empowered dozens of young Natural Champions with the skills to grow and build their own food and wildlife habitat.
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Ensured hundreds or even thousands of nectar-rich blooms will appear across the E9 and E5 postcodes in 2026 and beyond.
This project was a true community effort. A huge Natural Neighbours thank you goes out to the local businesses who donated the catering cans: the team at the Spread Eagle pub, the Kingfisher Fish and Chip shop, Selen Cafe, and the hard-working kitchen staff at Daubeney Primary School. You are all Natural Champions!
Do you want to help rewild our neighbourhood? Whether you are a local business with materials to donate or an individual who wants to start a project on your street, we want to hear from you. Visit our Get Involved page to start your journey.
