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September 2024




Summer 2024

Update


We had a wonderful open day during PloughFest on 29th June and had the most visitors to the garden ever!  The garden continues to be open most FRIDAYS, all are welcome to come and relax (there is seating available), help water and weed, have a chat or get some growing advice from our head gardener George.  Harvests are starting to come in now and we will have a small vegetable box or honesty type stall available outside the garden, also on a Friday.  

This week (26/07) we have beetroot, courgette, rainbow chard alongside fresh herbs and cut flowers like cosmos. The garlic and giant onions have been harvested, and are currently curing so they can be used and stored with less risk of spoiling. Due to the low light levels from heavy cloud the tomato crop is very slow to ripen, this is the case for so many of the crops we have in.  You may see the lettuce looking a bit strange, this lettuce is now being allowed to flower and go to seed in order to save the seed. The squash patch is huge and has set a lot of fruit,  there will be a big harvest in the Autumn if the weather is fair and allows the fruits to mature.




March 2024

Orchard planting


Local Scouts came to help plant 5 heritage fruit trees in the garden, did you know just 5 fruit trees qualifies as an orchard? Our orchard consists of:

  1. Apple - Ashmead’s Kernal            
  2. Apple - Bardsey 
  3. Apple - Bramley’s Seedling
  4. Plum - Yellow Pershore
  5. Gage - Willingham

Read all about the orchard here.


2023

What’s happened so far and what’s happening next?




Work undertaken so far

  • Removed dangerous waste and contaminants
  • Filled a large skip with bonfire waste, litter, and dumped junk 
  • Cleared the site of head high brambles and nettles
  • Levelled the whole site by hand
  • Filled and removed many builders bags of green waste,
    these are taken to a local farmer’s composting site, and the compost spread on local fields
  • Made the greenhouse safe and built raised beds inside
  • Built compost bays for manageable amounts of garden waste
  • Removed huge patches of ground elder by hand
  • Repaired the gate and installed new fence posts
  • Reduced and tidied the boundary hedges
  • Removed a rotting shed and reused what we could
  • Built a number of garden beds using no dig techniques
  • Used mushroom compost and manure for growing
  • Our local tree surgeon provides woodchip for the site paths and to keep weeds down
  • Local Scouts hold sessions and help develop the garden
  • Held open days for the village with free seeds and plants
  • Set up website and Facebook page
  • Awarded grant funding for development of the garden
  • Purchase of a new shed to replace rotten one, for storage and rainwater catchment
  • Planting of mini orchard consisting of heritage fruit tree varieties 
  • Install more rainwater catchment including purchase and use of IBC
  • Communal seating so the whole village can spend regular time in the garden



Planned work

  • Repair greenhouse by sourcing and installing new glass
  • Installation of a field shelter for semi indoor space when it is raining or very hot
  • Mini wetland to attract and support local frogs, newts, and dragonflies
  • Finish building beds for maximum fruit, veg and herb production
  • Set up more composting facilities including worm farms and bokashi
  • Build a ‘Little Free Library’ for community seed library and host seed swaps
  • Finish woodchip paths once infrastructure has been installed
  • Build a produce stand for villagers to access weekly harvests more regularly
  • Commission a local artist to paint a colourful mural on the fence
  • Purchase of community tools including gloves and garden equipment
  • Purchase an apple press for community apple juicing day
  • Host annual Cropwell Abundance event with fruit swap and share
  • Development of event programme and workshops throughout the year
  • Aim to open every Friday and have workshop sessions throughout the year

© 2024