An 89-year-old retired teacher in St John’s Wood, northwest London, is contesting a council request to remove a street garden she has cultivated for more than 25 years outside her home. Katharine Hoskyns created the garden, consisting of a bench and numerous plant pots filled with tomatoes, geraniums, and herbs, to brighten the area and offer a communal space. The street has even earned the nickname “The Pots” among locals and nearby Abbey Road studio musicians.

Ms. Hoskyns began assembling the garden after parking spaces were installed outside her house on Hamilton Gardens, a quiet cul-de-sac near the site where the Beatles recorded their albums. She said the plants and bench provide a sociable environment and that many neighbors help care for the garden. She also emphasized that the installation does not obstruct the pavement and that there is sufficient room for wheelchair access.

However, Westminster City Council issued a formal notice in late July asking Ms. Hoskyns to remove the bench and plants, citing a series of complaints from local residents who claim the garden attracts antisocial behaviour. The council also raised safety concerns, stating that fallen pots could pose an injury risk and that the bench’s structural stability had not been confirmed. A council spokesman said the decision to initiate formal proceedings was made reluctantly after years of attempts to resolve the matter informally. The council added that moving the bench could help reduce recent disturbances in the area, and expressed hope that the issue could be settled amicably.

Ms. Hoskyns disputes the council’s characterisation of the situation, saying that only one neighbor objects to the garden and that no antisocial behaviour has occurred. She noted that the council installed a camera near the garden to monitor complaints but that no issues were found. Her son, Nicky Hoskyns, who helped organise a petition supporting the garden, stated there is considerable community backing to retain it. The petition has gathered nearly 190 signatures from local residents.

The deadline for removing the garden has passed without action by the council. Ms. Hoskyns and her family expect the dispute to continue, with neighbours volunteering to assist in defending the garden as both a personal and community space. The council maintains its position that residents deserve to live free from antisocial behaviour but says it remains open to dialogue.