An independent award-winning educational and environmental charity based in Kennington, South London.
• We offer vocational training for young people from all London boroughs. We aim to give them the skills and self-confidence that will help equip them for the world of work. We spealise in practical skills and small-class teaching to give students the right support for them.
• Our award-winning garden and eco-building provide an important green space for urban biodiversity that the community can visit and enjoy.
13/05/2026
We aren't letting a bit of rain get in the way of our Flourish Fest preparations - especially not now its less than a week away! 🌧️
Here's a sneak peak of our day's schedule, beautifully illustrated by Sarah, who is making the most of a peaceful afternoon in the greenhouse.
🌿Sunday 17th May 🌿11:00 - 16:00 🌿at Roots and Shoots, SE11 6DN 🌿
11/05/2026
🌿Kadialy Kouyate 🌿 Live at Flourish Fest ‘26 🌿Sunday 17th May 🌿11:00 - 16:00 🌿at Roots and Shoots, SE11 6DN
John Keats often describes the garden as a place of "sensuous dreaming,” providing the atmosphere necessary to stay in a state of wonder. Kadialy Kouyate performing on his kora in our UNESCO award-winning garden will undoubtedly inspire the dreamer.
Kadialy sounds beautifully fresh, but behind his mesmerising songs is a lifetime of learning the traditional Griot music of the Mandinka people in North West Africa. Born into the family lineage in Senegal he became a virtuoso on the 21-string kora, a harp-lute-like instrument synonymous with the tradition. Honest and truthful, his songs bridge the gap between the “living archive” of his ancestors and living here in London. They focus on topics such as friendship, unity, migration, homesickness, social values, ancestral truth, and identity. 🌍🪕
Our gardens are also our living archives - a record of human intent, values, history, migration, identity - and require continuous performance and growth to stay recorded. It’s amazing what our hands can do when given a voice.
Photograph of Kadialy by Adelina photographs
07/05/2026
Shop Plants till you Drop!
🌿 at Flourish Fest'26
🌿 on Sun 17th May, 11:00 - 16:00
Our horticulture students propagate and grow many of the plants available in our shop, we have it all from climbing roses to towering echiums!
Every purchase helps to support our charitable work.
Oh, and there is much entertainment, craft, food, and galivanting to be done, so also come for that!
🌿 Event Entry £3 Adult, £1 Child
🌿 Location: Roots and Shoots SE11 6DN
06/05/2026
Benny Hawksbee 🌿Live Talk at Flourish Fest ‘26 🌿Sunday 17th May 🌿11:00 - 16:00 🌿at Roots and Shoots, SE11 6DN 🌿Entry £3 Adult, £1 Child
Modern London-based gardener and bug advocate Benny Hawksbee keeps decay (like fallen logs) and introduces plenty of pollinating plants into his gardens to create a full and biodiverse inventory of insects that live in and frequent our urban garden spaces. Eden Nature Garden in Clapham, London, was disused and underused church land before he transformed its neglected wilderness into a community sanctuary, harnessing gardening as a nurturing and cultural act to create a harmonious and restful common ground that supports life.🐝🦋🐛
"A garden is an epiphany of co-dependence... It is a place where we are brought to recognise our dependence upon a power—nature—that is not our own, and where we learn the virtue of 'care' for that which is other than ourselves." - David E. Cooper, A Philosophy of Gardens
25/03/2026
We are incredibly proud to announce that Linda Phillips MBE, our Founder, our Director and the driving force behind our award-winning charity Roots and Shoots, was presented with the Royal Horticultural Society Victoria Medal of Honour (VMH) at a ceremony in London yesterday.
The VMH is the highest distinction in British horticulture, established in 1897 to honour
those making outstanding contributions to the field. Limited to only 63 holders at any time -
symbolising the 63-year reign of Queen Victoria - it represents a prestigious lifetime
achievement award for UK horticulturists.
Through her dedication, horticultural skill, kindness and remarkable ability to see beauty in everything and potential in everyone, Linda has cultivated a glorious space that nurtures people, the environment and the local community.
An enormous congratulations to Linda for this prestigious recognition of her many years of service going above and beyond to create this place of beauty and joy we call Roots and Shoots - it is so well deserved.
More photos and celebrations to follow!
20/03/2026
The bulbs are blooming and the bees are buzzing, so it’s time to let you know about the highlight of spring - our annual Roots and Shoots community event 🌷 FlourishFest 🌻 which returns on Sunday May 17th 2026 from 11am - 4pm.
Visit our UNESCO award-winning gardens and enjoy flower-power-inspired nature and creative activities, workshops and talks on wildlife gardening, alongside stalls featuring delicious food and garden paraphernalia. 🌱
🦋 Creative and nature activities for all ages
🌹 Talks on pollinating insects and gardening to support wildlife
🐸 Live music, storytelling, may pole dancing and more
🐞 Tickets on the gate on the day
🐛 £3 Adults, £1 children
natureevent gardeningevent events communityevents communityeventlondon creative wildlife environmentaleducation
19/05/2024
It’s today!!
Our brilliant event FlourishFest at Roots and Shoots is on today from 11am - 4pm, and we’ve ordered wonderful weather! Come and enjoy our beautiful green spaces filled with urban wildlife, alongside activities and entertainment for all ages.
See you there! 🌿🐸
10/05/2024
Roots and Shoots' annual community event FlourishFest is on Sunday May 19th, a day where we open our gates for all to visit our UNESCO award-winning gardens, with nature and creative activities, workshops and talks on urban gardening.
From pond dipping to butterfly sessions, beekeeper demonstrations, and art workshops like cyanotype printmaking and chalk painting, there's something for all ages to enjoy. The event also features delicious food stalls, live music and storytelling, and inspiring stories of nature transformation through community.
Talks on sustainable gardening practices in the Main Hall include RHS award-winning garden designer Jason Williams aka Cloud Gardener on balcony and small space gardening, solarpunk eco-futurist Kalpana Arias on guerilla garden planning with a seed bomb-making workshop, and campaigners Enrich the Earth on peat-free gardening and transforming green spaces with homemade compost.
FlourishFest, Sunday May 19th, 11am - 4pm
Roots and Shoots, Walnut Tree Walk, Kennington, SE11 6DN
Find out more on our website www.rootsandshoots.org.uk
10/06/2023
A special thanks to for providing us with the most beautiful and healthy aquatic creatures, so we can bring the Aquarium Gallery to life today! Their support so very appreciated.
We hope you have an amazing time today at Makes a Splash! Be sure to check out each part of the event for full immersion!
05/06/2023
We're beginning the week by saying a special thank you to our sponsors and aquatic organisations that have helped to make Roots and Shoots Makes a Splash! extra special.
People are such an integral part of Roots and Shoots and our open days are truly a community effort - We appreciate the efforts made to bring said community together!
03/06/2023
Writer, biologist and ZSL-trained aquarist Tai Streitman will be demonstrating a live step-by-step setup of a Pantanal Wetland biotope aquarium!
Tai's passion and tireless efforts to promote environmental education and awareness are incredibly infectious and align so closely with one of our aims at Roots and Shoots; Environmental Education For All. 🌿
Roots and Shoots Makes a Splash!
Saturday 10th June 2023
11am - 4pm