Vegetarian Society Forest Garden
Sow the City led the design and delivery of an edible forest garden at the Vegetarian Society Headquarters in Ancoats. This grey-to-green transformation repurposed a concrete car park into a biodiverse, multifunctional landscape that supports wellbeing, education, and community engagement.
"Working with Sow the City on the design and build of an outdoor area for our city centre headquarters has been a fantastic experience. They designed and built a beautiful edible garden that perfectly complements our cookery school and wider mission. We love the covered area and that we can now see a beautiful green space from our windows. In a place where outdoor area is limited, this garden has transformed our environment and deepened our connection to sustainable food and urban growing. All our visitors love it too! We couldn’t be happier with the result."
Sam Linford-Platt, Head of the Vegetarian society's Cookery School
Urban, edible forest garden
Sow the City designed and built the forest garden in collaboration with specialist contractors and volunteers, working closely with the Vegetarian Society to ensure the space aligned with their values and operational needs. The site sits within a conservation area and adjacent to a heritage-listed building, requiring sensitive design and planning to respect its historical context while introducing ecological innovation.
The garden provides a tranquil outdoor space for staff to eat, meet, and recharge, while also serving as a living classroom for cooking workshops and community outreach. It supports the Society’s mission by offering zero-food-miles produce and a platform for engaging local groups, including youth mental health charity 42nd Street.
Inspired by permaculture principles, the forest garden mimics natural woodland ecosystems. Planting was structured across multiple layers—canopy, understory, shrub, and ground cover—to maximise biodiversity and resilience. Species were selected for their ecological compatibility and edible yield, including:
- Upper canopy: Crab apple, morello cherry
- Understory: Shade-tolerant hostas and herbs
- Shrub layer: Gooseberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants
- Ground cover: Wineberries, thimbleberries, blackberries
This project exemplifies Sow the City’s commitment to regenerative urban design, turning underused spaces into productive, inclusive, and ecologically rich environments
