Sharing is caring
For neighbours Lizzy McBain and Bea Baldauf-Clark, joining forces to create a shared front garden was the perfect solution to turn two tired, small front plots into a larger, more sociable space bursting with colour and interest.
Why did you decide to create a shared front garden?
Bea: The starting point was the grapevine. That really brought us together. It was growing madly on our side but had nowhere to go. My dad planted it about 27 years ago from a little twig he brought from a wine region in Germany where I’m from. I asked Lizzy if I could train it between the two houses.
Lizzy: It was very organic to be honest. We never sat down with drawings or anything like that. It never seemed like a strange or dramatic thing to do.
What has this shared space meant to you during the pandemic?
L: Being in lockdown has proved just how beneficial this garden has been for our wellbeing. I am on maternity leave and looking after two kids, so it’s hard to get out anyway so just having somewhere right outside to potter in and share a cup of coffee has really kept me sane.
What aspect of your shared garden are you most proud of?
L: It’s a shared space that works so well. By opening it up both sides benefit, and it has become a social area where we can all sit together, or with other neighbours. B: I am also so proud of the amount of people who walk past, stop and then retrace their steps to get a second look. I’ll often have seeds I’ve collected to give away, too – it’s wonderful to share the joy.
Would you encourage other neighbours to give it a go?
B: Oh yes, I’d say just go for it! You’ve got nothing to lose. It makes the street friendlier and more welcoming, too.
L: I think people are quite frightened by the idea of sharing space with neighbours. There’s a fear that you might be giving something up. But we’ve only gained from it, we have more space as a result and more pleasure, I benefit from everything Bea does and vice versa.
Hardly anyone knows their neighbours, or certainly didn’t before lockdown. People just dash out their doors and into their cars. I hope if anything comes out of lockdown it’s that we’ve built closer communities. I hope what we have here continues for years to come as our children grow and leave and we get older.