Bedford Fields Community Forest Garden provides:

• An open access green space and food for local residents in Woodhouse and Hyde Park.

• A demonstration of how Permaculture and Forest Gardening can be a viable alternative to conventional food production systems.

• Volunteering sessions, workshops and skill shares for people and groups interested in gardening more sustainably.

It is managed by a small community organisation called Friends of Bedford Fields.

Bedford Fields Community Forest Garden is a member of Leeds Permaculture Network and the Permaculture LAND network of Permaculture demonstration centres.

Visiting Bedford Fields Community Forest Garden

The garden is open access which means that you can come at any time.

You are welcome to walk around, pick some fruit, sit in the sunshine and listen to the birdsong. All we ask is that you take any litter with you and respect our neighbours, as we are in a residential area.

All the plants in the Bedford Fields Community Forest Garden are either edible, medicinal or useful in some way. Some of the edible perennial vegetables are unfamiliar and surprising – many commonly considered 'weeds', flowers, shoots, fungi, wild plants are perfectly edible and delicious.

Most of the trees and shrubs in the gardens bear delicious fruits. You are welcome to harvest any time, being aware that the garden is relatively young and that it is for everyone to harvest from too.  If you want to really understand the incredible harvest potential of the garden, let us show you, by joining our volunteer team or joining us for a foraging workshop!

Bedford Fields is not just for humans, it also an oasis for birds, insects, frogs and a rich seasonal feeding ground for bees, not to mention the many small animals that run and shelter in hedgerows.

Bedford Fields supports diversity and sustainability on every level.

Joining our Sunday afternoon volunteer sessions is an ideal way to learn more about sustainable gardening from our knowledgeable volunteer leaders, just message or WhatsApp us on 07738240619

See us in action by taking a look at our gallery here.

What is a Forest Garden?

Bedford Fields has been designed and planted along Permaculture principles and demonstrates a variety of forest gardening techniques, making it a fascinating educational resource for children and experienced gardeners alike.

The forest garden is planted in 'layers', as you find in a natural forest – with a mixture of small and larger trees, climbers, shrubs, herbaceous plants, and ground cover.  Because we mix our plant types, they are not in competition with each other for sunlight and root space, so we can grow more crops in a smaller space.

In the garden you will see vines and rambling roses climbing up trees and big narrow plants partnered with small bushy plants and ground cover to create swathes of unbroken, almost weed-free plantings.

Healthy soil is also one of our top priorities and so we have created a carbon-rich soil full of worms, fungi and other beneficial microbes by employing a no dig and mulch system.

What is Permaculture?

Permaculture is a design process. It helps design intelligent systems which meet human needs whilst enhancing biodiversity, reducing our impact on the planet, and creating a fairer world for us all.  It has three core principles Earth Care, Fair Shares and People Care.

You can find more information on Permaculture by visiting the Permaculture Association website

Permaculture is not just about making a fantastic garden, it's also about 'people care' and so we take extra care to make the garden a welcoming, safe space where anyone can contribute to the garden and where you can come any time to immerse yourself in the space. We organise tours, workshops, volunteering sessions, social meetings and other events where further insights into this natural and sustainable art of gardening can be explored.

If you would like to get up-to-date news of our weekly volunteering session or other organised activities on site, or would like to arrange a tour for your group please message us on 07738260619.

Volunteer days – 2024

We run regular family friendly gardening sessions on Sunday afternoons from 12.30 to 4pm

Our Wednesday evening volunteering and social evening programme will commence in mid April

If you are able to give an hour or two on an occasional or regular basis please message us on 07738 240 619 or  contact us via our Facebook page.

We also have a WhatsApp group for volunteers which you can join by sending your name and a request to join the group to 07 738 240 619.

Sunday sessions are a great way to learn new gardening skills from our expert team, whilst helping to maintain Bedford Fields – we will be pruning for both growth and fruiting, weeding, mulching, dividing perennials, restoring paths and borders and planning some new planting areas… plus we will be giving our indoor work and relaxation space a bit of a spruce up after its long hibernation during Covid!

Gloves and tools are provided.

Please dress to the weather and bring appropriate footwear. Learning isn’t compulsory though, maybe just turn up and work off some excess energy, or simply enjoy a beautiful space.

Covid Protocol
Please do not come along to sessions if you have symptoms / have tested positive. We will continue to have sanitiser available.

Our volunteer handbook can be viewed here.

Workshops and courses

Mondays 10.30 to 12.30 – Woodhouse Gardening Collective

• A free sustainable horticulture programme for local people who are unemployed/on a low income/asylumseekers/refugees funded by a National Lottery Community Fund small grant from Climate Action Leeds and run in partnership with Woodhouse Community Centre,

• This weekly informal education programme gives you the chance to build skills and confidence in sustainable gardening.  Covering everything from street and bin yard growing to forest gardening, you can learn about plants, soils, building natural habitats while having fun, making new friends, and creating beautiful edible spaces across Woodhouse.

• Meet at Woodhouse Community Centre – contact Beth on
  07 738 240 619 for more info

Saturday 8th June 2024 Permaculture and Climate Action Day

Our Permaculture Day in May 2023 was such a success we thought we would do it again!

If you are interested in having a stall, or running a workshop please contact us.

Booking for the Workshop programme on our Permaculture Day will open in April. Workshops be re free to local residents on a low income on thanks to a grant from Climate Action Leeds.

Joanna Dornan, who produced the initial Permaculture design for the garden, and  cleared and planted it.

Leeds Permaculture Network, who initially oversaw the development of the garden until the formation of Friends of Bedford Fields.

Ben Lawson, who joined in 2013 and did an amazing job of developing the garden, he also found funding for the garden and ran a brilliant programme of educational courses. Sadly, Ben left us in 2019 to develop the market garden and veg box scheme at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm.

Nigel Lees, who supervised the planting of the wildlife corridor hedge. Nigel is also responsible for the stewardship management and ongoing development of the Woodhouse Ridge woodlands.

Doug Louis, Parks and Countryside Department, and the Education Department at Leeds City Council for securing and developing the project.

Mercia Southon, who first identified the unused bramble- and bindweed-choked site as a possible community resource, sought and gained permission and funding to initiate the project, and created the quarter-mile wildlife corridor hedge that extends from it to the woodland of Woodhouse Ridge. Mercia also led the public campaign to have the path that runs alongside the gardens and the wildlife corridor hedge registered as a public footpath.

Walter Lewis, Lloyd Spencer and Liliya Farzutdinova Lawson, who have taken brilliant photographs that can be seen on the gallery.

Andrew Lambeth, Nat McAnuff and Step Jones who have created this website.

All the lovely volunteers who have helped to create and maintain the Forest Garden in its first decade.