Behind St Clement's Church in Boscombe, hidden from the traffic on Christchurch Road, lies a genuine hidden corner of the town, a Victorian walled garden that's spent the last decade being reborn as a working food-growing and education space. It's run by the charity Grounded Community, and despite the name, it's often called "Boscombe's worst-kept secret."
What's inside
Inside the old brick walls you'll find an off-grid Shack with a compost toilet, chickens, a wildlife pond and a forest garden bursting with fruit and vegetables, alongside The Deck, an outdoor classroom and kitchen space completed in 2022. Produce grown here feeds into subsidised veg boxes for local families and supplies nearby cafés and businesses, while the garden also hosts volunteer sessions, growing workshops, a weekly outdoor playgroup, community meals, seed swaps and school visits throughout the year.
Visiting
Grounded Community runs short public tours at 10am on Mondays and Fridays, reach the entrance via the path from Knole Road (BH1 4DJ for sat nav), where a wooden gate sits beside a green noticeboard. There's on-street parking on Knole Road, though none on site, and it's a no dogs, no smoking and no alcohol site given its use for school and community sessions. It's a quieter, more community-minded stop than most of Bournemouth's attractions, see more of the area in our guide to things to do in Bournemouth.