Dalston Eastern Curve Garden
Discover Dalston's very own secret garden
Upon exiting under the glowing orange signage that is Dalston Junction station, you emerge to the fast gentrifying centre of East London. With new builds fast springing up, every day bringing a seemingly new hip eatery or concept bar (ball ponds and board games, to name a few) you might be forgiven for thinking you’d be far from green spaces. But if you venture across the road, and a little way away from the bustling crossroads, you’ll find an oasis in which to find some inner peace.
The wooden entrance to the garden is set into a high grey wall covered in the iconic Hackney Peace mural, which was painted at the height of the Cold War and depicts a march against nuclear warfare. The combination of urban graffiti and secret garden should be an odd one, but the mismatch is actually quite charming.
Inside, the vibe is one of relaxed hustle and bustle, as even on quiet days there are usually friends chatting quietly over a cup of tea and a cake, whilst in other parts of the garden people go about their work. You can also enjoy an pizza courtesy of Laddos from their outdoor oven in the warmer months.
The garden is more than just a cafe though; created from a derelict site in 2010 by a social enterprise, it now consists of raised beds where Hackney residents grown fresh produce, and is fringed by habitat-friendly trees and bushes to encourage biodiversity.
Managed by local volunteers, the Eastern Curve Garden represents a safe green space where the whole community can mingle together, work on their patches and take part in fun workshops. So whether you’re enjoying a glass of wine or beer as you watch the sun go down, or sitting with a good book in one of the many foliage-strewn nooks and crannies, you can feel like you’re contributing to society. Even if you haven’t got your hands dirty.
Luckily, this is one of London’s hidden gems that isn’t too hard to find. Dalston Junction and Dalston Kingsland are both nearby; just a few quick stops along the Overground trainline. If you happen to already be in Shoreditch or Spitalfields (both locations worth visiting) you can simply get a bus down the Kingsland Road. If you’re really getting into the environmentalist spirit, you could get a Boris Bike - there are docks just outside the gardens.
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