St. Mary’s rooftop garden gets ready for spring time

With the lighter evenings and spring just around the corner, green-fingered residents have been busy prepping the community roof-top garden on top of our St. Mary’s scheme in Chapeltown, Leeds.

In partnership with Hyde Park Source, a group of 15 local residents including residents of St. Mary’s, are back in the garden working hard to prepare it for bloom this year.

The friendly group meet every Friday afternoon and is a project where those attending get lots of benefits including reducing social isolation, learning new skills, improving self-esteem, connecting with nature and improving local green spaces.

Ruth from Garforth, was referred to the project by Live Well Leeds in August 2025 and hasn’t looked back. Reminiscing of her youth when she was five years old and used to potter on in the garden with her Grandad, Ruth said it’s something she was always interested in and gardening helps her with her wellbeing.

She said: “The community roof-top garden is a great project to be involved in and it keeps me focussed and provides structure. I can’t work due to my disability and I didn’t feel like I had a reason to leave the house but, now I do and I can’t to come.

“Over Christmas, we were learning to make wreaths, but since we came back in January, we’ve been back in the garden and creating a blank canvass for the sowing. It’s nice to be able to sow seeds, watch the veg grow and then take something away with you – it’s a sense of achievement and fulfilment and being proud of something.

“I’ve been learning to cook the produce we’ve grown but I tend to leave that to my husband as he likes to cook.

“The project has helped me with my mental health and wellbeing and I enjoy the social interaction. Other group members are the same and they understand and get it if you’re having a bad day, but we all support each other.

“Just being outdoors in green open spaces in the fresh air and sunshine (although we haven’t seen much of that this year yet), it all helps with my mental health. Thank you to 54North Homes for providing such a brilliant site and Live Well Leeds/Hyde Park Source for a valuable project.”

Claire Doble, Community and Environmental Education Co-ordinator at Hyde Park Source, said: “Ruth gardens on the rooftop to improve her social connection, build physical health up and reduce isolation and low mood.

“She’s really keen to learn all about veg growing on the site and has been a very keen and committed new member since last summer, particularly enjoying growing pumpkins in the hot summer and enjoying harvesting some very quirky carrots!”

The group, which runs every Friday afternoon 2.30pm-4.30pm, is open to our customers, members of the local community and people throughout Leeds. For more information, please email Claire at claire@hydeparksource.org or call the office on 0113 245 8863.