Excavator digging a large hole in a construction site next to a concrete slab and block piles, surrounded by trees and plants.

The Sunken Walled Garden

When we first started growing on the land, there was one big quandary - what we would do with the enormous tank at the centre of the site. The tank had once been a reservoir storing water for Totnes, but it had been disused for decades - it was essentially a big concrete eyesore that we often wished wasn’t there. We explored growing in raised beds on top of it but a report from a structural engineer found it wasn’t robust enough to hold the extra weight. We then explored supporting the structure from within but this was going to be expensive and only ever a temporary solution.

When the structural engineer suggested removing the lid of the tank altogether and creating a sunken walled garden within the tank, the idea blew our minds. It was an exciting prospect but it all felt a bit Grand Designs and perhaps we were biting off more than we could chew. We were definitely biting off more than we could chew but we also didn’t have any other options so we applied for planning permission and we applied for funding to cover the cost of the works. Fortunately we were successful in both applications and work started in early summer 2024.

Unlike an episode of Grand Design the work was completed without too many hiccups and by the end of the year we were left with a huge new growing area - much like a traditional Victorian walled garden, but sunk down into the landscape. We feel incredibly lucky to have this unique growing space and it’s crazy to think, what was once a nuisance and an eyesore, is now the thing that makes the site so special.

We are now at the exciting point of designing and establishing the garden - something all our gardening groups will be a part of. The garden will consist of ornamental and edible planting and there will also be space for hosting events. We’re excited to see how this space develops and how our community comes to use it - if you are interested in hiring the sunken walled garden for an event or workshop, please get in touch.

Construction site with exposed foundation and support columns, surrounded by dirt and rocks, next to a wooden building and trees.

Silhouette of a mannequin head on a stand in a dimly lit room with a ladder and sunlight streaming through an opening.

Four workers carrying large orange pipes at a construction site with trees and sky in the background.

Underground construction site with exposed pipes, muddy floor, brick columns, and light beams. Workers in background building walls.

Construction site with concrete foundation and wooden shed surrounded by trees and dirt under a blue sky.

Construction site with a small excavator breaking concrete in a rural area, surrounded by trees and greenery, with two wooden buildings in the background and cloudy sky above.