The Kent Community Oasis Garden

Kent Community Oasis Garden

A multi-use space for students, staff and the local community, run in partnership with East Kent Mind.

Welcome to the Kent Community Oasis Garden

We are the Kent Community Oasis Garden (KentCOG), a collection of students, staff and community members working to create a sustainability hub centred around growing food and connecting with nature. A partnership project between the University and East Kent Mind.


To find out how you can get involved, follow one of the links below for more information or email us at kentcog@kent.ac.uk

You can also support the project by gifting funds via the button below.

Videos

Welcome to KentCOG

Learn about what we do at the Kent Community Oasis Garden and how you can find out more.

How to find us

Follow along with our useful video that will show you how to walk from the Sports Centre to the Kent Community Garden located in Parkwood.

Meet KentCOG's Student Ambassadors

KentCOG Student Ambassadors for 2026-27 are Elinor, Nat and Val  (L-R).  

They are all third year students at Kent who found the garden, found friends and really embedded themselves in the garden community, making it their space to share and spend time in as often as possible. They are your voice for the garden and we know that they will be passionate about using their roles as ambassadors to make sure every single volunteer feels safe, seen, connected and welcome in the garden, so everyone can feel the benefits they have experienced from being part of KentCOG.

Each of our ambassadors will be taking a lead on one of the three cogs of KentCOG: nature connection; wellbeing and engagement; and taking action on the Right to Food.

 
Come along and meet them and make it your space.

Houseplant Hospital - Rescue and Rehoming

Sharing your space with houseplants can help improve your wellbeing. But what can you do when they get sick? At KentCOG we have the answer with our drop in houseplant hospital sessions for students and staff. We can offer advice, propagation, pots, compost and aim to support whatever your needs are, to encourage sustainable houseplant growing and sharing on campus.

Leaving campus? We can babysit them until your return or rehome them to a student.

Drop in Sessions, Wednesdays and Fridays 11am - 2pm. You can also join us at the Wellbeing Cafe (Term time Thursdays 12 - 2pm tbc)

People using tools to garden

KentCOG Tool Library

Supporting you to grow in a space near you. 

To support students growing in their own green spaces, we have established a Tool Library at KentCOG.

UoK Students can borrow garden tools and equipment to help establish and maintain growing activities, whether that's seeding herbs for your windowsill kitchen garden or planting vegetables and wildflowers in a patch of green, the Tool Library can help. 

Tools can be collected on a Wednesday morning from KentCOG and returned a week later. Click on the button for more information.

So have a go and grow in your green space and visit the garden to collect what you need.

KentCOG Activities

All events take place at the garden unless otherwise stated. If you are new to KentCOG please visit our volunteering page to find out how you can get involved in the general gardening sessions and watch this space for updates.



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    Gardening Session

    Every Wednesday

    Drop in gardening session.

    If you are new to KentCOG please follow the link above  to find out how to access our sessions.

    10am - 2pm

  • leaf

    Gardening Session

    Every Friday

    Drop in gardening session.

    If you are new to KentCOG please follow the link above to find out how to access our sessions.

    10am - 2pm

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    Plant Hospital

    Every Wednesday and Friday Term time

    Bring along your sick, neglected or in need houseplants and we will try to resuscitate or improve their growth and provide you with any resources you might need. Students only.

    Drop in 11.00am- 2.00pm 


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    Food Grow Friday

    Every Friday Term time

    Drop in to this small group session and take part in growing food on site. Activities will include seeding, potting on, planting out, caring for and harvesting fruit and veg. Student led for students only.

    11am- 12pm

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Autumn Term dates tbc

    A weekly Wellbeing Café session with a chance to chat, craft, chill and connect with nature in the relaxed surroundings of Hothe Court Farmhouse, newly reopened this year. Make it your space! 

    Open to students only.


     

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    'Eat the Garden and Home a Houseplant'

    Wednesday 30th September

    Come on down to KentCOG and get to know the garden with delicious produce taste tests; make your own KentCOG bag; and take a free houseplant home to care for and brighten up your living space.

    Students only

    Drop-in 12-2pm

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    Biodiversity Booster- Garden Explore

    Wednesday 7th October

    Boost biodiversity and wellbeing with this weeks nature connection session and delve into the wildlife pockets across the garden spaces to discover, identify, record and share what you find.

    Students only

    Drop-in 11am - 12.00pm

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    Biodiversity Booster - Bumblebees Catch and Count

    Wednesday 14th October

    Boost biodiversity and wellbeing with this weeks small group nature connection session counting Bumblebees.  We will be identifying bees on site, reporting results to Bumblebee Conservation. Students only.

    Drop-in 11am-12pm

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    Biodiversity Booster - Marvellous Moths

    Friday 23rd October

    Boost biodiversity and wellbeing with this weeks small group nature connection session exploring moths. We will be identifying, recording and releasing moths trapped overnight, learning together.

    Students only.

    Drop-in 10am- 11am

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    Biodiversity Booster -Building Habitat Hotels

    Wednesday 28th October

    Boost biodiversity and wellbeing with this weeks small group nature connection session creating new habitats in the form of ‘insect hotels’ where newts, frogs, beetles and spiders love to check-in.

    Students only.

    Drop-in 11am-12pm

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    Biodiversity Booster - Hedgehogs

    Wednesday 4th November

    Boost biodiversity and wellbeing with this weeks nature connection session exploring hedgehogs &  small mammals living on site. We will identify their best habitats & work out how to support them.

    Students only.

    Drop-in 11am-12pm

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    Biodiversity Booster - Tree Explore

    Wednesday 11th November

    Help boost biodiversity and your wellbeing with this weeks group nature connection session exploring Hedgerows and Trees. We will be surveying what's there and considering what we might add.

    Students only.

    Drop-in 11am-12pm


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    Biodiversity Booster - Birds

    Wednesday 18th November

    Boost biodiversity and wellbeing with this weeks small group nature connection session exploring birds on site. Make bird food and identify those on site, noting their fave places. 

    Students only.

    Drop-in 11am-12pm

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    Biodiversity Booster - Pond explore

    Wednesday 25th November

    Boost biodiversity and wellbeing with this weeks small group nature connection session exploring the ponds on site. We will be preparing them for winter, whilst recording and identifying species. 

    Students only.

    Drop-in 11am-12pm

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    Biodiversity Booster - Wreath making

    Wednesday 2nd December

    Boost biodiversity and wellbeing with this weeks group nature connection session using locally collected greenery to create seasonal wreath decorations to take away.

    Students only.

    Drop-in 11am-12pm

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    Biodiversity Booster - Love the Lichen

    Wednesday 9th December

    Boost biodiversity and wellbeing with this weeks nature connection session exploring local lichen. We will find & record colours, shapes and species of this special organism- natures decoration.

    Students only

    Drop-in 11am-12pm

Image gallery

KentCOG Voices

Hear directly from some of the people who are part of the project about what KentCOG means to them, what they get out of the project, and the kinds of things they get up to when taking part.

Upcoming sessions, workshops and events

Social media accounts