Residents have transformed an alley in Fallowfield that was previously plagued by fly-tipping and unsightly debris.
The ginnel - Langley Alley in Fallowfield - was regarded as an eyesore in the area and was littered with mouldy sofas, fridges, trolleys, dead rats and birds which people described as ‘traumatising’.
Now, the disused alley has undergone a transformation into a communal garden where people on the street host social gatherings and sit out in the flowery passage.
Nikita John has been one of the residents who has helped create the new garden with her neighbours. The 29-year-old NHS doctor has lived in the area since she graduated from the University of Manchester in 2019.
“People always question why I continue living here, but I love Manchester,” she told the Manchester Evening News. “Still, I wanted a place I could call home, and I knew there was a lot of work to put in.”
The passageway, just off Wilmslow Road, was plagued with bin bags and fly-tipping rubbish before residents transformed the narrow alley.
Nikita said: “It was impossible for me to get to my residency without going into the ginnel, and I was having to obstacle course around mouldy sofas, broken glass, trolleys, and fridges. The alley wasn’t lit up either, in the dark I stepped on a dead rat, it was pretty traumatising.
“I initially started cleaning the ginnel because I thought somebody would get hurt. But I was inspired to start greening from the Moss Side alleyways and the Shakespearean Garden in Platt Fields.
“Langley Alley was a derelict and unused space, but now the project is a sense of pride knowing most days people put their chairs out and have a drink in the alley to chat. I couldn’t have done it without my housemate Hannah Lytton - who created the iconic bee painting from scratch - and the neighbours who help maintain it.”
“It’s made me feel safer and it’s done a lot of good for the people on the street, and I hope people will continue to care for the garden. It’s better than having your own garden because you're sharing it with other people - it’s a really powerful thing to have this community.”
Win our competition
This year, the RHS and MEN have also teamed up to launch a competition, offering the chance for you to win invitations to the show opening, help transform your ginnel into a vibrant space, and win £1,000.
We are inviting residents, whether individuals, a few households together or community groups, to submit a photo or photographs of the space they want to transform, with up to 500 words and/or a two-minute film on what their plans are for their ginnel, why they believe they should win, and how they plan to maintain it.
The winners would receive an invitation to attend the opening day of RHS Flower Show Tatton Park on 19 July, a design consultation with Jason Williams, a former exhibitor at RHS Tatton Park and RHS Chelsea Flower Show, who will share his expert tips and ideas on how they can transform their ginnel, plus £1,000 in vouchers to spend on plants and materials needed to bring the vision to life.
“This ginnel garden competition is about bringing people together. There are completely different stories behind people’s gardening, which brings that sense of community - who may not have much of a garden and provide a safe space for people,” Jason said.
“I hope that I can give the winner the tools to create the garden and to keep it going throughout the year. We will be on hand to help with the technical side of things, I think it is really beneficial to anybody who applies.”
Entrants will be judged by Jason, the RHS's Tatton Show manager Lex Falleyn and Sarah Lester, the Editor of the MEN. They will also be visited regularly as the ginnel progresses and residents take pride in the upkeep of their garden.
Helena Pettit, Director of Gardens and Shows, said: “We are really thrilled to be partnering with Manchester Evening News on this exciting community gardening competition. “Plants and gardens enrich lives and bring people together. We are delighted that individuals and community groups across the North West have come together and created fantastic ginnel gardens, transforming these often unwelcome, grey spaces into green pockets full of plants.
“There are still hundreds of ginnels that remain unloved and through this competition and the Ginnel Garden at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park hope to inspire more people to bring their ginnels to life through the power of plants and flowers.
“We really look forward to hearing from individuals, community groups or households from across the region on how they plan to transform their ginnel into a green sanctuary.”
To enter, simply contact the email below with your full name, a photograph of the space you want to transform, and up to 500 words/and or a two-minute film on the plans for the ginnel, why you believe you should win, and how you plan to maintain it.
The competition closes midday on 23 June 2023, and winners will be notified after the closing date.
Contact us for a chance to win: mencomps@trinitymirror.com
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