We’re delighted to be involved in the Nature Neighbourhoods project, along with 17 other neighbourhoods across the UK, the RSPB, WWF and National Trust.

We are working in the Tufnell Park area to create a Nature Neighbourhoods Framework, thinking with residents and other stakeholders about what a local ‘Nature Neighbourhood’ would look like.

Find out more about the project here!

In August 2018 we took over an unused space on the Hollins and McCall Estate in Tufnell Park. The site is now a successful growing space where food is grown and distributed to Food Hubs across the borough and local residents get involved in growing workshops.

Join our weekly volunteer sessions, 10am - 12pm every Wednesday. No need to book, just come along!

See the Plant Nursery Location

In partnership with Mildmay Community Centre and the North London Community Fund, we are launching two new composting hubs in Islington.

Working together to think about food waste differently, as a resource that can be used to create compost for local food growing.

Across the lifetime of the project we’ll be running composting workshops at the Octopus Community Plant Nursery and Mildmay Community Centre.

Head to this page to watch our launch video and become a project member.

We are thrilled to be working with residents on the Tufnell Park Estate to develop two new growing spaces:

New Community Food Growing Area: a thriving space for food growing.

New Woodland Garden: development of a food forest for people and nature. 

These new gardens will be green community assets where residents can relax, connect with nature, and learn more about gardening.

Working with Islington Mencap’s Me TIme programme, every Thursday morning the MeTime join us at the Community Plant Nursery, playing a vital role in growing plants and seedlings for local growing groups, sharing skills and knowledge as we go.

The MeTime volunteers have been with us at the Community Plant Nursery for a number of years, and play a vital role in producing plants and food for community groups across the borough. In the next few months, they’re planning to visit some other community gardens to build connections across the borough.

As part of our work on the Boston & Nailour Estate, we are facilitating a series of workshops for residents, which involve improving the growing spaces on the estate.

So far we’ve worked together to transplant a variety of plants and bulbs around the estate in bespoke planters and edging and come together for a festive wreath making session that was attended by residents interested in being a part of creating a sustainable and nature engaging approach to producing decorative festive material.

Plant an orchard, grow a gift for the generations to come!

Between September 2026 and February 2026, we facilitated monthly orchard training and planting workshops, with The Orchard Project.

Now that three new orchards have been planted in Islington, we need to take care of them together!

Get in touch at info@octopuscommunities.org.uk to get involved.

Building on the rich history of Caledonian Park, we are working with the local community and stakeholders to develop a new Food Forest, celebrating local diversity and embedding art into this newly created space.

In the Autumn, two new willow sheep were created with local residents, and late winter will bring a tree planting workshop; Quince, Medler, Olive and Mulberry.

Join our Food Forest events on the first and second Saturday of each month, from April to October 2025!

Thanks to funding secured from the North London Waste Authority’s Community Fund, our Urban Soil Food project is underway - creating three demonstrator Community Composting Hubs and training up ‘Urban Soil Farmers’ who have a passion for transforming green waste and food waste in to nutritious food for soil.

Want to get started? Watch our composting video!

Since 2020 we’ve worked in partnership with Elizabeth House Community Centre to transform three unloved green spaces on the Highbury Quadrant Estate. These spaces are now thriving community gardens, where residents connect and grow together.

Highbury Quadrant received a Silver Award at Islington in Bloom 2022!

The 4H, Hops, Herbs, Health and Happiness Garden was created on an unused space next to Whittington Park Community Centre. It’s now looked after by local residents and the food is shared among them and with the Centre’s community cafe.

Part of the Finsbury Park Ward Improvement Plan, and in collaboration with the Community Hub, the project aims to increase resident engagement through community-led gardening activities, to promote the health and wellbeing benefits along with environmental improvement, ensuring local people have the knowledge and confidence to maintain the gardens over the longer term.

After a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2016 we transformed a milkfloat into the Islington Gro-Mobile! A mobile potting shed and garden classroom travels the borough to transform unloved spaces.

Look out for us on the road!

Local GoodGym volunteers have played a key role in the transformation of Market Road Gardens from overgrown and underused, to a accessible, multipurpose space for the whole community to spend time in.

Packington Square provides a perfectly sunny spot for veg growing. Working with The Arc Community Centre and lots of volunteers, veg is being grown for the food bank - and there’s even more growing space to come.

A rooftop garden was always on the cards for the new Brickworks Community Centre building. After lots of hard work it’s now a brilliant kitchen garden, where local people can get involved in growing - and enjoy the food!

Brickworks received a Silver Award at Islington in Bloom 2022!

Collaborating with Global Generation and Islington Council, the Action for Local Food project worked to build a community movement to address climate change through growing, reducing food waste and managing soil.

Find out more about the project here.

The Bloomin’ Gardeners have been growing in Caledonian Park since 2014. They now work on two plots, and the gardeners meet weekly to grow and socialise. The next plan is to grow salads for the new community cafe!

A new community garden, founded in 2022 with Hornsey Lane Estate Community Association, Brickworks and St Mary’s Church. The garden creates a space where the community can come together to grow food, share skills and enjoy nature.

The Highbury Grove Sensory Garden project has seen the transformation of a previously locked space, with residents involved at every stage, including co-designing the space, the build process, planting and maintenance.

A series of workshops have been held with residents to grow in the space, get creative through wreath making and leaf printing, and plan for the ongoing care of the garden.

As part of Nature Neighbourhoods, we have launched a series of urban nature walks around the Tufnell Park area. These gentle circular walks will last for up to an hour, starting at one of our Nature Anchors and finishing with a chance to chat over refreshments.

Step outside and connect with nature and your community. Explore green spaces, community gardens, and hidden nature spots across Islington’s Nature Neighbourhood.