The Voice: April 2025

This three hour boat trip will travel through the London waterways and show the nature of London from a different perspective. We also want others to see what we have been talking about since 2011.

The trip will include presentations from The Great Eastern Parks Route/The London Highline, The Roding Trust, Save Lea Marshes and The Hackney Buzz Line (there will also be a bar!). Our aim is to encourage everyone to enjoy the nature of the east London natural environment and how we can protect it. There are limited seats available, so please contact us to reserve a place.

Although this is a free boat trip, we are asking for donations to defray the costs of the trip using the Donate button below. But most of all we want you to enjoy an afternoon out with The East London Garden Society.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), known for its medicinal properties and association with the Greek hero Achilles, has a rich history spanning millennia, from Neanderthal burials to its use in folk medicine and even in I Ching divination.

Common Yarrow is a native perennial plant of the UK, typically found growing in grassland and waste ground, to a mature height of up to 60cm.

Yarrow develops miniature white, reddish or pink flowers arranged in terminal inflorescences, shaped like rounded or flat heads. They are usually two to four inches wide. Yarrow is named after Greek's hero Achilles, who used yarrow to treat battle wounds of his soldiers. Yarrow was used as food in the 17th century.

Various Native American tribes used yarrow for its medicinal properties. It was employed to treat a range of ailments, including wounds, fevers, digestive issues, and respiratory conditions. The plant's leaves and flowers were often prepared as infusions or poultices for medicinal use.

As late as 1900 in East Anglia, yarrow was believed to have the power to avert spells and sickness if hung on cradles, and if scattered on doorsteps on Midsummer Eve. Anglo-Saxons also used yarrow as a charm against bad luck, illness and in divination rituals.

Yarrow's symbolic meaning is traditionally associated with healing which originates from Ancient Greek mythology. Yarrow also developed into a symbol of youthful love. Numerous European cultures where the plant is native independently involved the herb in various rituals of courtship.

The entire plant is reportedly edible and nutritious, but it is advised not to consume much. The foliage is pungent; both its leaves and flowers are bitter and astringent. The leaves can be eaten young and they can be added raw to a salad. The leaves, with an aniseed-grass flavour, can be brewed as tea. See Video 

There is always a long waiting list for an allotment, which has a legal status, so people are turning to a community garden experience. Those who are already involved value the experience, so if you wish to get out, taking aboard all the benefits of having a garden, why not join one in the local community. The East London Garden Society is able to assist with advice on the ways forward.

UK residents have relied on community gardens as an important source of food for hundreds of years. During the Second World War, for example, community allotments were set up on inner-city sites to provide affordable fresh fruit and vegetables to the local area.

The contemporary community gardening movement began in the late 1960s with a renewed interest in green spaces in cities. Many community gardens were created when local residents transformed vacant sites into green spaces that included vegetable plots and flower gardens. As these spaces evolved, they were used to address social and health problems.

Community gardens often bring different cultures and generations together, improving individual and community confidence and bridging the divide between ethnic, political and socio-economic groups. 

One success story is Bolney Court in Crawley, Surrey where residents turned an overgrown, littered space into a beautiful flower garden.

As part of the Let's Face It and the RHS South East in Bloom campaigns, volunteer residents were able to get the support they needed to clear up 3.7 tonnes of rubbish from the area.

One long-term resident of Bolney Court believes the garden has had a massive impact on the community. "I've lived here for ten years and I didn't really know anyone before we started the work, now we are all friends. We've created a type of village life where everyone looks out for each other." Once intimidated by gangs in the area, residents can now enjoy an attractive and secure environment.

Providing open space, a place to grow organic food, healing centres for people with mental and physical disabilities, as well as creating opportunities for recreation, exercise, therapy and education, community gardens are an immensely valuable resource to neighbourhoods across the country.

With more than a thousand communities taking part in RHS Britain in Bloom last year, Renee Dodds, PR & Promotions Executive of RHS Britain in Bloom & Neighbourhood Awards, has witnessed a growing interest in community greening initiatives. "The environmental benefits of community gardening are self-evident, but it's the benefits to the community as a whole that really makes it worthwhile."

If you don't have a garden of your own and want to get involved in your local community, try joining a neighbourhood greening project.

Ingredients

• 8 oz dried penne finest quality available (ideally Masciarelli or Rustichella).
• 4 tablespoon fresh garlic finely chopped Kosher salt.
• 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
• 3 tablespoon grapeseed or canola oil.
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper or more depending on taste.
• A large handful of yarrow leaves picked from the stem and chopped to yield two teaspoons..
• ¼ cup dry white wine.
• 4 anchovy filets in oil rinsed and chopped (optional).
• Parmesan for serving.

Method

• Make a pile of the yarrow and crushed red pepper flakes, then mince them together finely.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil and season it with salt until the water tastes like the sea.
• Add the penne and cook until al dente.
• While the pasta is cooking, heat the garlic in the pan with the oils and chopped anchovy on low heat until the garlic is fragrant and lightly browned. Do not allow the garlic to burn.
• Remove the pan from the heat and swirl it for a minute to cool before adding the wine to the pan. (Take care when adding.)
• When the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the pan.
• Toss the pasta to coat with the oil and cook for a minute to evaporate any raw wine flavour.
• To finish the dish, add the yarrow-chilli mixture and toss just to heat through.
• Transfer the pasta to four bowls, garnish with some parmesan and an extra drizzle of extra virgin oil if desired.
• Serve immediately with a big green salad.

Serves four as an entrée accompanied by a big green salad.