Cleve West: Combine harvesters head for the Garden Museum

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Prepare for traffic chaos around the Lambeth Bridge area of London later this year as combine harvesters head for the Garden Museum. A wheat field has been planted there to celebrate the grow-your-own revolution sweeping the nation, and the museum's curator, Christopher Woodward, is hoping for enough flour to bake commemorative bread to mark the occasion. "Field" may be a slight exaggeration and a pair of secateurs will probably be the only tool needed come harvest, but whatever comes of it, the message is that gardening has re-discovered its roots. "Of course the field is symbolic, and even if we only get enough flour to make a croissant I'll be happy," said Woodward, who is eager to flag up the shift in gardening trends. "Our aim is simply to capture the garden zeitgeist."

Woodward is also curious to see how growing food at work – in mini-veg plots – might benefit companies. He persuaded Lambeth Council to let the Museum garden a small patch of ground next to the Old Burial Ground, 100 yards or so across the road. "Growing food at the workplace offers a chance for those who can't get an allotment or those who are simply time-poor to experience the pleasure of growing and eating fresh food."

The plan is for food grown at the museum to be consumed by staff and also to be used for educational events on current agendas such as health, sustainability and the desire to increase a sense of pride and involvement in our public spaces.

Contrary to what you might expect, few of the museum's employees are passionate gardeners. Only one, garden designer Anne Jennings, has any experience in growing vegetables, so she has taken on the responsibility of co-ordinating work at the plot. Work started on the 6mx6m plot of land last November, with staff pulling trug-loads of thistles and removing an old buddleja to allow more light. "No one wanted to go out in the cold months of winter," said Anne, "but after an hour of activity everyone returned to the office full of beans." Now she's hoping they will take it upon themselves to visit the plot as often as possible and that those metaphorical beans will eventually produce the real thing.

Apart from time, the only potential problem is the fact that there isn't a mains-water tap to hand, so watering cans have to be lugged across the road. I worry about this. Veg-plotting needs to be convenient if it is to be done regularly and with love. Local residents have offered to help and Anne is hoping that the local fire brigade, whose building backs onto the park, might lend a hand by occasionally filling water butts.

This dialogue with the local community is another strand that elevates the simple action of sowing seed to a much higher level. "People are stopping and asking what's going on, as they have never seen anyone gardening there before," says Anne. "They're excited and very enthusiastic about the whole thing." As if on cue, a neighbour from the flats shouts words of encouragement from beyond the fence. They may need this from time to time. The second wave of thistles was already making an appearance when I visited the plot at the end of March and squirrels had explored the strawberry bed, much to the gardeners' dismay. But an hour with many hands can make quite a difference and, in the short time I was there, the beds had been knocked into shape.

As we walk back to the museum I ask how they will divide the spoils. I wrongly assumed that all the food would help supply Skye Bond's restaurant at the Museum which serves some of the most delicious vegetarian food anywhere in London. It turns out that while Skye will get some pickings, most of the produce will be divided equally among the staff. Lugging tools back to the museum I hear, "Those who have toiled more should get more produce!" I sense trouble come harvest.

Garden Museum, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1, 020-7401 8865, gardenmuseum.org.uk