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

    1st Wednesday of the month

    Bring along your sick or neglected houseplants and we will try to resuscitate them and provide you with any resources you might need.  Usually occurs first Wednesday of each month.

    Drop in between 10am- 2pm 

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    Monthly Seed Sow and Grow

    Wednesday 8th Oct   

    Come down to KentCOG and help get the garden growing by joining our Autumn term seed sow activity. Plant this month's seeds in seed trays and compost to grow in the polytunnels on site.

    No experience necessary.

     11am - 11.30am

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    Biodiversity Booster - 'Snap and Record'

    Wednesday 8th October

    Get your biodiversity booster with an up close to nature photo and id session using inaturalist to find out which species are living alongside us and how you can record what you notice.

    1pm - 2pm 

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 14th October 

    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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    Biodiversity Booster - Bumblebee Walk

    Wednesday 15th October

    Get your biodiversity booster this week up close to bumblebees.  We will be identifying and recording bumblebees we see and reporting our results to Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Learn as we go. 

    1pm - 1.45pm

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 23rd October 

    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 - Night flying Moths

    Wednesday 22nd October

    Get your Biodiversity Booster this week with a moth survey. We will be identifying and releasing moths trapped onsite overnight and appreciating the variety of native species flying in October. Students only.

    10am - 11.30pm

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 28th October 

    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 - Artichoke Bug Hotels

    Wednesday 29th October 

    Get your Biodiversity Boost this week building bug hotels habitats from the artichoke stems grown on site and learn where to site them and who might move in. Students only.

    11am- 12pm

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 4th November

    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 - Orchard Explore

    Wednesday 5th November 

    Get your Biodiversity Boost this week exploring the orchard habitat. We will be planting new fruit and nut trees and observing the species who are part of the wider orchard story. Students only.

    11am- 12pm

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 11th November

    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 - Hedgehogs

    Wednesday 12th November 

    Get your Biodiversity Boost this week finding the evidence of hedgehogs foraging and sheltering at KentCOG and improve the habitat options for them and their food sources.   Students only.

    11am- 12pm

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 18th November

    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 - Bird Deep Dive

    Wednesday 19th November 

    Get your Biodiversity Boost this week with a deep dive into the birds that share the space at KentCOG. Identify their key features and learn their favourite sites in the garden.  Students only.

    10.30am- 11.30am

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 25th November

    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 - Trees and Leaves

    Wednesday 26th November 

    Get your Biodiversity Boost this week with a focus on Trees. We will be closing in on the garden trees, exploring leaf, twig and bark clues to id them and assess their health and habitat value. Students only.

    11.00am- 12.00pm

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 2nd December

    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 - Birds and Beaks

    Wednesday 3rd  December 

    Get your Biodiversity Boost this week with a focus on beaks and making bird food. We will be looking at bird beaks and food preferences and making winter food for all feathered garden visitors.  Students only.

    11.00am- 12.00pm

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    Wellbeing Café @Hothe Court

    Tuesday 9th December

    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 - Festive Wreath Making

    Wednesday 10th  December 

    This week it's crafting sustainable decorative wreaths to take away.  Students only.  

    www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/festive-wreath-making-with-the-kent-community-oasis-garden-tickets-1974707182340?aff=oddtdtcreator

    12.00pm - 2.00pm

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