Top of the City Garden brightens historic City area - The Munster Express

Top of the City Garden brightens historic City area Secondary Stories The Munster Express

The Top of the City Garden held its summer party recently, as the project quietly moves from strength-to-strength.

The Top of the City Garden is located on St. Carthage’s Avenue, near where Morrisson’s Road meets Barrack Street, in what was once a gun platform, back when Barrack Street housed Barracks and other military buildings.

Established in 2020 and opened to the public in 2021, The Top of the City Garden is run entirely by volunteers. Step-by-step their efforts have led to a prosperous community space that includes a chicken coop with 15 laying hens, 14 raised beds growing vegetables (mostly), a greenhouse, a herb garden, compost bays, and even an events stage and pizza oven.

Discreetly tucked away at the top-of-the-town, this community run garden is open on Saturdays from June to September.

The Top of the City Garden has since partnered with day centres from across Waterford that serve those with intellectual disabilities.

The Munster Express spoke to Mel Lee-Smith about the project, the recent summer party, and what the partnership with day centres means has brought to the garden.

“We love to share our harvest,” she explained. “That’s the direction we’re moving towards more of a co-operative.”

When asked about the summer party held recently, Mel explained that Top of the City Garden, is now involved with eight different day centres, whose members enjoy the garden space and get involved in the day-to-day activities.

“The 16 July event was the Corlann South East Summer Party,” she explained, “a Hawaiian-themed party in celebration of staff and service users at eight day centres, including St. Paul’s, Lisduggan, Pathfinders of Newgate Street and Tory Landscaping.

“The party had a drum circle, a DJ set with DJ “Magic” Joe O’Keefe (who’s been with Corlann almost 50 years) and a rap performance.

“There were also free mocktails, pizza, sausage blaas, and a photo booth,” she said.

Mel paid tribute to the ongoing partnership with the day centre services.

Mick Keating is a chairperson of the garden committee and works with Tory Landscaping and Corlann, he is also horticulturist and Mel described how the City Garden has benefited from his high-level knowledge.

Joe Wall is an Instructor Supervisor at Corlann, and explained how the Garden has come to benefit the service users.

“Our partnership with Top of the City shows the community what people with intellectual disabilities are capable of,” he said.

“People aren’t associated with their disability here but valued as full garden members who are free to express themselves,” added Joe.

Mel went on to explain how the service users are finding their feet in the thriving little garden. “Conor O’Danza now feeds the chickens twice per week,” she explained. “Previously he needed Joe to accompany him to the garden but now he attends the public events and accesses his vegetable bed independently.

“He also successfully grew beetroot from seed, harvested it this past Tuesday, and is planning to pickle it.”

According to Mel, the service users have also featured on the committee groups.

“Alfred Marks serves as a chairperson on our committee. He lives next door and is diligent about reporting any anti-social activity nearby. He didn’t even know about the garden at all until Joe invited him, even though it’s on his doorstep.”

According to Mel, the benefits of partnering with the day centres was on full display during the recent annual clean up, when 40-45 volunteers made light work of what needed to be done, and services, including Tory Landscaping provided machinery and other material the community garden did not have access to before.

“In past years the Tidy Mehal was just a small group of us,” explained Mel, “But this year was very different. We got every done in record time.”

The 2026 City Garden season is currently open. Picnickers are welcome to make use of the garden’s benches, but, as the website advises, this is strictly a smoke, vape and alcohol free zone.

You can follow the progress of the garden and learn more about its history on www.topofthecitygarden.com.

Although the website includes a thorough history of Barrack Street, Mel and the team welcome any additional historical information locals may have. If you have a contribution to make, you can find their email on the Garden website.

AARON KENT Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme - Munster Express Submit a Comment Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.