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 2025-26 are Lily, Simon, George and Selby  (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.

 
Come along and meet them and make it your space.

Houseplant Hospital - Rescue and Rehoming

Sustainable Houseplant growing on Campus

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

If you're leaving campus we can also babysit them until your return or rehome them to a student who can offer them a new space to live in. 

Monthly Drop in Sessions 

First Wednesday of the month 10am - 2pm


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. You can find directions to the garden using the location button in the top banner of the page. If you are new to KentCOG please visit our volunteering page to find out how you can get involved in the general gardening sessions. 

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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

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    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

    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.  Find us on site Wednesdays.

    Drop in 10.30am- 1.30pm 


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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 14th April

    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.

    3pm- 4.30pm

     

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    Monthly Seed Sow and Grow

    Wednesday 15th April   

    Come down to KentCOG and connect with nature by joining our Summer term seed sow and grow activity. Plant this month's seeds in seed trays, pot on seedlings and plant out small plants.

    No experience necessary.

     11am - 12.00pm

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    Biodiversity Booster - Hedgerow Explore

    Wednesday 15th April

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

    Drop in 1 - 2pm 

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 21st April 

    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! 

    Students only.

    3pm- 4.30pm

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    Biodiversity Booster - Earth Day Scavenger Hunt

    Wednesday 22nd April

    Celebrate and connect with nature and boost biodiversity and your wellbeing by taking part in this Earth Day Scavenger Hunt. Follow the clues, discover what's on site and claim your prize.

    Students only.

    Drop-in 11am - 2pm

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    Plant One Flower

    Thursday 23rd April

    Plant One Flower and take action as part of UoK Earth Week. 

    Help create a lasting tapestry of flowering plants on campus outside the Gulbenkian to benefit both wildlife and wellbeing. 

    Students only

    Drop in 11am -12.30pm


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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 28th April 

    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! 

    Students only.

    3pm- 4.30pm

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    Biodiversity Booster - Bumblebees Catch and Count

    Wednesday 29th April

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

    11am - 12pm

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 5th May

    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! 

    Students only.

    3pm- 4.30pm

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    Monthly Seed Sow and Grow

    Wednesday 6th May  

    Come down to KentCOG and connect with nature by joining our Summer term seed sow and grow activity. Plant this month's seeds in seed trays, pot on seedlings and plant out small plants.  

    No experience necessary.

     11.00 - 12.00pm

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    Biodiversity Booster - Marvellous Moths

    Wednesday 6th May

    Boost biodiversity and wellbeing with this weeks small group nature connection session exploring moths. We will be identifying and releasing moths trapped overnight, noting the variety of May flying species. 

    Students only.

    10am- 12pm

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 12th May

    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! 

    Students only.

    3pm- 4.30pm

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    Biodiversity Booster - Small Footprints

    Wednesday 13th May

    Boost biodiversity and wellbeing with this weeks small group nature connection session exploring small mammals living on site. We will find out which are most common and the best habitats for them.

    Students only.

    Drop in 11am- 12pm

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 19th May

    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! 

    Students only.

    3pm- 4.30pm

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    Biodiversity Booster - Flying Insects

    Wednesday 20th May 

    Boost biodiversity and wellbeing with this weeks small group nature connection session exploring insects flying on site. Count Butterflies and identify other flying species noting their fave places. 

    Students only.

    Drop in 1- 2pm

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 26th May

    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! 

    Students only.

    3pm- 4.30pm

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    Biodiversity Booster - Crawling Insects

    Wednesday 27th May 

    Boost biodiversity and wellbeing with this weeks small group nature connection session exploring ground insects and beetles living on site. We will be noting species and the places most are found.

    Students only.

    11am- 12pm

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 2nd June

    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! 

    Students only.

    3pm- 4.30pm

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    Monthly Seed Sow and Grow

    Wednesday 3rd June

    Come down to KentCOG and connect with nature by joining our Summer term seed sow and grow activity. Plant this month's seeds in seed trays, pot on seedlings and plant out small plants.    

    No experience necessary.

     10.30am - 11.00am

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    Biodiversity Booster -Water Dragons

    Friday 5th June

    Boost biodiversity and wellbeing with this weeks small group nature connection session up close to newts living on site. Identify the species, explore their habitat and consider how to support them.  

    Students only.

    Drop in 10.00am- 11am

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 9th June

    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! 

    Students only.

    3pm- 4.30pm

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    Biodiversity Booster - Butterflies

    Wednesday 10th  June 

    Boost biodiversity and wellbeing with this weeks small group nature connection session identifying and counting Butterflies living on site. Take photos and find their favourite nectar sources.

     Students only.

    1pm- 2pm

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 16th June

    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! 

    Students only.

    3pm- 4.30pm



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    Biodiversity Booster - MiniBlitz

    Wednesday 17th June

    Boost biodiversity and wellbeing with this weeks small group nature connection  inaturalist miniblitz session. Find, identify and record as many varied species as you can on site over 2 hours. 

    Students only.

    Drop in 10.30am- 12.30pm



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