The Orchard Garden Project

The Orchard Garden is a wildflower green space, built by our community, for our community.

The Orchard Garden was created and developed by our community of garden volunteers. Now serving as a community space, The Orchard Garden project provides nature craft workshops, volunteering opportunities, and our garden skills programme. 

The Orchard Garden was built during the 2015 refurbishment of TOSH. For years the garden contained just four fruit trees, with spring bulbs and wildflowers growing up each Summer. 

Having received two years of funding in January 2023, we consulted with our community to commission a new garden design. Our theme was 'Food for Us, Food for Nature', designed to be a sanctuary for our community to rest, learn, grow and harvest in. 

The Orchard Garden, developed over 2023 and 2024, was largely built by our community of volunteers, made up of local residents, refugees, and asylum seekers.
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Building The Orchard Garden

The garden was built with nature and community at heart. Recycled materials were used to build our pathways and seating, and our garden bench was made from recycled plastic. Members of our community groups at TOSH created terracotta tiles to be embedded into the seating circle, and the international women of Seeking Refuge Project’s ‘Threads’ group sewed cushion covers and bunting. Local charity Faithworks and their workshop team created our arbour seat.

Since undergoing the garden build, 14 new fruit trees have been planted, as well as climbers, wild flowers and bulbs. 

The Orchard Garden officially opened in July 2024. To commemorate this milestone, we were joined by over 100 people at our Open Day event, sharing global foods and enjoying nature themed crafts. Now an annual celebration, the garden offers an opportunity for our diverse communities to come together, celebrating this inclusive space and all that it represents. 
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Workshops

Our ongoing Garden Skills programme provides seasonal and educational garden growing workshops and talks, plus creative activities. Monthly on Sundays, 2pm-4pm

Our free Nature Craft and Gardening sessions offer gentle garden activities every Monday following our Community Mondays gathering. Mondays during term time, 1.30pm-3pm

If you are interested in joining our workshops or wish to find out more, please email us at melinda@recreatedorset.co.uk

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Term Dates for Community Nature Craft and Gardening at TOSH‍

Monday 8th September 2025 - Friday 19th December 2025

Monday 5th January 2026 - Friday 27th March 2026  

Monday 13th April 2026 - Friday 24th July 2026
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Schedule

Garden Skills Programme: Monthly on Sundays, 2pm-4pm (see our events page for dates)

Nature Crafts & Gardening (Free): Mondays during term time, 1.30pm-3pm

TOSH, Gladstone Road, Boscombe BH7 6BG
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‍Past Events

2024, The Orchard Garden Opening Celebration

2025, The Orchard Garden 1st Birthday Party

The garden is a hireable space for gathering or events. To enquire about hiring the garden, please email contact@toshspace.co.uk.

The Orchard Garden project has been made possible with funding from:

People’s Health Trust using money raised by Health Lottery South West. We have also received donations from JPMorgan, Wessex Water and more