O/T - Community Garden. A request for some advice...

[Cheshire Cat]

Gardening whilst drunk is probably a bad idea.

 

[The Large One]

Gardening whilst drunk is probably a bad idea.

True, but it could be good for the soil.

 

[The Large One]

Anyhoo, thanks to a whole variety of helpers and volunteers - not least of which NSC's Muzzy (aka The Allotment Shed) - the garden now has some greenery planted.

For those who are interested in how this pans out (count them on one hand of a sloth, I'd guess), feel free to follow us on Twitter, @stanfordcommgdn or on FB - Stanford Avenue Community Garden,

 

[The Large One]

As an update, and considering how shambolic the whole thing was, I've got to properly thank Muzzy for all his help and support doing the garden. Top bloke.

The tomato vines are withering now, with around 4kg of tomatoes now produced from the tiniest of original plants. Onions, herbs, cabbage and kohlrabi were all planted and harvested. We've made spicy green tomato chutney from the tomato harvest, also using a Bramley apple from a nearby tree.

On the secondary plot, people were obviously throwing down their own wild flower seed bombs, as the area became a riot of colour - and bees and butterflies were constant visitors. I must say there is something quite enchanting, relaxing and strangely encouraging watching bees go about their business from flower to flower.

Anyhoo - we start all over again very soon with hopefully something a bit more organised, and with luck - a big harvest next year.

 

[AZ Gull]

As an update, and considering how shambolic the whole thing was, I've got to properly thank Muzzy for all his help and support doing the garden. Top bloke.

The tomato vines are withering now, with around 4kg of tomatoes now produced from the tiniest of original plants. Onions, herbs, cabbage and kohlrabi were all planted and harvested. We've made spicy green tomato chutney from the tomato harvest, also using a Bramley apple from a nearby tree.

On the secondary plot, people were obviously throwing down their own wild flower seed bombs, as the area became a riot of colour - and bees and butterflies were constant visitors. I must say there is something quite enchanting, relaxing and strangely encouraging watching bees go about their business from flower to flower.

Anyhoo - we start all over again very soon with hopefully something a bit more organised, and with luck - a big harvest next year.

 

[Notters]

I shall be at work unfortunately. ..

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I must say there is something quite enchanting, relaxing and strangely encouraging watching bees go about their business from flower to flower.

And watching cats go about their business from flower to flower? Not so much.

Seriously Al, looks fantastic. Always like to see how the Community Garden is coming along on me meander to London road station and the Amex in the rare breaks between international breaks. More communities around town should reclaim the streets in a similar manner. What's not to like?

 

[Buzzer]

Sorry - just seen this thread. I can't offer any advice but I think the bloke you need to talk to is called Duncan and he's chair(?) of the Friends of the William Clarke Park ("The Patch" to you and me). He was, I think the one who got the Lewes Road one off the ground and the one that Tescos threatened to ruin if he didn't stop the important development of a much needed supermarket and bookmakers in the Lewes Road area (sarcasm alert).*

*As someone else has pointed out, Tescos pulled out and it's been empty for nigh on 2 years now.


EDIT - and the very best of luck. Anything which brightens Brighton has got to be a good thing.

 

[The Large One]

And watching cats go about their business from flower to flower? Not so much.

Seriously Al, looks fantastic. Always like to see how the Community Garden is coming along on me meander to London road station and the Amex in the rare breaks between international breaks. More communities around town should reclaim the streets in a similar manner. What's not to like?

Even the foxes have mellowed out.

Lee - cheers for that. We got a bit of grief from some people, saying they preferred the road and the idling taxis instead of the garden and flower bed.

Even in suburbia, pottiness craves its own attention.

 

[The Large One]

Before


After



Before


After

 

[jevs]

Drove past it today TLO, it looked fab but that golden maple really stood out.

Keep going mate

 

[The Large One]

And watching cats go about their business from flower to flower? Not so much.

Seriously Al, looks fantastic. Always like to see how the Community Garden is coming along on me meander to London road station and the Amex in the rare breaks between international breaks. More communities around town should reclaim the streets in a similar manner. What's not to like?

There's also the tiny flower gardens at the foot of every tree along Southdown Avenue...

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

There's also the tiny flower gardens at the foot of every tree along Southdown Avenue...

Thanks for the update photos TLO. Community Garden looking great! Love it that the kids will be able to watch the plants and flowers grow on a daily basis and appreciate them at close quarters.

Would be grand if the Southdown Avenue tiny flower gardens thing could be extended, street by street, much in the way the Open House festival thing started off at Ned Hoskins house in Hollingbury Road in the early eighties, right opposite my house. He's still doing it 32 years down the line!

 

[The Large One]

UPDATE - because some of you may care.

In our first full year of the garden, we won 'Best Community Garden' at this year's Brighton & Hove City In Bloom competition. We're pleased, and it's nice getting recognition from our contemporaries. We've already had plenty of food grown and consumed this year, and more to come.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Hearty congratulations Al!

A well deserved award and I can personally attest to the quality of the grub that can be freely pilfered from that plot, it really is a great little garden.

 

[The Large One]

Cheers, Shandy.

People are welcome to help themselves to whatever produce is ready, as long as they leave some for others. Currently, carrots, green peppers, rocket, beetroot, chard, mizuma and varied salad leaves - as well as sage, fennel and rosemary - are all there for anyone who wants any. Leeks will be ready in about a 4-6 weeks or so.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Cheers, Shandy.

People are welcome to help themselves to whatever produce is ready, as long as they leave some for others. Currently, carrots, green peppers, rocket, beetroot, chard, mizuma and varied salad leaves - as well as sage, fennel and rosemary - are all there for anyone who wants any. Leeks will be ready in about a 4-6 weeks or so.

This is bloody brilliant.

 

[Jack Straw]

That is superb. Well done to all concerned.

 

[Greyrun]

Nice to see it's been a success, expected to read that it had been vandalised and people had lost heart.

 

[jevs]

Fantastic stuff, TLO, it's been a brilliant year for growing stuff. Congrats on the award too.