Do London Differently by London National Park City
Do London Differently is a podcast series hosted by London National Park City Ranger Emily Langston and produced by Michael Shilling.
Have have relaunched in 2025 with a new format - sharing how Londoners are making the city Greener, Healthier and Wilder.
Do London Differently by London National Park City
What if we de-paved our front gardens?
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Michael Shilling
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Season 5
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Episode 2
In this episode, London National Park City Ranger Nancy Turner shares the story of how Heston Action Group grew from simple litter picks into a thriving community garden and a wider movement to “green the grey”.
Nancy talks about:
- How the group started, and how volunteering on Sunday mornings helped shape the space
- The reality of community gardening, big jobs, limited hands, and learning as you go
- A sustainable drainage planting scheme, and the joy of seeing it thrive
- Nancy’s Ranger project, Pocket Gardens, turning depaved pavement patches into mini habitats
- How the London National Park City show garden at RHS Hampton Court helped unlock donated plants for local greening
- A small grant supporting edging, signage and explaining the “why” behind the pocket gardens
- The missed opportunities when pavements get fully tarmacked instead of leaving verges or tree pits
- The bigger challenge of front gardens being paved over, and the need for a proper local campaign
- Skills sharing, training, and workshops that helped build confidence (plus the eternal regret of not taking better notes!)
- New infrastructure on site, including a gazebo and compost toilet, opening the door to longer sessions and more community events
- Ambitions for film nights, workshops, more partner organisations using the space, and welcoming school visits back
Explore more London National Park City Podcasts