历史沿革
大都会公共花园协会 Metropolitan Public Gardens Association（MPGA）于 1882 年由 Lord Meath 在伦敦创立，是英国历史最悠久的园艺慈善机构之一，慈善登记号为 303330。一个多世纪以来，协会致力于在伦敦 33 个自治市镇中保护、改造与新增公共花园、广场、教堂墓地与绿色开放空间，并促成 1887 年《墓地法》改革，将大量历史悠久的教区墓地改造为面向公众开放的园林。Victoria Park Cemetery 等大型墓地就是在协会推动下由 Fanny Wilkinson 设计改造为 Meath Gardens 等社区公园。协会早年还参与创建了 National Trust（国民信托组织）与 National Playing Fields Association 等英国著名自然保护机构，对英国城市绿地与开放空间政策影响深远。
资助与社区项目
MPGA 的核心工作是面向伦敦各自治市镇的公园之友、社区团体、医院、临终关怀院、学校、教堂、博物馆与公共图书馆发放小额园艺资助，每年大约支持二十余处项目，覆盖各类公园、广场、社区花园、纪念花园、救济院、医院、博物馆与图书馆附属绿地。申请每年分三轮审批：5 月 12 日、8 月 18 日、11 月 17 日，申请人可通过协会网站下载申请表。受益项目包括 Old Paradise Gardens、Meath Gardens、Deptford Park 等历史绿地，以及大英图书馆、Inner Temple、Marble Hill House、Horniman Museum、Dulwich Picture Gallery、自然历史博物馆与 Lambeth 花园博物馆等高知名度公共机构附属庭园。
伦敦黑桃奖与年度会议
自 1970 年起，协会每年颁发伦敦黑桃奖 London Spade Award，授予在伦敦公园、花园或开放空间领域做出突出贡献的个人或机构，颁奖典礼在协会年度大会上举行。历届获奖者包括 2024 年景观建筑师与历史学家 Dr Todd Longstaffe-Gowan、2023 年自称为「The Black Gardener」的园艺推广者 Dannahue Clarke、2022 年以 Camley Street Nature Reserve 重建闻名的伦敦野生动物基金会、2021 年 Conservation Foundation 创始人 David Shreeve，以及 2020 年 Parks for London 首席执行官 Tony Leach 与 Deptford Folk 等。年度大会历年在 Mansion House、Garden Museum 与俯瞰 Tower Bridge 的 Nomura 办公场所等地举办，是伦敦园艺界的传统聚会。
伦敦榆树与水仙球根倡议
协会近年来重点推动两项面向全市的专项倡议：2021 年启动的 Elms4London 项目致力于通过抗病新品种在伦敦街道与公园中恢复榆树这一曾经的城市标志性树种，应对荷兰榆树病带来的生态损失；2012 年启动的 Bulbs for London 项目则与英国球根名企 Taylors Bulbs of Holbeach 合作，向伦敦超过一千处公共绿地免费提供优质球根，覆盖公园、自然保护区、医院、临终关怀院、救济院、图书馆、学校、教堂、消防站与火车站等场所，每年春天让整座城市绽放出公众志愿者亲手种植的绚丽花海。
组织架构与公益合作
协会目前由主席 Nicholas Evans（2024 年就任）、财务主管 Marc Forestier、荣誉秘书 Elspeth Hyams、荣誉法律顾问 Patricia Robertson KC、资助事务官 Keith Cranwell 等十余位荣誉委员组成的执行委员会领导，会长由著名酒类与园艺作家 Hugh Johnson OBE 担任，副会长包括 Marchioness of Salisbury、Sir David Howard Bt、Worshipful Company of Gardeners 现任 Master 等业界资深人士。协会不接受政府资助，完全依靠会员费、捐赠与遗产维持运转，并长期与 Worshipful Company of Gardeners 等同业组织保持密切合作。公众可通过协会网站申请会员（年费、终身会籍与企业会籍），或直接向财务主管提交银行转账支持其公益使命。
Historical Origins
The Metropolitan Public Gardens Association (MPGA), a registered charity (No. 303330), was founded in London in 1882 by Lord Meath and has since worked continuously to protect, restore and create public gardens, squares, churchyards and green open spaces across the capital. The Charity promoted the Burial Grounds Act of 1887, which opened up many historic burial grounds for public enjoyment, including the conversion of Victoria Park Cemetery into Meath Gardens under the design of Fanny Wilkinson. The Association was also instrumental in the establishment of the National Trust and the National Playing Fields Association, giving it a foundational role in Britain’s wider conservation movement.
Grants and Community Projects
The MPGA offers modest horticultural grants to community groups, parks friends, hospitals, hospices, schools, churches, museums, libraries and borough councils across all 33 London boroughs, supporting around twenty-five projects each year. Three funding rounds close annually on 12 May, 18 August and 17 November. Beneficiaries range from historic community spaces such as Old Paradise Gardens, Meath Gardens and Deptford Park to high-profile sites including the British Library, Inner Temple, Marble Hill House, Horniman Museum, Dulwich Picture Gallery, the Natural History Museum and the Garden Museum in Lambeth.
London Spade Award and Annual Gathering
Since 1970 the Charity has awarded the London Spade Award at its Annual General Meeting to a person or organisation that has created, restored or enhanced a London park, garden or green space for the benefit of the local community. Recent recipients include Dr Todd Longstaffe-Gowan (2024), Dannahue Clarke (2023), the London Wildlife Trust for its redevelopment of Camley Street Nature Reserve (2022), David Shreeve of the Conservation Foundation (2021), and Tony Leach and Deptford Folk (2020). The Annual General Meeting is held each October at prestigious London venues such as Mansion House, the Garden Museum and the Nomura offices overlooking Tower Bridge.
Elms4London and Bulbs for London
Two flagship initiatives define the Charity’s modern outreach. The Elms4London project, launched in 2021, works with researchers, landowners and borough tree officers to reintroduce disease-resistant elm cultivars and reverse the loss caused by Dutch elm disease. Bulbs for London, launched in 2012 in partnership with Taylors Bulbs of Holbeach, distributes free spring bulbs to more than one thousand public sites each year, bringing brilliant displays to parks, hospitals, hospices, libraries, schools, churches and community gardens across the capital through the work of dedicated volunteers.
Governance and Public Engagement
The Charity is led by Chairman Nicholas Evans (appointed 2024), Treasurer Marc Forestier, Honorary Secretary Elspeth Hyams and Honorary Legal Adviser Patricia Robertson KC, supported by a committee of dedicated volunteers. Its President is Hugh Johnson OBE, the celebrated writer on wine, trees and gardening. Vice Presidents include the Marchioness of Salisbury, Sir David Howard Bt and the Master of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners. The MPGA relies entirely on membership subscriptions, donations and legacies, and welcomes new annual, life and corporate members as well as direct contributions to its Treasurer.
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