What have we been up to...?
This is where we catch up on everything that has been going on over any particular season.
So we've boldly called it the Seasonal Review. That means that these reviews tend to come within a couple of months of the end of the last season. So a Summer review would generally appear sometime in mid-Autumn. You get the idea.
Want to find out more about what is on or coming up?
If you join and become a member you will receive regular newsletters from Mark with all the upcoming events and activities.
So if you would like to join then drop him an email and he will be more than happy to make the necessary arrangements. Or visit our "Contact & Join Us" page.
So we've boldly called it the Seasonal Review. That means that these reviews tend to come within a couple of months of the end of the last season. So a Summer review would generally appear sometime in mid-Autumn. You get the idea.
Want to find out more about what is on or coming up?
If you join and become a member you will receive regular newsletters from Mark with all the upcoming events and activities.
So if you would like to join then drop him an email and he will be more than happy to make the necessary arrangements. Or visit our "Contact & Join Us" page.
Winter 2023/24 (Dec-Feb)
Welcome again to the frosty end of the seasonal round-up and review. Winter is usually the quieter and more reflective part of the year in terms of gardening, but not so much in terms of festivity at the Community Garden!
The regular Thursday morning gardening sessions continued until mid-December when, at the last session on the 14th, specially made cakes were brought in as a thank you to volunteers for all the work done throughout the year. Nice, too!
We celebrated the Winter Solstice a bit early with our traditional burning of the Yule Log celebration on Sunday 10th December. Yule is one of the oldest winter celebrations and traditionally marks the shortest day of the year. The log is sent to the flames to signal the end and looks to bring luck for the coming year. The gazebo was beautifully decorated and lit this year with home-made decorations and added its own aura to complete the scene. Residents, young and old , came into the garden to join in and share the experience and enjoy music, food and drink with neighbours around the fire pit. The Wishing Tree was created again this year by one of our younger members, Evan, where attendees were able to add their festive wish for 2024. It remained in the garden throughout the festive season.
Twig Star making workshops and Little Diggers were popular in December with two sessions attracting families feeling creative. Diggers collected sticks to make a star and keep warm with songs and hot milk. All materials were provided and there was also time for some digging too! We welcomed the Stone Soup group to the second session which was aimed at under-fives and they treated attendees to songs and games.
The regular Thursday morning gardening sessions continued until mid-December when, at the last session on the 14th, specially made cakes were brought in as a thank you to volunteers for all the work done throughout the year. Nice, too!
We celebrated the Winter Solstice a bit early with our traditional burning of the Yule Log celebration on Sunday 10th December. Yule is one of the oldest winter celebrations and traditionally marks the shortest day of the year. The log is sent to the flames to signal the end and looks to bring luck for the coming year. The gazebo was beautifully decorated and lit this year with home-made decorations and added its own aura to complete the scene. Residents, young and old , came into the garden to join in and share the experience and enjoy music, food and drink with neighbours around the fire pit. The Wishing Tree was created again this year by one of our younger members, Evan, where attendees were able to add their festive wish for 2024. It remained in the garden throughout the festive season.
Twig Star making workshops and Little Diggers were popular in December with two sessions attracting families feeling creative. Diggers collected sticks to make a star and keep warm with songs and hot milk. All materials were provided and there was also time for some digging too! We welcomed the Stone Soup group to the second session which was aimed at under-fives and they treated attendees to songs and games.
The Walthamstow Wassail has been running now for over a decade and this year we were delighted to finally welcome the wassail to the Community Garden as part of their well-wishing around the area on the 7th January. It is an old English winter tradition that predates Christmas. We fired up our firepit to welcome the Wassailers who sang to our apple trees.
This year, we were a bit luckier with the weather and group singing, wishing of good fortune for the year ahead and general merriment was had by all. Also strangely, there was also a bit of toast placed in fruit trees!
The first Volunteer Gardening Session for the new year was held on Thursday 11th Jan to get things opened up again ready for the new gardening year. Gardening is a great way to get a bit of exercise and there are plenty of opportunities to muck in and get a bit active.
You can get involved in helping run the garden, planning its future, organising events, making, doing repairs, maintenance or looking after the area.
Why not get in touch with the gardeners as we are always looking for willing volunteers.
This year, we were a bit luckier with the weather and group singing, wishing of good fortune for the year ahead and general merriment was had by all. Also strangely, there was also a bit of toast placed in fruit trees!
The first Volunteer Gardening Session for the new year was held on Thursday 11th Jan to get things opened up again ready for the new gardening year. Gardening is a great way to get a bit of exercise and there are plenty of opportunities to muck in and get a bit active.
You can get involved in helping run the garden, planning its future, organising events, making, doing repairs, maintenance or looking after the area.
Why not get in touch with the gardeners as we are always looking for willing volunteers.
Autumn 2023 (Sep-Nov)
Autumn held off this year with unseasonably warm weather for much of it. Even by late October, the leaves had only just started to turn the brilliant reds and yellows that we normally see by this time. There were some wet days, one or two cold ones and some chilly winds, but it really did not look or feel like autumn until late in the season.
Nevertheless we still had a lot going on.
The usual volunteer gardening sessions for ran on during Autumn. Weekly Thursday mornings and the occasional weekend date offered a lot of opportunity to get some light to moderate exercise and enjoy a beverage and biscuit at the end in a nice convivial environment.
Autumn is generally a pretty busy season as we prune, weed, mulch, clear, tidy up, prepare and generally make ready all the various areas for the chilly bite of winter. We also plant bulbs around this time of year.
We also held a Saturday Volunteer Gardening session on the 7th October. Along with the abovementioned activities, this one included our version of the Green Gym which entailed moving fruit trees and corner bath planters! Attendees also learned about mulching and making leaf mould as well as helping the wildlife by filling bird feeders and planting allium bulbs for the pollinators. The lower children's play area was also given a bit of TLC and pruning. There was also cake.
We always welcome additional help. So, whatever your skill or experience, there's an activity for you! Why not head down, flex your muscles a little in our informal Green Gym and get a bit active at the Community Garden!
A huge thank you to everyone who helps make the garden the wonderful space it is! All hands, tiny and large, much appreciated.
Nevertheless we still had a lot going on.
The usual volunteer gardening sessions for ran on during Autumn. Weekly Thursday mornings and the occasional weekend date offered a lot of opportunity to get some light to moderate exercise and enjoy a beverage and biscuit at the end in a nice convivial environment.
Autumn is generally a pretty busy season as we prune, weed, mulch, clear, tidy up, prepare and generally make ready all the various areas for the chilly bite of winter. We also plant bulbs around this time of year.
We also held a Saturday Volunteer Gardening session on the 7th October. Along with the abovementioned activities, this one included our version of the Green Gym which entailed moving fruit trees and corner bath planters! Attendees also learned about mulching and making leaf mould as well as helping the wildlife by filling bird feeders and planting allium bulbs for the pollinators. The lower children's play area was also given a bit of TLC and pruning. There was also cake.
We always welcome additional help. So, whatever your skill or experience, there's an activity for you! Why not head down, flex your muscles a little in our informal Green Gym and get a bit active at the Community Garden!
A huge thank you to everyone who helps make the garden the wonderful space it is! All hands, tiny and large, much appreciated.
Throughout the week the garden has a regular number of visits from parents taking small children to use the lower play area as well as to mix with other parents and enjoy the peace and quiet of the garden.
We also know how much younger gardeners enjoy the Thursday morning gardening sessions. So we decided to offer a little more.
If you had visited the garden in early October, you might have noticed the creation of the Little Diggers garden, a space specifically for younger garden members where they can dig, sow and plant and be introduced to the wonders of growing.
A launch event was held on the 26th October where signs were created and painted and the shed was decorated.
During half term a group of around ten under-fives and their grown-ups spent a fantastic morning planting spring bulbs in containers and digging in the new space. Feedback was very positive from younger and older members alike.
It's never too early to introduce children to the delights of getting messy so feel free to use this sensory space and the tools during your visit to the garden!
We also know how much younger gardeners enjoy the Thursday morning gardening sessions. So we decided to offer a little more.
If you had visited the garden in early October, you might have noticed the creation of the Little Diggers garden, a space specifically for younger garden members where they can dig, sow and plant and be introduced to the wonders of growing.
A launch event was held on the 26th October where signs were created and painted and the shed was decorated.
During half term a group of around ten under-fives and their grown-ups spent a fantastic morning planting spring bulbs in containers and digging in the new space. Feedback was very positive from younger and older members alike.
It's never too early to introduce children to the delights of getting messy so feel free to use this sensory space and the tools during your visit to the garden!
The garden participated once again in the Walthamstow Beer Project growing a handsome hop over summer ready for harvest and picking in early September. Luke also contributed his regular offering and thanks must also go to Oliver Mason for offering a bagful of his own untamed brute of a plant as well. This would have been our best collective offering yet.
A big day for the project is the communal picking (9th September) and Chairman Graham and Tony headed over (thanks to Luke for the lift) to help out and enjoy the day. It was a sweltering afternoon for the time of year and very thirsty work, but we put in a solid shift, working like machines to ensure that the standing hops record was broken by about 13kg with a total yield of 153kg! It is quite a spectacle to behold and a credit to the community. Well worth the experience.
This goes into about 4000 litres of green hopped beer which was launched only a few short weeks later (12 October) at the usual Rose and Crown event. Tony again made the sacrifice to represent the garden. It was a lively drop.
A big day for the project is the communal picking (9th September) and Chairman Graham and Tony headed over (thanks to Luke for the lift) to help out and enjoy the day. It was a sweltering afternoon for the time of year and very thirsty work, but we put in a solid shift, working like machines to ensure that the standing hops record was broken by about 13kg with a total yield of 153kg! It is quite a spectacle to behold and a credit to the community. Well worth the experience.
This goes into about 4000 litres of green hopped beer which was launched only a few short weeks later (12 October) at the usual Rose and Crown event. Tony again made the sacrifice to represent the garden. It was a lively drop.
As per usual Frances of Strawberry Harlequin ran the 2 hour forest school sessions on Thursday and Friday with Wood Street nursery and St Marys reception.
These Forest School sessions prove to be very successful with often up to 25 children plus some adults making woodland decorations, getting muddy and learning some forest skills.
Forest school sessions are often sold out so you need to get in quick when they are announced. Her sessions for age 4 & up but, as always, she is flexible. If you are unsure please contact Frances at [email protected] or search Strawberry Harlequin on Facebook for further information.
Accompanying adults do not need to pay.
If you are a garden member you can also grab yourself a £1.50 discount.
These Forest School sessions prove to be very successful with often up to 25 children plus some adults making woodland decorations, getting muddy and learning some forest skills.
Forest school sessions are often sold out so you need to get in quick when they are announced. Her sessions for age 4 & up but, as always, she is flexible. If you are unsure please contact Frances at [email protected] or search Strawberry Harlequin on Facebook for further information.
Accompanying adults do not need to pay.
If you are a garden member you can also grab yourself a £1.50 discount.
15th November saw a group of the trustees off on a site visit to one of the Octopus Communities network of community spaces at Holloway.
In the early 1970s a group of local people who were concerned about the lack of facilities and services for local families and people experiencing mental health issues got together to see what they could do to bring about change. As a result of their hard work and community activity, Holloway Neighbourhood Group was established.
Over the years they have worked with many different communities in the Holloway area, including pre-school children, parents, people with mental health problems, elders and unemployed people.
A very inspirational space and the trustees came away with a lot of good ideas to think over. We are expecting a reciprocal visit as well in the future.
You can find out more about the Octopus network here: https://www.octopuscommunities.org.uk/
In the early 1970s a group of local people who were concerned about the lack of facilities and services for local families and people experiencing mental health issues got together to see what they could do to bring about change. As a result of their hard work and community activity, Holloway Neighbourhood Group was established.
Over the years they have worked with many different communities in the Holloway area, including pre-school children, parents, people with mental health problems, elders and unemployed people.
A very inspirational space and the trustees came away with a lot of good ideas to think over. We are expecting a reciprocal visit as well in the future.
You can find out more about the Octopus network here: https://www.octopuscommunities.org.uk/
That's plenty for this update. We hope you enjoyed this instalment.
Don't forget we can always use new volunteers, as well as new members, so spread the word!
Check back again in a few months for the next seasonal review.
Don't forget we can always use new volunteers, as well as new members, so spread the word!
Check back again in a few months for the next seasonal review.
Summer 2023 (Jun-Aug)
Summer was as usual pretty busy around the garden.
Generally it is a time for children and families to enjoy the area and this year was no different. The lower play area got a good workout as usual and it was great to see groups getting together and generally having a great time.
Sunday 9 July saw the return of our popular summer music and poetry evening after a break of three years. Performances from Forest Poets, Stowtellers, Waltham Forest Community Choir and local singers entertained a good crowd and there was also time for a bit of open mic towards the end.
In stark contrast to last year, this year we came out of summer with almost no water being needed as the tanks were pretty close to full. Over the season the rain seemed to come just when it was needed and so the need for watering was greatly reduced, with the water reserves being topped up each time we had a downpour.
Still, it is not as if the additional 2000 litre capacity we added after 2022 will not be needed in the future. Better to be prepared as they say. Who knows what next year will bring?
This regular watering meant that the pond was in rude health as well this year and levels, while they dropped, never really looked in any way to be in any danger of reaching critical levels.
While we saw the frog activity we are accustomed to, we also witnessed some definite newt activity in pond. It's a little unclear, but if you look closely you can see one in this photo taken in late August while creating a bit more of the rock beach, which is a work still in progress.
Generally it is a time for children and families to enjoy the area and this year was no different. The lower play area got a good workout as usual and it was great to see groups getting together and generally having a great time.
Sunday 9 July saw the return of our popular summer music and poetry evening after a break of three years. Performances from Forest Poets, Stowtellers, Waltham Forest Community Choir and local singers entertained a good crowd and there was also time for a bit of open mic towards the end.
In stark contrast to last year, this year we came out of summer with almost no water being needed as the tanks were pretty close to full. Over the season the rain seemed to come just when it was needed and so the need for watering was greatly reduced, with the water reserves being topped up each time we had a downpour.
Still, it is not as if the additional 2000 litre capacity we added after 2022 will not be needed in the future. Better to be prepared as they say. Who knows what next year will bring?
This regular watering meant that the pond was in rude health as well this year and levels, while they dropped, never really looked in any way to be in any danger of reaching critical levels.
While we saw the frog activity we are accustomed to, we also witnessed some definite newt activity in pond. It's a little unclear, but if you look closely you can see one in this photo taken in late August while creating a bit more of the rock beach, which is a work still in progress.
GACG featured in the Wild(er) Walthamstow exhibition at Winns Gallery (Lloyd Park) which explored ongoing research including the PhotoMapping Survey we participated in last year. The BlueGreeE17 project seeks to understand how nature and biodiversity can thrive in Walthamstow.
It was intended to explore the E17 connections with nature to create visions for a wilder Walthamstow. It featured research with local stakeholders along with some of the amazing photographs submitted by Walthamstow residents. Within which, Jason's study of a frog in the pond at night made the cut! It is in the interactive map for the garden and it was part of our Spring 2022 review if you want to check it out directly. The exhibition took place Friday 30th June through to Saturday 2nd July.
If you want to check out more about the project go here.
That's it for this update. Hope you enjoyed it,
Don't forget we can always use new volunteers, so get involved, as well as new members, so spread the word!
Check back again in a few months for the next seasonal review.
It was intended to explore the E17 connections with nature to create visions for a wilder Walthamstow. It featured research with local stakeholders along with some of the amazing photographs submitted by Walthamstow residents. Within which, Jason's study of a frog in the pond at night made the cut! It is in the interactive map for the garden and it was part of our Spring 2022 review if you want to check it out directly. The exhibition took place Friday 30th June through to Saturday 2nd July.
If you want to check out more about the project go here.
That's it for this update. Hope you enjoyed it,
Don't forget we can always use new volunteers, so get involved, as well as new members, so spread the word!
Check back again in a few months for the next seasonal review.
Spring 2023 (Mar-May)
Some exciting news to kick off this season's update! For probably the first time since the pandemic, on Tuesday 7th March, we held our Community Garden AGM at the Cricket Club. Yes, it was as usual well attended and lively debate on current garden issues filled the air. We then went home immediately afterward and well before bedtime.
Saturday 1st April (10:00 to 12:30) was the start of our monthly Saturday gardening sessions. There was lots to do as more plants and weeds emerged from their hibernation. Plenty of time was allowed too for a cuppa and a chat. In addition our Thursday morning sessions continued to be popular, attracting several new gardeners. This is so welcome as the more hands we have the more we can do and grow to keep the garden productive and looking its best!
It was a busy weekend, as Sunday 2nd April from 10:00 to 12:30 was the Waltham Forest Spring Clean. Gloves, pickers and bags were made available at the garden gates from 10am with thanks again to the Council. Many came along to help pick up rubbish in Greenway Avenue, the back lanes, the nature reserve and along Forest Rise to the traffic lights. All rubbish collected was left at the top of the road for the Council to collect. Once again we managed to gather a small mountain, but as each year passes that mountain does seem to get a little smaller. We will overcome!
The Easter Egg Hunt was an enormous success once again on 7 April. Thanks to all the many families that came along and huge thanks should go to Luke and Evan Humphrey who together organised the hunt. It was an amazing turn out.
And the events kept coming. Monday 8th May was the Afternoon Tea Party. Great community spirit with tea, cake and other shared nibbles. The scarecrow decided to get dressed up for the tea party too with some new togs. He put on some weight as well.
Saturday 1st April (10:00 to 12:30) was the start of our monthly Saturday gardening sessions. There was lots to do as more plants and weeds emerged from their hibernation. Plenty of time was allowed too for a cuppa and a chat. In addition our Thursday morning sessions continued to be popular, attracting several new gardeners. This is so welcome as the more hands we have the more we can do and grow to keep the garden productive and looking its best!
It was a busy weekend, as Sunday 2nd April from 10:00 to 12:30 was the Waltham Forest Spring Clean. Gloves, pickers and bags were made available at the garden gates from 10am with thanks again to the Council. Many came along to help pick up rubbish in Greenway Avenue, the back lanes, the nature reserve and along Forest Rise to the traffic lights. All rubbish collected was left at the top of the road for the Council to collect. Once again we managed to gather a small mountain, but as each year passes that mountain does seem to get a little smaller. We will overcome!
The Easter Egg Hunt was an enormous success once again on 7 April. Thanks to all the many families that came along and huge thanks should go to Luke and Evan Humphrey who together organised the hunt. It was an amazing turn out.
And the events kept coming. Monday 8th May was the Afternoon Tea Party. Great community spirit with tea, cake and other shared nibbles. The scarecrow decided to get dressed up for the tea party too with some new togs. He put on some weight as well.
Over the spring, several local nurseries regularly visited for Forest School sessions with Frances Burley of Strawberry Harlequin. It's wonderful to see the children enjoying learning new skills and to hear their delighted voices while playing in the garden. They usually leave a new woodland themed decoration for the garden so remember to look for these when you're next there.
In some other noisy neighbour news, judging by the continuity of racket up in the conservation area in early April, we figured we have at least two woodpeckers at work! Definitely different tones, echoed back and forth across the Conservation area. Maybe they were sending coded Woodpecker messages to one another!
In terms of the infrastructure, the herb spiral got a bit of a facelift with a remodel (now squatter and more robust) with the brickwork tidied, new soil and a few new herbs.
The pond also had some attention with the plants divided and re-potted. The wildlife now have new stepping stones into and, most importantly, out of the pond. We also found a buff-tailed bumblebee nest in the rockery area! At times there was so much activity in and out it started to look like some sort of small apicultural airport, which was a delight to see.
Once again, the proliferation of frog spawn this year in the pond indicated that it is getting more popular with our amphibian friends. The tadpoles clearly enjoying the results of the remodel of the upper bank. The river pebbles offering plenty of places to explore, sun and hide.
Frogs are apparently an "indicator species" that can reflect the condition of the environment around it. They’re often the first in their ecosystem to be affected by a particular environmental change, such as a warming climate, pollution, human development, and other environmental degradation.
So the very fact that our little pond was swarming the egg sacs at the start of April and tadpoles later is a very good sign and indicative of a healthy and conducive environment.
In some other noisy neighbour news, judging by the continuity of racket up in the conservation area in early April, we figured we have at least two woodpeckers at work! Definitely different tones, echoed back and forth across the Conservation area. Maybe they were sending coded Woodpecker messages to one another!
In terms of the infrastructure, the herb spiral got a bit of a facelift with a remodel (now squatter and more robust) with the brickwork tidied, new soil and a few new herbs.
The pond also had some attention with the plants divided and re-potted. The wildlife now have new stepping stones into and, most importantly, out of the pond. We also found a buff-tailed bumblebee nest in the rockery area! At times there was so much activity in and out it started to look like some sort of small apicultural airport, which was a delight to see.
Once again, the proliferation of frog spawn this year in the pond indicated that it is getting more popular with our amphibian friends. The tadpoles clearly enjoying the results of the remodel of the upper bank. The river pebbles offering plenty of places to explore, sun and hide.
Frogs are apparently an "indicator species" that can reflect the condition of the environment around it. They’re often the first in their ecosystem to be affected by a particular environmental change, such as a warming climate, pollution, human development, and other environmental degradation.
So the very fact that our little pond was swarming the egg sacs at the start of April and tadpoles later is a very good sign and indicative of a healthy and conducive environment.
Did you know?
According to the RSPCA an adult frog can lay up to 4,000 eggs in one batch. BUT, on average only five out of every 2,000 eggs survive into adulthood. A children's guide to the life cycle of frogs is available below:
https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/science/nature/frog-life-cycle/
That's it for this season. We shall be back after the long-anticipated summer!
According to the RSPCA an adult frog can lay up to 4,000 eggs in one batch. BUT, on average only five out of every 2,000 eggs survive into adulthood. A children's guide to the life cycle of frogs is available below:
https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/science/nature/frog-life-cycle/
That's it for this season. We shall be back after the long-anticipated summer!
Winter 2022/23 (Dec-Feb)
As is usual the garden activity slowed as winter closed in, however, quite a bit did go on over this quieter and more reflective time.
Our small team of volunteer gardeners still worked on throughout the winter to maintain and prepare the garden for next Spring and the reawakening.
Frances of Strawberry Harlequin was back for some spooky fun in the garden over the Halloween period.
The annual yule log went ahead. Though this year it was more low-key with music and mulled wine, but nonetheless just as much fun as previous years.
Our small team of volunteer gardeners still worked on throughout the winter to maintain and prepare the garden for next Spring and the reawakening.
Frances of Strawberry Harlequin was back for some spooky fun in the garden over the Halloween period.
The annual yule log went ahead. Though this year it was more low-key with music and mulled wine, but nonetheless just as much fun as previous years.
We had planned to get the new year off to a great start with Sunday January 8th supposed to see the garden host the Walthamstow Family Wassail. The garden was to serve as the start point for the event for about an hour from 3pm which was to feature the Wassailers practicing their parts before venturing into the night on their journey up the hill to Walthamstow Village to deliver the annual traditional Wassail.
However as luck would have it the weather was so appalling on the day that the wassailers decided not to convene at the garden which was a shame as many folk were looking forward to the event. Next year perhaps.
Remember we are always looking for willing volunteers so if you would like to get involved in helping run the garden, organising events or look after the play area then please do let us know. There is always plenty of variety and things to do and who knows, you might even enjoy it! :-)
However as luck would have it the weather was so appalling on the day that the wassailers decided not to convene at the garden which was a shame as many folk were looking forward to the event. Next year perhaps.
Remember we are always looking for willing volunteers so if you would like to get involved in helping run the garden, organising events or look after the play area then please do let us know. There is always plenty of variety and things to do and who knows, you might even enjoy it! :-)
Autumn 2022 (Sep-Nov)
As trustees, it certainly is rewarding to see the garden being used all year round and both sections remained popular throughout the season.
Gardening Sessions continued from 10am every Thursday morning and also the first Saturday of the month. There is still plenty to get on with even as the leaves fall in terms of preparing for the colder months ahead where the garden and nature rest and rejuvenate.
In terms of our organised children's activities, we were delighted to welcome back the children from Wood Street Nursery and St Mary's Little Learners for their Forest School sessions with Frances Burley of Strawberry Harlequin
Gardening Sessions continued from 10am every Thursday morning and also the first Saturday of the month. There is still plenty to get on with even as the leaves fall in terms of preparing for the colder months ahead where the garden and nature rest and rejuvenate.
In terms of our organised children's activities, we were delighted to welcome back the children from Wood Street Nursery and St Mary's Little Learners for their Forest School sessions with Frances Burley of Strawberry Harlequin
The Litter pick (9 Oct 2022) organised by the members proved another valuable contribution to the local community with large piles of discarded waste and fly tipping collected and given to the local authority for their handling. This sort of thing is important because it shows that we all as a community care about our local environment. It is always amazing just how much is collected. Thanks must go to garden member Jonny for leading!
Then there were two! Over the last few months, Sean Rodrigo, local virtual reality artist, created this fantastic new little free library especially for the garden. It has a living roof, William Morris wallpaper, post box, window boxes and two floors of books! The shelves were very quickly stacked by local children. Thanks Sean, it's a lovely job!
See more of Sean's work at https://virtualrealityartist.co.uk/ or @thefixatorium
In terms of added capacity, after the last season's drought we installed those two new IBC 1000 litre containers and these were filling nicely all the way to the end of the season. We are usually full water capacity by the end of November, but as we were so low it was taking a little longer this year. This new capacity will mean we are better ready for such conditions in the future.
A larger more sheltered wood storage area was also placed out the back of the gazebo IBC's to protect our valuable wood supplies from the elements and keep it drier.
Finally, it would be remiss not to end on a note that after the pond managed to see out the drought without our need for intervention, it is now well on the way back to full capacity and thirsty plants once again seem to have been refreshed. Nature is amazing when left to its own devices.
So that's it for this Autumn. Still a lot happening in reality as the garden moves from strength to strength each year.
Then there were two! Over the last few months, Sean Rodrigo, local virtual reality artist, created this fantastic new little free library especially for the garden. It has a living roof, William Morris wallpaper, post box, window boxes and two floors of books! The shelves were very quickly stacked by local children. Thanks Sean, it's a lovely job!
See more of Sean's work at https://virtualrealityartist.co.uk/ or @thefixatorium
In terms of added capacity, after the last season's drought we installed those two new IBC 1000 litre containers and these were filling nicely all the way to the end of the season. We are usually full water capacity by the end of November, but as we were so low it was taking a little longer this year. This new capacity will mean we are better ready for such conditions in the future.
A larger more sheltered wood storage area was also placed out the back of the gazebo IBC's to protect our valuable wood supplies from the elements and keep it drier.
Finally, it would be remiss not to end on a note that after the pond managed to see out the drought without our need for intervention, it is now well on the way back to full capacity and thirsty plants once again seem to have been refreshed. Nature is amazing when left to its own devices.
So that's it for this Autumn. Still a lot happening in reality as the garden moves from strength to strength each year.
Summer 2022 (Jun-Aug)
Since lockdown, the garden has seen an incredible spike in the number of members, particularly new families who are looking for somewhere interesting where they can relax and let the kids get on with their playtime!
Due to the brilliantly hot and sunny weather, the play garden proved even more popular, as families brought their children in to play with toys and look and learn about local wildlife.
On June 4, the garden played host to a jubilee party for local residents. It was a great day with around 60 folk enjoying themselves. Cake and tea was provided with people bringing food donations for communal use. You can't hear it, but here is a lovely photo of Gabriel singing the Greenway Avenue song on the day. Well done to all who participated and the volunteers who set up, catered for, ran the event and tidied up afterward.
Several other parties and events have taken place over the summer. Members are reminded that all larger events and parties should look to seek approval from the trustees on the management committee at least one week in advance before the required date to ensure sufficient time to discuss and agree. We need to ensure there are no disturbances or clashes with other events and so on. Members should observe the garden guidelines for these events at all times.
The relentless scorching weather over the summer meant we had to manage our water reserves very carefully. We estimated that we only had about 500 litres of life-giving water left. The torrential rainstorm came just in time to top our supplies up. That one mid-August fall took our reserves up to such a level in an hour and a half to see us through the rest of the season.
A lot of praise should go to our hardy gardeners who went into emergency mode to make sure that our plants did not go thirsty. It was getting to a point where we were looking at what plants to prioritise.
Interestingly, the water captured in our garden not only gives it life, but it is also water not flushed down the roads and drains and inevitably into our increasingly inadequate Victorian drainage system. There needs to be a lot more thought about drainage and water management as we have seen from recent flooding events even locally.
However, as undoubtedly this will be an on-going issue, we have purchased and installed two more large 1000 litre IBC containers to bolster our water capacity. They were installed behind the large greenhouse before the end of summer with the previous smaller butts and tanks finding new locations under the arbours and behind the new (recycled) green wooden tool shed.
That green shed appeared this year also, extensively rebuilt and refurbished over summer from a donation. It adds valuable storage space for tools and so on. It should, with any luck, serve us for many years to come.
We have continued to do the weekly Thursday and first Saturday of the month gardening sessions throughout the summer with tending, general tidying, maintenance and harvesting taking place at various points. This two hourly session attracts a dedicated group who enjoy the gardening and socialising opportunities.
Wood Street nursery continued their weekly visits to the garden - weather and staffing numbers permitted and the Forest School has as usual been a popular activity with the young people.
Work also progressed around the pond. New fencing was installed and the top shallow area landscaped to provide a 'beach' for wildlife to more easily access and leave the waters.
The pond continues to be a popular observation site for tadpoles and other aquatic life as they grow into the summer. It really enhances the biodiversity of the garden and the habitat offer for wildlife living in the area. And we all agree it is looking great.
Four large F1 sunflowers graced the side of the pond this year. A strange tale ensued. One morning it was noticed that all the heads had been neatly lopped off bar one. Perplexed, we set up the wildlife camera. The next morning the last was gone. Like Mission Impossible, the culprit did not trigger the camera! Though not confirmed by camera trap, it is suspected and research suggests that grey squirrels fancy a sunflower seed or two and were treating themselves and storing the seeds for the winter. At least they went to a good cause.
The bug house at the back of the woodland area also had planning permission granted and has been extended by two storeys (pallets) providing much needed affordable housing for bugs and mini beasts. Check it out next time you're in and feel free to add a stick or two!
As you can see a lot has been going on. Once again, the community garden proved what an asset it is to the community.
If you wish to get involved we are always happy to welcome new volunteers and gardeners are especially welcome. You might even like to join the trustees who oversee the running of the place!
Due to the brilliantly hot and sunny weather, the play garden proved even more popular, as families brought their children in to play with toys and look and learn about local wildlife.
On June 4, the garden played host to a jubilee party for local residents. It was a great day with around 60 folk enjoying themselves. Cake and tea was provided with people bringing food donations for communal use. You can't hear it, but here is a lovely photo of Gabriel singing the Greenway Avenue song on the day. Well done to all who participated and the volunteers who set up, catered for, ran the event and tidied up afterward.
Several other parties and events have taken place over the summer. Members are reminded that all larger events and parties should look to seek approval from the trustees on the management committee at least one week in advance before the required date to ensure sufficient time to discuss and agree. We need to ensure there are no disturbances or clashes with other events and so on. Members should observe the garden guidelines for these events at all times.
The relentless scorching weather over the summer meant we had to manage our water reserves very carefully. We estimated that we only had about 500 litres of life-giving water left. The torrential rainstorm came just in time to top our supplies up. That one mid-August fall took our reserves up to such a level in an hour and a half to see us through the rest of the season.
A lot of praise should go to our hardy gardeners who went into emergency mode to make sure that our plants did not go thirsty. It was getting to a point where we were looking at what plants to prioritise.
Interestingly, the water captured in our garden not only gives it life, but it is also water not flushed down the roads and drains and inevitably into our increasingly inadequate Victorian drainage system. There needs to be a lot more thought about drainage and water management as we have seen from recent flooding events even locally.
However, as undoubtedly this will be an on-going issue, we have purchased and installed two more large 1000 litre IBC containers to bolster our water capacity. They were installed behind the large greenhouse before the end of summer with the previous smaller butts and tanks finding new locations under the arbours and behind the new (recycled) green wooden tool shed.
That green shed appeared this year also, extensively rebuilt and refurbished over summer from a donation. It adds valuable storage space for tools and so on. It should, with any luck, serve us for many years to come.
We have continued to do the weekly Thursday and first Saturday of the month gardening sessions throughout the summer with tending, general tidying, maintenance and harvesting taking place at various points. This two hourly session attracts a dedicated group who enjoy the gardening and socialising opportunities.
Wood Street nursery continued their weekly visits to the garden - weather and staffing numbers permitted and the Forest School has as usual been a popular activity with the young people.
Work also progressed around the pond. New fencing was installed and the top shallow area landscaped to provide a 'beach' for wildlife to more easily access and leave the waters.
The pond continues to be a popular observation site for tadpoles and other aquatic life as they grow into the summer. It really enhances the biodiversity of the garden and the habitat offer for wildlife living in the area. And we all agree it is looking great.
Four large F1 sunflowers graced the side of the pond this year. A strange tale ensued. One morning it was noticed that all the heads had been neatly lopped off bar one. Perplexed, we set up the wildlife camera. The next morning the last was gone. Like Mission Impossible, the culprit did not trigger the camera! Though not confirmed by camera trap, it is suspected and research suggests that grey squirrels fancy a sunflower seed or two and were treating themselves and storing the seeds for the winter. At least they went to a good cause.
The bug house at the back of the woodland area also had planning permission granted and has been extended by two storeys (pallets) providing much needed affordable housing for bugs and mini beasts. Check it out next time you're in and feel free to add a stick or two!
As you can see a lot has been going on. Once again, the community garden proved what an asset it is to the community.
If you wish to get involved we are always happy to welcome new volunteers and gardeners are especially welcome. You might even like to join the trustees who oversee the running of the place!
Spring 2022 (Mar-May)
Spring sprung up with a vengeance with some really pleasant days at the end of March.
As usual, gardening sessions kicked off again and were held most Thursday mornings and also on the first Saturday of the month from 10:00 to 12:00. Sessions usually ended with a sit down and chat over tea, coffee, biscuits and cake.
Frances Burley, Strawberry Harlequin on Facebook, ran Forest School sessions in the garden during the Easter holidays on Thursday 7th, 14th and Friday 15th April. Plenty of fun was had with these outdoor sessions comprising a range of activities, including woodland crafts, art, den building, camp fire cooking, games and invitations for imaginative play, scavenger hunts, tools skills and safety (such as knives and saws) and other adventure activity.
The pond was alive again by the 15th with a new batch of frog spawn in the same location as last year. By mid-March we had several clusters in the shallow end of the pond. While a bit more elusive, we also feel we have caught a glimpse of a newt in residence in the pond also. It was captured in a flashlight one evening when pond spotting. About eight frogs were spotted one torchlight expedition. This one was still long enough for a photo opportunity.
Features like the pond are there for everyone to enjoy and learn about our local urban environment. And primarily they are there for the wildlife. We want it to be their home and it is important that we look after them and not disturb them.
Look but don't touch or mess them about!
This applies in the upper garden mainly, but also to some extent in the verges of the lower section. Children can explore but must be closely supervised particularly in the garden and habitat areas.
The original Little Free Library was refurbished over the winter months and was back and hungry more page-turning action by Mid-March! Many thanks to Jackie for the decorations. Along with the fresh artwork, it was upgraded to be better than ever. We kept the original door and artwork (with a little touch up) as a reminder of its origins.
Spring once again saw the lower section become a hive of frenetic children's activities, as the play area became the place to be. It's great to see that area being used so much and that it is so valued by our young families.
Just for information of members, a WhatsApp gardening group to allow easier communication was also set up for member gardeners. If you are a member and would like to join in, talk to Mark to get an invitation link.
As usual, gardening sessions kicked off again and were held most Thursday mornings and also on the first Saturday of the month from 10:00 to 12:00. Sessions usually ended with a sit down and chat over tea, coffee, biscuits and cake.
Frances Burley, Strawberry Harlequin on Facebook, ran Forest School sessions in the garden during the Easter holidays on Thursday 7th, 14th and Friday 15th April. Plenty of fun was had with these outdoor sessions comprising a range of activities, including woodland crafts, art, den building, camp fire cooking, games and invitations for imaginative play, scavenger hunts, tools skills and safety (such as knives and saws) and other adventure activity.
The pond was alive again by the 15th with a new batch of frog spawn in the same location as last year. By mid-March we had several clusters in the shallow end of the pond. While a bit more elusive, we also feel we have caught a glimpse of a newt in residence in the pond also. It was captured in a flashlight one evening when pond spotting. About eight frogs were spotted one torchlight expedition. This one was still long enough for a photo opportunity.
Features like the pond are there for everyone to enjoy and learn about our local urban environment. And primarily they are there for the wildlife. We want it to be their home and it is important that we look after them and not disturb them.
Look but don't touch or mess them about!
This applies in the upper garden mainly, but also to some extent in the verges of the lower section. Children can explore but must be closely supervised particularly in the garden and habitat areas.
The original Little Free Library was refurbished over the winter months and was back and hungry more page-turning action by Mid-March! Many thanks to Jackie for the decorations. Along with the fresh artwork, it was upgraded to be better than ever. We kept the original door and artwork (with a little touch up) as a reminder of its origins.
Spring once again saw the lower section become a hive of frenetic children's activities, as the play area became the place to be. It's great to see that area being used so much and that it is so valued by our young families.
Just for information of members, a WhatsApp gardening group to allow easier communication was also set up for member gardeners. If you are a member and would like to join in, talk to Mark to get an invitation link.
Winter 2021-2 (Dec-Feb)
So as winter rolled on we tried to interpret the political winds on restrictions and the rules on opening and closing. Finally we felt the traditional Yule Log festival could go ahead. Indeed should go ahead. Indeed it did go ahead. It was a success. Once again, it was really popular and turned out to be a great night.
It was suitably augmented with a travelling Lantern Parade to add yet more appropriate ceremony. Two lantern making workshops were planned for the 4th and 12th December. The workshops were organised and led by a prominent local artist and occupational therapist, Emma Myers. Emma provided the materials and direction to help participants make a suitable lantern for the parade. Only the best made it through the ruthless cut. (Not really…everyone's did).
And there was drama! The whole event was thrown into complete chaos and could have been completely cancelled, as it was discovered that the pandemic and changing guidelines had meant that there was no seasoned log!
The hour approached, we tried every possible avenue and it looked like we would have nothing to sacrifice. At the last minute, our friends at Gristwood and Toms came up trumps. And within that 11th hour we had a suitable candidate delivered to our gate.
The lantern procession took place from 4pm and looked spectacular as they moved around the local streets culminating in the lighting of the Yule Log.
Yes. A buffet was enjoyed amongst the decorations in the garden with background music from Mark's festive playlist, which appropriately included the jovial festive Prodigy tune "Firestarter".
And we introduced the brand new Fire Pit. And that proved a great success…though it was an emotional and bittersweet moment, as I was very attached to the auld brazier.
Things change and we move on. Be thankful you never see the ode penned. :-)
Bring on Spring.
It was suitably augmented with a travelling Lantern Parade to add yet more appropriate ceremony. Two lantern making workshops were planned for the 4th and 12th December. The workshops were organised and led by a prominent local artist and occupational therapist, Emma Myers. Emma provided the materials and direction to help participants make a suitable lantern for the parade. Only the best made it through the ruthless cut. (Not really…everyone's did).
And there was drama! The whole event was thrown into complete chaos and could have been completely cancelled, as it was discovered that the pandemic and changing guidelines had meant that there was no seasoned log!
The hour approached, we tried every possible avenue and it looked like we would have nothing to sacrifice. At the last minute, our friends at Gristwood and Toms came up trumps. And within that 11th hour we had a suitable candidate delivered to our gate.
The lantern procession took place from 4pm and looked spectacular as they moved around the local streets culminating in the lighting of the Yule Log.
Yes. A buffet was enjoyed amongst the decorations in the garden with background music from Mark's festive playlist, which appropriately included the jovial festive Prodigy tune "Firestarter".
And we introduced the brand new Fire Pit. And that proved a great success…though it was an emotional and bittersweet moment, as I was very attached to the auld brazier.
Things change and we move on. Be thankful you never see the ode penned. :-)
Bring on Spring.
Autumn 2021 (Sep-Nov)
Wow. Welcome to Autumn. Not much goes on project-wise when the weather closes in.
Everything had been closed so long it seemed we would never be safe again.
Despite this, regular gardening sessions happened each Thursday morning (and first Saturday of every month). Led stoically by Karen every week from 10am to 12 midday, these helped to keep on top of seasonal tasks such as weeding, pruning and deadheading. Actually it is more fun than it sounds….if you like cutting the heads off things.
So, let's see about working on the compost bins. Sounds great, right, but these are critical to the inner workings of our garden. You need to look closely why that is. The compost bin is a hothouse for our organic waste. That makes a huge difference.
The fantastic Forest School sessions continued with lots of activities around nature pictures, wood whittling and sawing and toasting marshmallows around a fire pit.
Repairs were made around the Boule (some may call it petanque) piste and new planters were created out of recycled sleepers and donated wood.
Volunteers also did our annual cutback of the cow parsley in the meadow before it set seed. We started harvesting some early crops which were shared among the volunteers.
New gardeners and others are always more than welcome.
Everything had been closed so long it seemed we would never be safe again.
Despite this, regular gardening sessions happened each Thursday morning (and first Saturday of every month). Led stoically by Karen every week from 10am to 12 midday, these helped to keep on top of seasonal tasks such as weeding, pruning and deadheading. Actually it is more fun than it sounds….if you like cutting the heads off things.
So, let's see about working on the compost bins. Sounds great, right, but these are critical to the inner workings of our garden. You need to look closely why that is. The compost bin is a hothouse for our organic waste. That makes a huge difference.
The fantastic Forest School sessions continued with lots of activities around nature pictures, wood whittling and sawing and toasting marshmallows around a fire pit.
Repairs were made around the Boule (some may call it petanque) piste and new planters were created out of recycled sleepers and donated wood.
Volunteers also did our annual cutback of the cow parsley in the meadow before it set seed. We started harvesting some early crops which were shared among the volunteers.
New gardeners and others are always more than welcome.
Summer 2021 (Jun-Aug)
Unlike us, the garden has not been standing still. We are very pleased this year with progress to date with the plants and wildlife.
Having said that, the summer has seen us opening up a bit and the garden has embraced this with a few events and happenings.
We were delighted to be able to take part again in the E17 Art Trail this year in July (1st to 17th) Local artist, Hattie Collins, held three workshops with younger garden members on flag and bunting painting; cyanotype printing and making bottle tops bugs. All were really well supported and great fun - for the grownups too! All the artwork created was then exhibited on the wonderfully sunny final weekend of the Trail when we welcomed over 100 visitors. Check out the photos of the artwork on
https://www.instagram.com/greenwayavecommunity/
Our Forest School sessions with Strawberry Harlequin continue to be really popular and always sell out quickly! Frances and the team led sessions over three weeks this summer focusing on nature-based games, skills and activities. Painting with mud; fire setting and toasting treats; learning how to use a saw and whittle wood were just some of the fun activities everyone too part in. Wonder what's in store for the autumn sessions?
Pond-wise, we had great results with plenty of frog spawn and hundreds of tadpoles which then developed legs over the summer. We were not sure why, but once they got the hind legs they seemed to go their own way. We were perplexed. We contacted an expert, Emily Millhouse at (London) Tails of Amphibian Discovery (T.O.A.D) and she said:
"Once they are about the size of a 5p coin with their 4 limbs they tend to leave the pond and will be looking to feast for the late summer/ autumn months outside of the pond, pretty much consuming any small beetles, bugs or flies they can find. Froglets don’t tend to go much further than about 250m from the pond in their first year, so it’s likely they are about under log piles, hibernacula, plant pots etc. just fattening up for winter hibernation. It is also at this stage where their numbers may become slightly depleted as birds, especially crows in London, tend to pick a few off. But post-winter the cycle will begin again and you’ll have more frogspawn so all is well!"
Great sleuthing. Hopefully, come next spring at least some of them will be back to carry on that cycle.
So, we move on into the next phase....
Having said that, the summer has seen us opening up a bit and the garden has embraced this with a few events and happenings.
We were delighted to be able to take part again in the E17 Art Trail this year in July (1st to 17th) Local artist, Hattie Collins, held three workshops with younger garden members on flag and bunting painting; cyanotype printing and making bottle tops bugs. All were really well supported and great fun - for the grownups too! All the artwork created was then exhibited on the wonderfully sunny final weekend of the Trail when we welcomed over 100 visitors. Check out the photos of the artwork on
https://www.instagram.com/greenwayavecommunity/
Our Forest School sessions with Strawberry Harlequin continue to be really popular and always sell out quickly! Frances and the team led sessions over three weeks this summer focusing on nature-based games, skills and activities. Painting with mud; fire setting and toasting treats; learning how to use a saw and whittle wood were just some of the fun activities everyone too part in. Wonder what's in store for the autumn sessions?
Pond-wise, we had great results with plenty of frog spawn and hundreds of tadpoles which then developed legs over the summer. We were not sure why, but once they got the hind legs they seemed to go their own way. We were perplexed. We contacted an expert, Emily Millhouse at (London) Tails of Amphibian Discovery (T.O.A.D) and she said:
"Once they are about the size of a 5p coin with their 4 limbs they tend to leave the pond and will be looking to feast for the late summer/ autumn months outside of the pond, pretty much consuming any small beetles, bugs or flies they can find. Froglets don’t tend to go much further than about 250m from the pond in their first year, so it’s likely they are about under log piles, hibernacula, plant pots etc. just fattening up for winter hibernation. It is also at this stage where their numbers may become slightly depleted as birds, especially crows in London, tend to pick a few off. But post-winter the cycle will begin again and you’ll have more frogspawn so all is well!"
Great sleuthing. Hopefully, come next spring at least some of them will be back to carry on that cycle.
So, we move on into the next phase....
Spring 2021 (March - May)
The season started off well this year with some very warm days and the promise of a slow reducing of restrictions due to the pandemic. The warm days then gave way to a bit of a chilly spell, then a very wet middle patch before ending warmer as we would have hoped all along. Despite the cool spring weather, it was great to see so many members visiting the garden.
Gardeners emerged also from hibernation and ideas and plans were developed for the new gardening year. There were also some additions planned for the lower court play area. There was a thorough clear out of old and unusable toys and some replacements brought in as well.
Wildlife wise, by mid-March we had signs of frog spawn indicating that the pond ecosystem heading in the right direction. We did have another outbreak of the blanket weed but this seemed a lot less intrusive than last time and we have been putting some effort in with the "twiddling sticks" to shift that. By May the little guys were about a centimetre across the head! Quite clearly enjoying the environment. They could often be seen gathered up in groups feeding off the tasty scum and build up on the pond liner (unverified flavour claim!).
Gardeners emerged also from hibernation and ideas and plans were developed for the new gardening year. There were also some additions planned for the lower court play area. There was a thorough clear out of old and unusable toys and some replacements brought in as well.
Wildlife wise, by mid-March we had signs of frog spawn indicating that the pond ecosystem heading in the right direction. We did have another outbreak of the blanket weed but this seemed a lot less intrusive than last time and we have been putting some effort in with the "twiddling sticks" to shift that. By May the little guys were about a centimetre across the head! Quite clearly enjoying the environment. They could often be seen gathered up in groups feeding off the tasty scum and build up on the pond liner (unverified flavour claim!).
This Spring we have had some willing Duke of Edinburgh award participants (Tom Shann and Jason Lane) carrying out some volunteering and adding some colour, doing things like tidying, litter picking and painting benches, signs and the Wendy house to protect it from the elements.
We must offer our thanks to Frances at Strawberry Harlequin for the fantastic Forest School sessions in the first weeks of April. Wood whittling, making fires, mud and flower pictures, leaf printing, games and stories have all proved really popular with younger garden members. If you haven't been able to attend these sessions (and they are booked up really quickly!), Frances will be back…
The annual Capital Growth celebration of food growing in community spaces was cancelled in 2020, but this year we were delighted to be able to take part. We held a number of free sessions, albeit restricted in line with all health guidelines with limited numbers and activities and prebooking essential.
Saturday 24th April saw the Sowing and Growing session for experienced and less experienced gardeners from from 10 to 11.30am where attendees helped sow broad beans and salad crops and plant out spring cabbages, calabrese and cauliflowers in our prepared veggie beds.
Then on the Sunday (25th), there was a session for our younger garden members, making a mini bug hotel to take home and help attract minibeasts into the garden.
At the same time on both days, we conducted a Plant and Seed Swap/Giveaway! Members were encouraged to bring something to swap or donate or even find that special plant for a gap in their border or window box! Social distancing was observed at all times.
From our Instagram site: https://www.instagram.com/p/CNdD5sino0H/
Of course, other activities have been ongoing and the garden looks as good as ever as the plants once again take hold. Karen also invested in some flash netting to keep off the bugs from getting in where we don't want them!
It's been quite a damp spring this year so as it dries out and warms up we are looking toward a bumper summer in the garden.
Remember, if you are interested in getting more involved and helping with gardening, looking after the play space or have ideas for activities, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the committee.
Winter - Dec 2020 to February 2021
Over winter the garden has been very busy! Lockdown restrictions and a focus on the benefits of being outdoors brought a whole raft of welcome new members, in particular more young families, which is great news. Membership numbers have never been healthier. The lower play area, in particular, has been well used and the garden has often been filled with the delighted voices of young people taking advantage of the great open play space available.
News has clearly spread!
We have also received new toys from the sad closure of the Peterhouse Play Group and it looks like we will have another playhouse in the new gardening year donated by a member to add to the play site.
Inevitably less work has been possible on infrastructure projects but progress has been made on creating and developing wildlife habitats. Some high-density bat living quarters are now ready for inspection by prospective tenants and the pond continues to settle in, offering a welcome haven for insects and amphibians. A new hibernaculum (providing winter shelter for a range of wildlife) next to the pond has been created. Future plans include refurbishing the bug hotel and installing more bird, bat and bee boxes and feeders and seeding more areas for wildlife and bee meadows.
These features are there for everyone to enjoy and learn about our local urban environment but primarily they are there for the wildlife. We want it to be their home and it is important that we look after them and not disturb them. Look but don't touch! This applies in the upper garden mainly, but also to some extent in the verges of the lower section. This is why we ask that children are supervised in the garden/habitat areas.
We are still eagerly awaiting changes in the national restrictions before we start on more jobs. Installing the guard rail and surrounds for the pond area is one such job. In the meantime, it remains a bit of a construction site so it would be safer if children were encouraged to stay clear, particularly of the upper end of the pond and from playing near building materials.
We're looking forward to taking part in the Good to Grow event from 23 to 26 April and are planning modest, socially distant activities for members. More info will be available in a future newsletter.
Looking forward to a brighter Spring and positive year in the garden.
News has clearly spread!
We have also received new toys from the sad closure of the Peterhouse Play Group and it looks like we will have another playhouse in the new gardening year donated by a member to add to the play site.
Inevitably less work has been possible on infrastructure projects but progress has been made on creating and developing wildlife habitats. Some high-density bat living quarters are now ready for inspection by prospective tenants and the pond continues to settle in, offering a welcome haven for insects and amphibians. A new hibernaculum (providing winter shelter for a range of wildlife) next to the pond has been created. Future plans include refurbishing the bug hotel and installing more bird, bat and bee boxes and feeders and seeding more areas for wildlife and bee meadows.
These features are there for everyone to enjoy and learn about our local urban environment but primarily they are there for the wildlife. We want it to be their home and it is important that we look after them and not disturb them. Look but don't touch! This applies in the upper garden mainly, but also to some extent in the verges of the lower section. This is why we ask that children are supervised in the garden/habitat areas.
We are still eagerly awaiting changes in the national restrictions before we start on more jobs. Installing the guard rail and surrounds for the pond area is one such job. In the meantime, it remains a bit of a construction site so it would be safer if children were encouraged to stay clear, particularly of the upper end of the pond and from playing near building materials.
We're looking forward to taking part in the Good to Grow event from 23 to 26 April and are planning modest, socially distant activities for members. More info will be available in a future newsletter.
Looking forward to a brighter Spring and positive year in the garden.
Summer / Autumn 2020
Well, it's not been much of a year this year. One to forget. So as the summer faded away and autumn leaves dropped, we didn't see much go on at all by way of events and happenings. We didn't feel it was appropriate to do it.
The gutter grow did yield a crop of tomatoes and we saw a modest return from our planting efforts for the year. Of which, most was shared amongst the local volunteers. We also made squash and veg donations to PL84U All-Suffa. They are a local food bank and soup kitchen doing great work amongst the hardest hit in our community.
One thing that did change this year is that we saw a big uplift in people utilising the lower area play space. It seems that young families have picked up on it as a safe space to take their children for their daily exercise.
Our membership numbers have swelled also as a result. In particular from these young families, so that is very heartening progress indeed.
We also hosted socially-distanced series of Forest Schools over the summer and autumn. These proved as popular as ever and we hope to continue them in the future. Thanks must go to Frances for running these inspirational events.
Autumn passed by quietly. It was a wet start and so the water tanks and pond were at capacity pretty much before the end of October. Ready for the new year.
Some of the wildflower seeds planted on the hibernaculum managed to take root. That will give them a head start for next Spring. A small rockery built around the slope will reduce runoff and also limit future damage. The promising start with sightings of frog life did not seem to develop. So we are unsure if there are any winter residents this year. We do have high hopes for 2021. They must be self-isolating.
Not much was done project-wise. Of course, Karen led the volunteers in the garden maintenance and overwintering process. Always with appropraite safety and social distancing measures in place.
A small raised bed appeared next to the pond. A pear tree has been relocated there. It was unhappy where it was. Hopefully it will provide some summer shade to the pond and fruit going forward when it matures. A donated yucca has also taken up residence beside the pond and we will decide what to do with it in the new year!
The wildlife interpretation boards are now up and they look pretty good. They give information about pond life, urban wildlife, moths and butterflies, as well as other "creepy crawlies".
These signs were sourced from The Osprey Company. Check them out!
We finally fired up the wildlife camera. Setting it up in various location we have managed to grab some footage. Not just of ourselves coming and going, either. Of actual night residents in the garden.
Graham set up a cat food "bait" one evening to see what would come up to the camera and we got pictures of a....cat.
Though, we should add that later that evening a fox appeared as well. It carried the plate away a few yards and proceeeded to use it as a loo to show what he thought on having a late call for dinner.
So, as we head into the new year, we all hope that 2021 holds a lot more for us to do. We want to be able to once again fully enjoy the resource. In the meantime, we would ask that everyone stay safe. Observe all guidelines during the pandemic when visiting the garden.
Hand sanitisation stations have been installed so be sure to use them. Keep appropriate distance. Wear a mask when required and stick to the guideline numbers.
Please, the community garden is about the community. It doesn't have the luxury of paid staff and is looked after by willing volunteers. So it is everybody's responsibility to ensure that it is cared for and used properly.
Please remember:
See you all again soon in 2021!
The gutter grow did yield a crop of tomatoes and we saw a modest return from our planting efforts for the year. Of which, most was shared amongst the local volunteers. We also made squash and veg donations to PL84U All-Suffa. They are a local food bank and soup kitchen doing great work amongst the hardest hit in our community.
One thing that did change this year is that we saw a big uplift in people utilising the lower area play space. It seems that young families have picked up on it as a safe space to take their children for their daily exercise.
Our membership numbers have swelled also as a result. In particular from these young families, so that is very heartening progress indeed.
We also hosted socially-distanced series of Forest Schools over the summer and autumn. These proved as popular as ever and we hope to continue them in the future. Thanks must go to Frances for running these inspirational events.
Autumn passed by quietly. It was a wet start and so the water tanks and pond were at capacity pretty much before the end of October. Ready for the new year.
Some of the wildflower seeds planted on the hibernaculum managed to take root. That will give them a head start for next Spring. A small rockery built around the slope will reduce runoff and also limit future damage. The promising start with sightings of frog life did not seem to develop. So we are unsure if there are any winter residents this year. We do have high hopes for 2021. They must be self-isolating.
Not much was done project-wise. Of course, Karen led the volunteers in the garden maintenance and overwintering process. Always with appropraite safety and social distancing measures in place.
A small raised bed appeared next to the pond. A pear tree has been relocated there. It was unhappy where it was. Hopefully it will provide some summer shade to the pond and fruit going forward when it matures. A donated yucca has also taken up residence beside the pond and we will decide what to do with it in the new year!
The wildlife interpretation boards are now up and they look pretty good. They give information about pond life, urban wildlife, moths and butterflies, as well as other "creepy crawlies".
These signs were sourced from The Osprey Company. Check them out!
We finally fired up the wildlife camera. Setting it up in various location we have managed to grab some footage. Not just of ourselves coming and going, either. Of actual night residents in the garden.
Graham set up a cat food "bait" one evening to see what would come up to the camera and we got pictures of a....cat.
Though, we should add that later that evening a fox appeared as well. It carried the plate away a few yards and proceeeded to use it as a loo to show what he thought on having a late call for dinner.
So, as we head into the new year, we all hope that 2021 holds a lot more for us to do. We want to be able to once again fully enjoy the resource. In the meantime, we would ask that everyone stay safe. Observe all guidelines during the pandemic when visiting the garden.
Hand sanitisation stations have been installed so be sure to use them. Keep appropriate distance. Wear a mask when required and stick to the guideline numbers.
Please, the community garden is about the community. It doesn't have the luxury of paid staff and is looked after by willing volunteers. So it is everybody's responsibility to ensure that it is cared for and used properly.
Please remember:
- Treat all parts of the garden with due respect
- Take all your rubbish home with you
- Supervise children at all times in all parts of the garden
- The top court garden is not a playground
See you all again soon in 2021!
Spring 2020
Well, according to the BBC (around 29 May), it was the driest spring on record. Perfect weather to be locked down in the UK.
In any event, the garden still gets on with its usual activities of sprouting and budding and as usual it did not let us down with its springtime floral display.
It seems to be doing very well.
A few of us have been pottering - planting, sowing, weeding, mowing, tidying, working on the pond and a few other jobs too. Some of those had been on the "to do" list for some time. I mention the "elevated water tank" as one such.
"Team Watering" have been doing a great job at keeping the fruit trees and bushes, veggies, hop and selected other things going in the recent very dry spell. Thanks should go to all involved.
Members naturally also took advantage of one of the membership benefits of full access (while maintaining social distance) over the season and it did seem to be very well attended, particularly on those balmy spring afternoons and evenings.
Families particularly enjoyed the play facilities and also showed a lot of interest in the new wildlife pond taking shape. To be expected. :-)
But it's not all humdrum business as usual and in these interesting times, interesting things have also been going on in the garden as well (not that the other stuff isn't, mind you!).
In terms of the GCF funding, the guard rail and transitional border work stalled a bit owing to the lockdown and subsequent reduction in skill base and labour.
Some smaller jobs did however see progress.
The fabulous new information boards are ready to be installed once things get back to some semblance of normalcy.
The pilot gutter grow automatic watering system pushed forward and was completed and planted in early June. We have 5 buckets with tomatoes planted. One of which has a mix of our own garden compost as a test case. The test really now is to see which one as we forgot which we put it in. It's our little experiment.
The hibernaculum was dug in and installed beside the pond. Seeds were planted on the top of the hibernaculum, however, some torrential downpours (one of the few days) and also some damage from some visitors using it as a bike jump and foothill meant that there is little to show for that.
Also regrettably, there was an instance where large pieces of rubble were found thrown into the pond, the sharp edges of which could have damaged the lining.
Please, we ask that all young children be fully and properly supervised in the garden to ensure they are kept from activities that may cause damage to equipment or facilities.
The pond itself seems to have come alive already and we have spotted lovely iridescent green, red and blue dragonflies at work. There are also plenty of other insects and wildlife moving in, but as yet, no sign of much anticipated frogs or newts. Stay tuned, as it is only a matter of time.
In any event, the garden still gets on with its usual activities of sprouting and budding and as usual it did not let us down with its springtime floral display.
It seems to be doing very well.
A few of us have been pottering - planting, sowing, weeding, mowing, tidying, working on the pond and a few other jobs too. Some of those had been on the "to do" list for some time. I mention the "elevated water tank" as one such.
"Team Watering" have been doing a great job at keeping the fruit trees and bushes, veggies, hop and selected other things going in the recent very dry spell. Thanks should go to all involved.
Members naturally also took advantage of one of the membership benefits of full access (while maintaining social distance) over the season and it did seem to be very well attended, particularly on those balmy spring afternoons and evenings.
Families particularly enjoyed the play facilities and also showed a lot of interest in the new wildlife pond taking shape. To be expected. :-)
But it's not all humdrum business as usual and in these interesting times, interesting things have also been going on in the garden as well (not that the other stuff isn't, mind you!).
In terms of the GCF funding, the guard rail and transitional border work stalled a bit owing to the lockdown and subsequent reduction in skill base and labour.
Some smaller jobs did however see progress.
The fabulous new information boards are ready to be installed once things get back to some semblance of normalcy.
The pilot gutter grow automatic watering system pushed forward and was completed and planted in early June. We have 5 buckets with tomatoes planted. One of which has a mix of our own garden compost as a test case. The test really now is to see which one as we forgot which we put it in. It's our little experiment.
The hibernaculum was dug in and installed beside the pond. Seeds were planted on the top of the hibernaculum, however, some torrential downpours (one of the few days) and also some damage from some visitors using it as a bike jump and foothill meant that there is little to show for that.
Also regrettably, there was an instance where large pieces of rubble were found thrown into the pond, the sharp edges of which could have damaged the lining.
Please, we ask that all young children be fully and properly supervised in the garden to ensure they are kept from activities that may cause damage to equipment or facilities.
The pond itself seems to have come alive already and we have spotted lovely iridescent green, red and blue dragonflies at work. There are also plenty of other insects and wildlife moving in, but as yet, no sign of much anticipated frogs or newts. Stay tuned, as it is only a matter of time.
Birds are also exploring the new feature as we witnessed a robin go fully in for a drink and a pair of sparrows attempt to grab a meal of a dragonfly. No luck.
In May around the 29th, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopus Minor) was spotted at the garden, flying right up to the pond and landing about 8 feet up on the trunk of tree next door.
This is not a photo of that one as it flew away before we could pull out our phones. According to this web page, numbering only 2,000 breeding pairs in total in the UK, they have been subject to intense decline since the 1970s and are, therefore, classified as Red Status on the IUCN list of endangered and threatened species.
You can find out more about this little fellow here: http://voice.gardenbird.co.uk/all-about-the-lesser-spotted-woodpecker/
In May around the 29th, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopus Minor) was spotted at the garden, flying right up to the pond and landing about 8 feet up on the trunk of tree next door.
This is not a photo of that one as it flew away before we could pull out our phones. According to this web page, numbering only 2,000 breeding pairs in total in the UK, they have been subject to intense decline since the 1970s and are, therefore, classified as Red Status on the IUCN list of endangered and threatened species.
You can find out more about this little fellow here: http://voice.gardenbird.co.uk/all-about-the-lesser-spotted-woodpecker/
From the end of May, the garden joined with Forest Flora to lead the folks “Up The Garden Path”. Designed to enable the community to enjoy gardens across the borough of Waltham Forest. Visitors were asked to observe the latest Government Guidelines around social distancing. The initiative opened to positive local social media coverage. Our plant pot flower marked us out as participating.
Find out more at the Forest Flora website: https://forestflora.co.uk/
Find out more at the Forest Flora website: https://forestflora.co.uk/
LOCKDOWN REMINDER: We should just remind visitors that we are still in lockdown. If you visit the garden remember to keep it locked at all times.
Unless the garden is open to the public, you should always remember when you enter and leave make sure to make sure it is securely closed. Reattach the lock to the gate, check that the lock clasp is closed properly and scramble the combination. That last point is important for security. Surprising how many times we have found it left improperly attached and therefore open to a whole host of misuse.
Unless the garden is open to the public, you should always remember when you enter and leave make sure to make sure it is securely closed. Reattach the lock to the gate, check that the lock clasp is closed properly and scramble the combination. That last point is important for security. Surprising how many times we have found it left improperly attached and therefore open to a whole host of misuse.
Winter 2019/20
Winter once again has come and gone. It was a lot quieter as usual, but that is not to say that a lot did not get done over the period.
The garden closed to the public around the end of October, but the usual gardening days carried on, of course. We also had a Seed Swap event on the 1st March along with a garden consultation, which presented an opportunity for everyone to come along and offer ideas for the coming year.
The Yule Log celebration went ahead again this year in mid-December, with the Forest Choir to accompany the good cheer and helped see out another successful year in the garden.
Along with that we plugged on with more work towards the completion of the Greener City Fund’s Greener Greenway project outputs. We also submitted our final report and attended the GCF Grants Celebration Event at the City Hall, where all of the recipients gathered to network and talk about their projects. Fancy!
One of those outputs, our wildlife pond, continues to progress, however, winter did take its toll and slowed things up a bit with various injuries, ailments and holiday breaks that affected the key building group and therefore the momentum.
So, we are a bit behind schedule, nevertheless, the main components – water and plants – are all there in readiness for some residents in the Spring. Or at least we are hopeful.
The guard rail fence has arrived on site and is waiting to be installed. From there we will look at the transitional environment and a few other cosmetic bits and pieces and it should all be finished.
Whilst this is not a great photo, it gives you an idea of the current state of play and shows that one end is shallower and stepped, opening directly up to that meadow area so that animals can get in and out. You can just about see some of the planting we have undertaken already. The other end will be able to be opened (when supervised) to enable educational and fun activities for children.
BIG THANKS to Tim Hewitt from the St. Mary's up in the village for sharing pond plants and giving advice. Dave helped out as well with the mesh work and surrounds.
At the recent GCF celebration, it may surprise most that Tony learnt a new word. Hibernaculum. Defined as the location chosen by an animal for hibernation.
So following on with that we are now also making plans for our very own hibernaculum to go alongside the pond. You can see in the photo a few rocks already piled up, which is where we are thinking of hosting it.
We are also in touch with Froglife, a charity dedicated to the welfare of all things amphibian and reptilian. Hopefully, we will be able to get them involved this year with a talk or some advice on the best way forward.
https://www.froglife.org/
So, as you can see, it wasn’t really that quiet at all.
As the new shoots start to show and spring warms the earth, why not join us and get involved in the new growing year!
The garden closed to the public around the end of October, but the usual gardening days carried on, of course. We also had a Seed Swap event on the 1st March along with a garden consultation, which presented an opportunity for everyone to come along and offer ideas for the coming year.
The Yule Log celebration went ahead again this year in mid-December, with the Forest Choir to accompany the good cheer and helped see out another successful year in the garden.
Along with that we plugged on with more work towards the completion of the Greener City Fund’s Greener Greenway project outputs. We also submitted our final report and attended the GCF Grants Celebration Event at the City Hall, where all of the recipients gathered to network and talk about their projects. Fancy!
One of those outputs, our wildlife pond, continues to progress, however, winter did take its toll and slowed things up a bit with various injuries, ailments and holiday breaks that affected the key building group and therefore the momentum.
So, we are a bit behind schedule, nevertheless, the main components – water and plants – are all there in readiness for some residents in the Spring. Or at least we are hopeful.
The guard rail fence has arrived on site and is waiting to be installed. From there we will look at the transitional environment and a few other cosmetic bits and pieces and it should all be finished.
Whilst this is not a great photo, it gives you an idea of the current state of play and shows that one end is shallower and stepped, opening directly up to that meadow area so that animals can get in and out. You can just about see some of the planting we have undertaken already. The other end will be able to be opened (when supervised) to enable educational and fun activities for children.
BIG THANKS to Tim Hewitt from the St. Mary's up in the village for sharing pond plants and giving advice. Dave helped out as well with the mesh work and surrounds.
At the recent GCF celebration, it may surprise most that Tony learnt a new word. Hibernaculum. Defined as the location chosen by an animal for hibernation.
So following on with that we are now also making plans for our very own hibernaculum to go alongside the pond. You can see in the photo a few rocks already piled up, which is where we are thinking of hosting it.
We are also in touch with Froglife, a charity dedicated to the welfare of all things amphibian and reptilian. Hopefully, we will be able to get them involved this year with a talk or some advice on the best way forward.
https://www.froglife.org/
So, as you can see, it wasn’t really that quiet at all.
As the new shoots start to show and spring warms the earth, why not join us and get involved in the new growing year!
Summer 2019
This report stretches through to September as we seemed to have such a long summer this year and it really did not feel at all like Autumn until almost October.
Socially, we held our regular events, with the main one being the Summer Arts & Music Festival on Saturday 15th June.
The festival ran from 3pm right up until 9pm and there was a fantastic line up of local artists, poets, singers and storytellers, as well as performances from Waltham Forest Community Choir.
Refreshments, tea, coffee, soft drinks and cake were available as always and the festival started with an art workshop for children with Mo Gallaccio from 3pm.
Performances got underway at 4.30pm. The evening was rounded off with an open mic at which everyone was welcomed to perform.
The event was listed on the London Borough of Culture website as part of their year-long celebrations.
https://wfculture19.co.uk/events/greenway-garden-festival
We have been really busy this growing year, in particular with the added variety and volumes that resulted from the new greenhouse. We all agreed it has been a successful introduction to the garden offering, thanks to the Greener City Fund (GCF) funded by the Greater London Authority.
While we were active with our planting and growing and other activities, we were also very focussed on continuing apace with our developments as part of the GCF "Greener Greenway" project.
Over summer we added several new features. One of the main drivers behind making such good progress was our first Permablitz, which took place on the 21st September after some months of planning and preparation.
On the day, a team of about 15 Permablitzers descended on the garden to undertake their good works. Results were good and in fact beyond expectations! A great example of teamwork and co-operation to achieve a common goal.
Along with the Permablitz team, Friends group and garden members were also on hand to assist and chip in.
The wildlife pond came into being, as did the Gutter Grow pilot and the "Wall of Thyme".
We also added a herb spiral. While not part of the GCF funding, it is certainly big on Permaculture credentials!
The herb spiral itself is a permaculture favourite. It offers a lovely feature for the garden and it is a wonderful way to have a number of culinary or medical herbs in one place.
What makes herb spirals unique is their design which maximizes space while creating different little micro climates which create extra heat or shade depending on the herb's preferences.
Many herbs are of Mediterranean origin and prefer sandy soil and dry conditions. Other herbs prefer cooler climes, a little shade and moist soil.
Over the coming seasons we will look at filling it out more and developing the herb selection as it evolves.
As mentioned earlier, we also kicked off our building of the "Wall of Thyme". You'll not miss it as it is the red (Mary Berry, I am reliably informed) A-frame structure sitting on the tarmac near the fence. More details on that later, but suffice to say it is all painted up ready for the next phase.
Meanwhile, the wildlife pond, while not the costliest, it is, in terms of scope, probably the biggest of our planned outputs from the Greener City Fund.
When completed, it will also broaden our educational offer to members and also bring benefits for the garden biodiversity.
We should thank our friends The Conservation Volunteers, who, led ably again by Gareth with 3 other volunteers and one from the Friends, undertook preliminary excavation and some construction work before the main event.
On the day the Permablitz team led on phase 2 of the wildlife build with the forming work, pond shelving and the installation of the butyl liner.
In terms of the work on the day, we tried to keep true to the principles of permaculture with the help and guidance of a young, enthusiastic pond designer in the group.
What we are finding is that nature and the environment itself is almost dictating the time line for delivery. It is an organic thing and by working with the natural cycles, nature almost helps us to achieve our goals. Such is the Permaculture way.
For instance, on reflection, looking at the fact that the weather has been more suited to filling it so quickly once the autumnal months struck means that building and therefore stocking later may in fact have been a positive outcome.
Judging by the current rate at which it is filling, we are relatively confident that it will be filled by the end of November.
{Postscript: it already had well before then!}
Over the dry summer months, the pond would not have not had the priming that the recent torrential downpours offered and any planting would have struggled. Now we will be able to plant into a proper body of water that will enable the plants to thrive immediately after they are planted.
With the winter approaching, we will take advice on the best time to plant in order to reduce stress on the plants and to increase their chances of survival, but we would look to plant in readiness for the new spring season.
The water will take a few weeks to settle the butyl liner. In the meantime, notwithstanding the colder weather, we could look to do some of the planning and maybe preliminary work to finalise the security mesh, and perhaps the safety rail. Though depending on severity of the season, these we may leave until the weather warms up.
Socially, we held our regular events, with the main one being the Summer Arts & Music Festival on Saturday 15th June.
The festival ran from 3pm right up until 9pm and there was a fantastic line up of local artists, poets, singers and storytellers, as well as performances from Waltham Forest Community Choir.
Refreshments, tea, coffee, soft drinks and cake were available as always and the festival started with an art workshop for children with Mo Gallaccio from 3pm.
Performances got underway at 4.30pm. The evening was rounded off with an open mic at which everyone was welcomed to perform.
The event was listed on the London Borough of Culture website as part of their year-long celebrations.
https://wfculture19.co.uk/events/greenway-garden-festival
We have been really busy this growing year, in particular with the added variety and volumes that resulted from the new greenhouse. We all agreed it has been a successful introduction to the garden offering, thanks to the Greener City Fund (GCF) funded by the Greater London Authority.
While we were active with our planting and growing and other activities, we were also very focussed on continuing apace with our developments as part of the GCF "Greener Greenway" project.
Over summer we added several new features. One of the main drivers behind making such good progress was our first Permablitz, which took place on the 21st September after some months of planning and preparation.
On the day, a team of about 15 Permablitzers descended on the garden to undertake their good works. Results were good and in fact beyond expectations! A great example of teamwork and co-operation to achieve a common goal.
Along with the Permablitz team, Friends group and garden members were also on hand to assist and chip in.
The wildlife pond came into being, as did the Gutter Grow pilot and the "Wall of Thyme".
We also added a herb spiral. While not part of the GCF funding, it is certainly big on Permaculture credentials!
The herb spiral itself is a permaculture favourite. It offers a lovely feature for the garden and it is a wonderful way to have a number of culinary or medical herbs in one place.
What makes herb spirals unique is their design which maximizes space while creating different little micro climates which create extra heat or shade depending on the herb's preferences.
Many herbs are of Mediterranean origin and prefer sandy soil and dry conditions. Other herbs prefer cooler climes, a little shade and moist soil.
Over the coming seasons we will look at filling it out more and developing the herb selection as it evolves.
As mentioned earlier, we also kicked off our building of the "Wall of Thyme". You'll not miss it as it is the red (Mary Berry, I am reliably informed) A-frame structure sitting on the tarmac near the fence. More details on that later, but suffice to say it is all painted up ready for the next phase.
Meanwhile, the wildlife pond, while not the costliest, it is, in terms of scope, probably the biggest of our planned outputs from the Greener City Fund.
When completed, it will also broaden our educational offer to members and also bring benefits for the garden biodiversity.
We should thank our friends The Conservation Volunteers, who, led ably again by Gareth with 3 other volunteers and one from the Friends, undertook preliminary excavation and some construction work before the main event.
On the day the Permablitz team led on phase 2 of the wildlife build with the forming work, pond shelving and the installation of the butyl liner.
In terms of the work on the day, we tried to keep true to the principles of permaculture with the help and guidance of a young, enthusiastic pond designer in the group.
What we are finding is that nature and the environment itself is almost dictating the time line for delivery. It is an organic thing and by working with the natural cycles, nature almost helps us to achieve our goals. Such is the Permaculture way.
For instance, on reflection, looking at the fact that the weather has been more suited to filling it so quickly once the autumnal months struck means that building and therefore stocking later may in fact have been a positive outcome.
Judging by the current rate at which it is filling, we are relatively confident that it will be filled by the end of November.
{Postscript: it already had well before then!}
Over the dry summer months, the pond would not have not had the priming that the recent torrential downpours offered and any planting would have struggled. Now we will be able to plant into a proper body of water that will enable the plants to thrive immediately after they are planted.
With the winter approaching, we will take advice on the best time to plant in order to reduce stress on the plants and to increase their chances of survival, but we would look to plant in readiness for the new spring season.
The water will take a few weeks to settle the butyl liner. In the meantime, notwithstanding the colder weather, we could look to do some of the planning and maybe preliminary work to finalise the security mesh, and perhaps the safety rail. Though depending on severity of the season, these we may leave until the weather warms up.
The gutter grow construction was also taken forward on that day with assistance of a rota of the Permablitz volunteers interested in the concept and led through the work by Mark.
For those who don't know, a gutter grow is a self-watering row of buckets that can be used to grow high-yielding vegetable crops in a kind of hydroponic way....anyway, Mark can explain it better if you see him around the garden!
The September Permablitz operation made very good progress and we are still on schedule to have this completed within the term of this project.
Our sincere thanks go to Lucia, Sara and all of the other Permablitzers that made it such a heart-warmingly remarkable day!
What a busy one it has been! We have lots to do but for a few of us we are looking to have a bit of a rest over the winter months, I think!!
For those who don't know, a gutter grow is a self-watering row of buckets that can be used to grow high-yielding vegetable crops in a kind of hydroponic way....anyway, Mark can explain it better if you see him around the garden!
The September Permablitz operation made very good progress and we are still on schedule to have this completed within the term of this project.
Our sincere thanks go to Lucia, Sara and all of the other Permablitzers that made it such a heart-warmingly remarkable day!
What a busy one it has been! We have lots to do but for a few of us we are looking to have a bit of a rest over the winter months, I think!!
Spring 2019
The Greener City Funding activities got off to a good start and by March 8, the greenhouse had already been installed.
Peter from Greenway Avenue deserves huge thanks for spending time and energy making sure the slabwork was in place, assisted by Tony and Enda. It looked great and a few days later the greenhouse was erected in about four hours by a couple of skilled tradesmen from the suppliers.
It could safely be said that the installation of the greenhouse has transformed the appearance of the garden and already some of the gardeners are utilising it regularly as the new spring planting season gets under way.
Already we are seeing a step change in the planting programme. This greenhouse will be a big feature for the garden in the future and will contribute greatly to making the space a sustainable local resource, further fostering community engagement.
Along with the Gutter Grow system we have planned for this year, the greenhouse will serve to improve food growing potential by enabling a longer growing season and a much wider diversity of crops and plants.
In early March, we also had a visit from Romana Flello from the Listen Local Team of the Royal Court Theatre. They were collaborating with The National Trust and local residents in Waltham Forest on Listen Local, a project commissioned as part of the London Borough of Culture 2019.
The project launched with See the Real, a film competition which invited Waltham Forest residents to make and send the Royal Court a 100 second film of somewhere that is special to them. A selection of the films are shared on the Royal Court website and screened in the borough.
The garden had their moment of fame as well and you can see it here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_UjO9aPIQgKrBPjJHklOZVCsro7tfOX5
Listen Local focussed on listening, creating and celebrating.
Listening - to learn about the people, communities and spaces that make Waltham Forest special;
Creating - bringing together groups of Waltham Forest residents and established artists to explore and create; and
Celebrating - over two weekends in the autumn, new work made by and with local residents.
April 7 saw us out and about this year again as part of the Borough-wide Council clean up in the Waltham Forest Spring Clean. Again our hardy volunteers picked up a variety of materials ranging from litter to full scale fly-tipped rubbish. Appalling how some people choose to exploit other people's neighbourhoods.
Peter from Greenway Avenue deserves huge thanks for spending time and energy making sure the slabwork was in place, assisted by Tony and Enda. It looked great and a few days later the greenhouse was erected in about four hours by a couple of skilled tradesmen from the suppliers.
It could safely be said that the installation of the greenhouse has transformed the appearance of the garden and already some of the gardeners are utilising it regularly as the new spring planting season gets under way.
Already we are seeing a step change in the planting programme. This greenhouse will be a big feature for the garden in the future and will contribute greatly to making the space a sustainable local resource, further fostering community engagement.
Along with the Gutter Grow system we have planned for this year, the greenhouse will serve to improve food growing potential by enabling a longer growing season and a much wider diversity of crops and plants.
In early March, we also had a visit from Romana Flello from the Listen Local Team of the Royal Court Theatre. They were collaborating with The National Trust and local residents in Waltham Forest on Listen Local, a project commissioned as part of the London Borough of Culture 2019.
The project launched with See the Real, a film competition which invited Waltham Forest residents to make and send the Royal Court a 100 second film of somewhere that is special to them. A selection of the films are shared on the Royal Court website and screened in the borough.
The garden had their moment of fame as well and you can see it here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_UjO9aPIQgKrBPjJHklOZVCsro7tfOX5
Listen Local focussed on listening, creating and celebrating.
Listening - to learn about the people, communities and spaces that make Waltham Forest special;
Creating - bringing together groups of Waltham Forest residents and established artists to explore and create; and
Celebrating - over two weekends in the autumn, new work made by and with local residents.
April 7 saw us out and about this year again as part of the Borough-wide Council clean up in the Waltham Forest Spring Clean. Again our hardy volunteers picked up a variety of materials ranging from litter to full scale fly-tipped rubbish. Appalling how some people choose to exploit other people's neighbourhoods.
Of course we would not be starting the year off right without our annual BIG DIG on Saturday April 27th! And what a fab Big Dig it was! Record numbers attended and a huge amount was achieved as a result.
We were one of 45 gardens and growing spaces in London who took part. The greenhouse significantly increased the planting potential for the new growing year aand this increased potential was evidenced by our first successful crop of chillies being planted.
We were delighted to welcome Sarah from the Big Dig organisers Capital Growth on a return visit to the garden. She was so impressed with our progress since her first visit 5 years ago.
This year we sowed more veggies, weeded, pruned, dug and hoed! And, most importantly, lots of sunflower seeds were sown for our summer display. There'll be a prize for the young green fingered grower who grows the tallest one.
It's all well and good as we forge our way into the new year.
We were one of 45 gardens and growing spaces in London who took part. The greenhouse significantly increased the planting potential for the new growing year aand this increased potential was evidenced by our first successful crop of chillies being planted.
We were delighted to welcome Sarah from the Big Dig organisers Capital Growth on a return visit to the garden. She was so impressed with our progress since her first visit 5 years ago.
This year we sowed more veggies, weeded, pruned, dug and hoed! And, most importantly, lots of sunflower seeds were sown for our summer display. There'll be a prize for the young green fingered grower who grows the tallest one.
It's all well and good as we forge our way into the new year.
Winter 2018/19
Over the latter part of the year, naturally the garden is quieter, with the garden closing for the year to the public around the end of October.
As usual we finished off the season with the scheduled gardening days.
This is the time when spring bulbs are generally planted to bring some colour in the Spring and the garden is made ready for the long winter chill.
December once again saw the now famous traditional Yule Log celebration. This year there was more ceremony than usual. The log was blessed and the children paraded it around the yule circle to it's final destination at the ye (very) auld brazier! There was also was also accompaniment from the Forest Choir and much cheer to be had as well.
Another successful event to see out the year.
As usual we finished off the season with the scheduled gardening days.
This is the time when spring bulbs are generally planted to bring some colour in the Spring and the garden is made ready for the long winter chill.
December once again saw the now famous traditional Yule Log celebration. This year there was more ceremony than usual. The log was blessed and the children paraded it around the yule circle to it's final destination at the ye (very) auld brazier! There was also was also accompaniment from the Forest Choir and much cheer to be had as well.
Another successful event to see out the year.
Spring/Summer 2018
The growing season this year has been somewhat stunted due to the extreme conditions that we saw over the latter few months, with the dry spell really making conditions difficult.
That said, what we did see was that the water collection system seemed to have the capacity to see us through with well over 1000 litres still in store up to when the rains finally came in early August.
Throughout the months starting from March we have had our regular monthly volunteer gardening days where stalwart garden volunteers tend the beds and generally tidy and maintain it to the standard that we see today. Well done to all those who keep it in such good order – you know who you are!! More willing hands are always welcome!
The garden opened on 31st March this year and our first event was the usual Capital Growth Big Dig and we once again we had a terrific turnout to plant flowers, trees and vegetables ready for harvesting later in the year. Our hop that produced so well for us last year has come on well and should yield again this year. Unfortunately, the two new hops did not make it through the parched period and this will be a lesson we take forward for future years.
The Summer Community Big Lunch and Get Together (June 23rd) went well and just seems to improve each year as we find more things to do and generally people look to engage and share in this brilliant space. This is possibly our largest event undertaking for the year, so a huge thank you should go out to everyone who organised and those who came along to make it such a resounding success. Again, thank you to everyone who helped to organise, set-up and clear away.
July 23rd saw our Midsummer evening party, which is quickly becoming a local favourite. General feedback from all the performers was unanimously positive. For some of the Forest Poets it was a return visit as they'd enjoyed previous events so much and it was fantastic to hear such varied work. The Waltham Forest Community Choir loved the space and would be delighted to return. Michael was a great emcee and how amazing to see so much young talent on our doorstep. We also raised more donations for garden upkeep.
Also, this summer the garden partnered with the National Citizens Service (NCS) programme “The Challenge” as part of our push to engage more young people in the garden. The NCS offers opportunities for 15-17 year olds and helps build skills for work and life whilst taking on new challenges and meeting new friends. With a couple of pre-meetings, the young people planned a day of Sporting Challenges (basketball, football, table tennis) and looked to create an artwork for the garden. This took place on Sunday 12th August and out of that we gained this lovely hand printed (literally) work of art!!
We also now have our own Young Trustee, Finn, recently elected onto the committee and he is looking to do several projects in the coming months linked to the garden's ecosystem.
As ever, a huge thanks to the Events Sub Group, who are the driving force behind all the events and without whom we definitely would not be as well organised. To all who help set up, prepare food, take on food and drink serving duties, clear up and generally are around and willing to help, also a huge thank you for the donation of your time and enthusiasm.
That said, what we did see was that the water collection system seemed to have the capacity to see us through with well over 1000 litres still in store up to when the rains finally came in early August.
Throughout the months starting from March we have had our regular monthly volunteer gardening days where stalwart garden volunteers tend the beds and generally tidy and maintain it to the standard that we see today. Well done to all those who keep it in such good order – you know who you are!! More willing hands are always welcome!
The garden opened on 31st March this year and our first event was the usual Capital Growth Big Dig and we once again we had a terrific turnout to plant flowers, trees and vegetables ready for harvesting later in the year. Our hop that produced so well for us last year has come on well and should yield again this year. Unfortunately, the two new hops did not make it through the parched period and this will be a lesson we take forward for future years.
The Summer Community Big Lunch and Get Together (June 23rd) went well and just seems to improve each year as we find more things to do and generally people look to engage and share in this brilliant space. This is possibly our largest event undertaking for the year, so a huge thank you should go out to everyone who organised and those who came along to make it such a resounding success. Again, thank you to everyone who helped to organise, set-up and clear away.
July 23rd saw our Midsummer evening party, which is quickly becoming a local favourite. General feedback from all the performers was unanimously positive. For some of the Forest Poets it was a return visit as they'd enjoyed previous events so much and it was fantastic to hear such varied work. The Waltham Forest Community Choir loved the space and would be delighted to return. Michael was a great emcee and how amazing to see so much young talent on our doorstep. We also raised more donations for garden upkeep.
Also, this summer the garden partnered with the National Citizens Service (NCS) programme “The Challenge” as part of our push to engage more young people in the garden. The NCS offers opportunities for 15-17 year olds and helps build skills for work and life whilst taking on new challenges and meeting new friends. With a couple of pre-meetings, the young people planned a day of Sporting Challenges (basketball, football, table tennis) and looked to create an artwork for the garden. This took place on Sunday 12th August and out of that we gained this lovely hand printed (literally) work of art!!
We also now have our own Young Trustee, Finn, recently elected onto the committee and he is looking to do several projects in the coming months linked to the garden's ecosystem.
As ever, a huge thanks to the Events Sub Group, who are the driving force behind all the events and without whom we definitely would not be as well organised. To all who help set up, prepare food, take on food and drink serving duties, clear up and generally are around and willing to help, also a huge thank you for the donation of your time and enthusiasm.
Finally, on 19th August, a group of us all ventured outside the confines of the garden for a short 20 minute journey up the A104 to take a look at the delightful Copped Hall. I couldn't really put it better, so this is from their website (https://coppedhalltrust.org.uk/):
"Copped Hall is a fine Georgian mansion that is currently under restoration. It is superbly sited on a ridge overlooking its landscaped parkland. The mansion is visible from the M25 which passes through a corner of the park. The mansion and gardens are situated on a site of ancient human habitation. Important buildings were demolished when the present mansion was built.
From 1986-1995 a campaign was successfully fought by a committee comprised of representatives of local conservation societies against repeated large scale aggressive development proposals for the mansion and parkland. Three of these individuals set up the Copped Hall Trust which finally saved the mansion and gardens by purchasing them in 1995. The Corporation of London had already saved the surrounding parkland by purchasing it in 1992. The main aim of the Trust is to permanently protect the site, to carefully restore Copped Hall and its gardens for educational and community benefit. Copped Hall and its gardens are strictly private."
Every one of us agreed that it was truly spectacular and well worth the visit. We finished the day off with a huge lunch at a local hostelry. A great day had by all.
"Copped Hall is a fine Georgian mansion that is currently under restoration. It is superbly sited on a ridge overlooking its landscaped parkland. The mansion is visible from the M25 which passes through a corner of the park. The mansion and gardens are situated on a site of ancient human habitation. Important buildings were demolished when the present mansion was built.
From 1986-1995 a campaign was successfully fought by a committee comprised of representatives of local conservation societies against repeated large scale aggressive development proposals for the mansion and parkland. Three of these individuals set up the Copped Hall Trust which finally saved the mansion and gardens by purchasing them in 1995. The Corporation of London had already saved the surrounding parkland by purchasing it in 1992. The main aim of the Trust is to permanently protect the site, to carefully restore Copped Hall and its gardens for educational and community benefit. Copped Hall and its gardens are strictly private."
Every one of us agreed that it was truly spectacular and well worth the visit. We finished the day off with a huge lunch at a local hostelry. A great day had by all.
15 December 2017 - Winter Garden Party & Yule Log V
Perhaps because it was a little earlier than usual, a Friday night (for reasons beyond our control) or perhaps because the weather was being a little inhospitable, but the numbers were a bit down on last year’s festive yule event.
Nevertheless, about 25 hardy souls, young and old alike, braved the cold and damp to enjoy a bit of revelry around ye Auld Brazier (yes….I have taken it upon myself to name that).
I don’t know what it is, but there is something nice about groups gathering around a fire, sharing food and drink and just generally enjoying each other’s company. I think the Danes call it hygge…but to be fair that is where you are all cosy and warm…this version is a bit more stoic. Still, it was apparent that everyone had a jolly good time and so it goes with the yule log every year.
The log itself had been seasoned well this year and took quickly, burning thoroughly. Over the last couple of years, Tony has kept a stockpile of logs under cover for the year to ensure they get to a nice “vintage”.
There was the usual fare of nibbles and drinks including tea, coffee, mulled wine, cakes and even something a little stronger at times to fortify against the cold.
Another successful year was seen off in style as we packed up for the winter to await the coming Spring.
Nevertheless, about 25 hardy souls, young and old alike, braved the cold and damp to enjoy a bit of revelry around ye Auld Brazier (yes….I have taken it upon myself to name that).
I don’t know what it is, but there is something nice about groups gathering around a fire, sharing food and drink and just generally enjoying each other’s company. I think the Danes call it hygge…but to be fair that is where you are all cosy and warm…this version is a bit more stoic. Still, it was apparent that everyone had a jolly good time and so it goes with the yule log every year.
The log itself had been seasoned well this year and took quickly, burning thoroughly. Over the last couple of years, Tony has kept a stockpile of logs under cover for the year to ensure they get to a nice “vintage”.
There was the usual fare of nibbles and drinks including tea, coffee, mulled wine, cakes and even something a little stronger at times to fortify against the cold.
Another successful year was seen off in style as we packed up for the winter to await the coming Spring.
Autumnal Report - 2018
We finished off our season with our 6th volunteer gardening day, which coincided with the Big Bulb weekend. Many willing hands, young and old, planted up a wide range of spring bulbs donated by the Council. We'll hopefully see the benefits in the spring, bringing much welcome colour after the long winter months. We capped off the morning's hard work with a welcome Soup Lunch made from the year's produce!
Warm dry autumn days also meant that work could be completed building the fort on the lower court. This was reconstructed from some salvaged sections of the Marlowe Road play area, closed when redevelopment work started. The fort looks fantastic and come the spring when it will be officially opened, it will make a wonderful addition to the garden. Our very grateful thanks to Dave and Tony for persistent hard work.
Warm dry autumn days also meant that work could be completed building the fort on the lower court. This was reconstructed from some salvaged sections of the Marlowe Road play area, closed when redevelopment work started. The fort looks fantastic and come the spring when it will be officially opened, it will make a wonderful addition to the garden. Our very grateful thanks to Dave and Tony for persistent hard work.
Sunday 16th July 2017 - Midsummer Party
Fab day had by all and a fantastic display of talent at our Midsummer event. It was an evening of poetry, singing and music, guitar, ukulele and flute. We had opera, American, English and Swedish folk music and Rock too. Poems ranged from growing up in Lancashire to being a teabag. All accompanied by the occasional chainsaw! Of course we can't forget to mention the Pimms and food which was handled by the host with the most, Mark - many thanks for that!
The event just seems to get better every year.
Thanks to everyone who performed and everyone who turned up to make this such a great evening out!
The event just seems to get better every year.
Thanks to everyone who performed and everyone who turned up to make this such a great evening out!
Saturday 24th June 2017 - Summer Community Get Together
A huge thank you to everyone who came along and made our annual event such a success. The weather was much kinder to us than last year and with over 90 people attending it proved to be a huge hit. All the food went down well with the hungry hordes and all contributions were gratefully received. Over £250 raised for the garden throught various activities.
A particular thank you to everyone who helped to organise, set-up and clear away.
A particular thank you to everyone who helped to organise, set-up and clear away.
Saturday 20th May 2017 - 1000 Swifts Over Walthamstow
Walthamstow's wetland will be the biggest urban wetland in Europe . To ensure artists, makers and creators are fully involved with the site, the ‘1000 Swifts over Walthamstow’ project was formed and everyone was invited to be involved. Swifts are iconic to the reservoirs but they are also at risk as they are losing their nesting places in urban development.
Our swifts were built and on display in the garden throughout the E17 Art Trail and will remain over the summer to celebrate the Walthamstow Wetlands and to take part in the 1000 Swifts project!
A huge thank you to the garden members of all ages who created some fantastic swifts!
Our swifts were built and on display in the garden throughout the E17 Art Trail and will remain over the summer to celebrate the Walthamstow Wetlands and to take part in the 1000 Swifts project!
A huge thank you to the garden members of all ages who created some fantastic swifts!
Saturday 22nd April 2017 - The BIG DIG
Our biggest and best Big Dig! We achieved a lot in a short time with so many volunteers and it was great to see some new faces too. The flower and veggie beds were weeded, daffodil heads pinched off, compost turned, strawberries, potatoes and a hop planted. Sunflower seeds and a new bed of wildflower seeds were sown to attract more insects into the garden too. Next time you are in the garden see if you can find the new 'stumpery' - a housing development for insects!
It was also the first outing for the local Transition Wood Street pilot 'Best Before' initiative - recycling produce which is still perfectly edible but won't be sold by shops due to a lack of understanding of the labelling. Food is still good to eat until the "Expiry" or "Use By" date. The "Best Before" date is only a quality indicator. The "Pay What You Feel" stall attracted lots of interest and any money raised was donated directly to the garden as well!.
The Seed Swap will now be a regular feature in the garden and we'll also try to have more plants for sale at future events too.
It was also the first outing for the local Transition Wood Street pilot 'Best Before' initiative - recycling produce which is still perfectly edible but won't be sold by shops due to a lack of understanding of the labelling. Food is still good to eat until the "Expiry" or "Use By" date. The "Best Before" date is only a quality indicator. The "Pay What You Feel" stall attracted lots of interest and any money raised was donated directly to the garden as well!.
The Seed Swap will now be a regular feature in the garden and we'll also try to have more plants for sale at future events too.
18 March 2017 - Annual Planning and Waltham Forest Spring Clean
In our first activity for the year, we held our APM (Annual Planning Meeting) in the morning and afterward saw the garden volunteers get stuck in for another year as part of the Borough-wide Council clean up (Waltham Forest Spring Clean).
Once again hardy souls took to the Greenway Avenue area and picked up a variety of materials ranging from litter to full scale fly-tipped rubbish.
We seem to think that it may have been a bit better this year but this picture still shows the vast amount of waste that is carelessly dumped in our area. Despite the fact it would have improved our tonnage collected, we did manage to get Chris out of the way before the trucks came past to pick it up.
Graham did mention that there were several appreciative comments from residents during the day and commitments by some to do regular cleaning around their property. The message is getting around!
Well done to everyone throughout the ward who helped out at the various clean up points. It's a great shame that this is necessary due to the careless littering and fly-tipping actions of some thoughtless people who by doing this show so little respect for others.
Once again hardy souls took to the Greenway Avenue area and picked up a variety of materials ranging from litter to full scale fly-tipped rubbish.
We seem to think that it may have been a bit better this year but this picture still shows the vast amount of waste that is carelessly dumped in our area. Despite the fact it would have improved our tonnage collected, we did manage to get Chris out of the way before the trucks came past to pick it up.
Graham did mention that there were several appreciative comments from residents during the day and commitments by some to do regular cleaning around their property. The message is getting around!
Well done to everyone throughout the ward who helped out at the various clean up points. It's a great shame that this is necessary due to the careless littering and fly-tipping actions of some thoughtless people who by doing this show so little respect for others.
17 December 2016 - Winter Garden Party & Yule Log IV
Once again on a chilly December aftrenoon, the Greenway gardeners came together to celebrate another successful year for the garden.
There was a general garden tidy up first of all, preparing the garden for winter followed by tea, coffee, mulled wine, cakes and games for the children.
Then, as darkness fell, as has now become a garden tradition (I think this was the fourth?), the annual yule log was paraded in and lit for everyone to gather around and chat, eat and drink and keep the brazier going for a few hours of welcome warmth into the evening.
Another impromptu display was given by the Greenway Young Pyros Association to cap off the evening, overseen by the necessary level of adult supervision, of course.
In keeping with the festive period and to support our local community, our collection point was filled with items of of tinned, preserved and packet food, and toiletries for our local food bank, Eat or Heat .
It was a festive and convivial way to round off another successful year’s use of the garden and it was great to see so many there, despite the chilly weather.
Wassailing next year?
There was a general garden tidy up first of all, preparing the garden for winter followed by tea, coffee, mulled wine, cakes and games for the children.
Then, as darkness fell, as has now become a garden tradition (I think this was the fourth?), the annual yule log was paraded in and lit for everyone to gather around and chat, eat and drink and keep the brazier going for a few hours of welcome warmth into the evening.
Another impromptu display was given by the Greenway Young Pyros Association to cap off the evening, overseen by the necessary level of adult supervision, of course.
In keeping with the festive period and to support our local community, our collection point was filled with items of of tinned, preserved and packet food, and toiletries for our local food bank, Eat or Heat .
It was a festive and convivial way to round off another successful year’s use of the garden and it was great to see so many there, despite the chilly weather.
Wassailing next year?
Saturday 19th November 2016 - Last Garden Working Party of 2016
The last garden working party of the gardening year was spent amongst other things:
* planting tulips
* pruning and tidying
* putting up trelliswork
* turning the compost
* filling bird feeders
* tidying out the greenhouse
Hot drinks and cake were provided as usual and it was a an opportunity to check on the veggies planted back in October.
The garden also supports the local food bank, Eat or Heat and it was an opportunity to also collect tinned and packet food, toiletries and nappies to help those less fortunate out over the winter months ahead.
* planting tulips
* pruning and tidying
* putting up trelliswork
* turning the compost
* filling bird feeders
* tidying out the greenhouse
Hot drinks and cake were provided as usual and it was a an opportunity to check on the veggies planted back in October.
The garden also supports the local food bank, Eat or Heat and it was an opportunity to also collect tinned and packet food, toiletries and nappies to help those less fortunate out over the winter months ahead.
Saturday 24th September 2016 - Harvest Festival
On Saturday 24th September we hosted our first Harvest Festival with a range of stalls selling plants, books, bric a brac, toiletries and crafts with all proceeds going toward the maintenance and development of the garden. As always, there were plenty of refreshments and home-made cakes and folk all chipped in to clear up and make the garden ready for autumn. Thanks to those who gave their time - it does take some to make it work.
We raised £218 which will be put to good use buying bulbs and seeds for next year and more water containers. The latest game in the garden, Cornhole, proved very popular and will be back at future events. The Build a Scarecrow for the garden proved a novel treat and looks terrific - thanks to those who helped build him. He stands watch over the garden under the gazebo and more than one person has commented actually on being slightly startled by his silent presence when catching sight from the corner of their eye - so we can imagine that he will keep those pesky hordes of crows at bay next year!
As we approach the colder months we should spare a thought for those of us who will be in need so the donations for the Eat or Heat Food Bank were also greatly appreciated. There is now a regular donation box located in the lower shelf of the Big Free Library upright storage box under the second trellis.
Overall another highly enjoyable and successful event.
We raised £218 which will be put to good use buying bulbs and seeds for next year and more water containers. The latest game in the garden, Cornhole, proved very popular and will be back at future events. The Build a Scarecrow for the garden proved a novel treat and looks terrific - thanks to those who helped build him. He stands watch over the garden under the gazebo and more than one person has commented actually on being slightly startled by his silent presence when catching sight from the corner of their eye - so we can imagine that he will keep those pesky hordes of crows at bay next year!
As we approach the colder months we should spare a thought for those of us who will be in need so the donations for the Eat or Heat Food Bank were also greatly appreciated. There is now a regular donation box located in the lower shelf of the Big Free Library upright storage box under the second trellis.
Overall another highly enjoyable and successful event.
Sunday 3 July 2016 - Midsummer Party & Poetry Evening
Around 70 adults and children gathered for the poetry reading on a particularly pleasant summer evening. It was all quite informal and relaxed with drinks and nibbles provided and poetry recitals from around 6.00 pm. Two Forest Poets read first (Math Jones and Ursula Troche) then there was some lovely music from local residents Georgia, Gabriel and Chris. After the break two more Forest Poets (Michael Shann and Sonia Jaremas) gave their readings and then was also music and poetry from local children Sophia, Zak, Tom and Megan. It's wonderful that we have so many talented people around us!
We have also received some nice feedback on the event from Sonia:
“Thank you. We really loved it last night. Can't really put it into words but it was very special. Loved your poems and finding out about gold.”
We have also received some nice feedback on the event from Sonia:
“Thank you. We really loved it last night. Can't really put it into words but it was very special. Loved your poems and finding out about gold.”
11 June 2016 - The Royal Big Lunch
The Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations were this year combined with our usual the Big Lunch event to add that extra element of festivity. Local folk were invited to bring salads and such items to share on the day, while a barbeque was offered to raise money for the garden.
It was again really well attended and everyone had a great time, even when the skies again decided to open up with torrential showers, which the children seemed to enjoy and the temperature seemed warm enough to let them take full advantage.
It was again really well attended and everyone had a great time, even when the skies again decided to open up with torrential showers, which the children seemed to enjoy and the temperature seemed warm enough to let them take full advantage.
25 April 2016 – AGM
At our AGM, amongst other things, we discussed various issues including progress made on the garden during the year and planned activities, finances, changes to the Constitution, the lease, garden entry, communications and possible future events.
We also had a presentation, Q&A and discussion from our local Met police team around a Greenway Avenue Neighbourhood Watch. Thanks to David Izzard from the MPS for attending. Several homes in Greenway Avenue expressed an interest in the possibility of starting a group and it was agreed that if the interest was strong enough from other local residents then any such initiative could be supported by the garden. In the meantime, if residents noticed anything suspicious they should call 111.
Gareth Chalmers from TCV also attended and discussed the planning programme open to all members of the Friends of Parks and Community Groups late last year. Members expressed an interest in the workshops on offer and would be kept in the loop.
The following officers were elected to run the friends group for the year:-
Chair – Michael Shann; Vice Chair – Tony Lane; Treasurer – Karen Esson; Secretary – Loraine Dorney; Membership Secretary – Alex Agyemang
Trustees: Chris Rennie; Graham Nevill; Bill Dorney; Clemancy Slivnik; Ebrahim Vawda
We also had a presentation, Q&A and discussion from our local Met police team around a Greenway Avenue Neighbourhood Watch. Thanks to David Izzard from the MPS for attending. Several homes in Greenway Avenue expressed an interest in the possibility of starting a group and it was agreed that if the interest was strong enough from other local residents then any such initiative could be supported by the garden. In the meantime, if residents noticed anything suspicious they should call 111.
Gareth Chalmers from TCV also attended and discussed the planning programme open to all members of the Friends of Parks and Community Groups late last year. Members expressed an interest in the workshops on offer and would be kept in the loop.
The following officers were elected to run the friends group for the year:-
Chair – Michael Shann; Vice Chair – Tony Lane; Treasurer – Karen Esson; Secretary – Loraine Dorney; Membership Secretary – Alex Agyemang
Trustees: Chris Rennie; Graham Nevill; Bill Dorney; Clemancy Slivnik; Ebrahim Vawda
16 April 2016 - The Big Dig - another triumph!
Well done all who attended the Big Dig event this year.
Around 55 adults and children passed through the gates. Several people had never been before and it was a terrific opportunity to welcome back others for the start of the new gardening year!
We took in a modest amount in donations and as a result of the activities we have increased membership as well.
Although the weather wasn't that kind, everyone got stuck in with spades, pickaxes, trowels and forks to make compost, plant and generally tidy up the place. At the end of the day, we managed to ensure that the garden is much neater, the vegetables, potatoes and seeds are in, the wellies look great and the hebe is settling in following the mammoth effort to re-home it.
There is the start of the pallet Bug House at the back (5 storeys!) and also Bee World is back in business for another year – reseeded and ready to greet our buzzy neighbours.
It was everyone’s sterling contribution that made it so successful. It was nice to see the young ones getting in and playing, planting and digging and generally enjoying the open space on the day.
It really feels now that our community garden really is becoming a centre for our immediate area, which is a great thing.
The Big Dig creates that focal point and sets a firm date for kicking off the community garden year.
Around 55 adults and children passed through the gates. Several people had never been before and it was a terrific opportunity to welcome back others for the start of the new gardening year!
We took in a modest amount in donations and as a result of the activities we have increased membership as well.
Although the weather wasn't that kind, everyone got stuck in with spades, pickaxes, trowels and forks to make compost, plant and generally tidy up the place. At the end of the day, we managed to ensure that the garden is much neater, the vegetables, potatoes and seeds are in, the wellies look great and the hebe is settling in following the mammoth effort to re-home it.
There is the start of the pallet Bug House at the back (5 storeys!) and also Bee World is back in business for another year – reseeded and ready to greet our buzzy neighbours.
It was everyone’s sterling contribution that made it so successful. It was nice to see the young ones getting in and playing, planting and digging and generally enjoying the open space on the day.
It really feels now that our community garden really is becoming a centre for our immediate area, which is a great thing.
The Big Dig creates that focal point and sets a firm date for kicking off the community garden year.
12 March 2016 - Litter Clearance
This sunny Saturday saw several garden members turn out to tidy up the back lane leading to the garden and the forest area along the Risings.
As you can see, garden members filled bags with a huge load of waste and refuse including discarded bottles, crisps packets, takeaway containers and other general rubbish. Some of the day's larger contributions were 2 car tyres, a mattress, 2 laptops, an iron, a lamp and an abandoned road sign.
Fly tipping is clearly a problem in our area and should always be reported to the Council for prompt action. Extensive building works in our road and high winds have all contributed to the general rubbish collecting in verges.
Hopefully you agree that our nearby surroundings are now looking much smarter! Many thanks to Graham for organising.
Well worth doing again!
As you can see, garden members filled bags with a huge load of waste and refuse including discarded bottles, crisps packets, takeaway containers and other general rubbish. Some of the day's larger contributions were 2 car tyres, a mattress, 2 laptops, an iron, a lamp and an abandoned road sign.
Fly tipping is clearly a problem in our area and should always be reported to the Council for prompt action. Extensive building works in our road and high winds have all contributed to the general rubbish collecting in verges.
Hopefully you agree that our nearby surroundings are now looking much smarter! Many thanks to Graham for organising.
Well worth doing again!
We estimated that overall about 30-40 people appeared over the course of the party, which kicked off at 11 am, to help tidy the garden, join in the activities and games, meet other members or neighbours and generally tuck into some winter fayre.
A big thanks went out to Graham and Linda from Wood Street First who provided plenty of hot-dogs for the hungry hordes. There was also the usual lashings of tea, Christmas treats and cake, all of which went down very nicely.
Another really quite successful day...and when the light dimmed it was time for the now legendary Greenway Avenue Community Play Garden yule log, joined this year by an impromptu performance by the newly created Greenway Junior Pyro Society.
Good times....
A big thanks went out to Graham and Linda from Wood Street First who provided plenty of hot-dogs for the hungry hordes. There was also the usual lashings of tea, Christmas treats and cake, all of which went down very nicely.
Another really quite successful day...and when the light dimmed it was time for the now legendary Greenway Avenue Community Play Garden yule log, joined this year by an impromptu performance by the newly created Greenway Junior Pyro Society.
Good times....
6 December 2015 - Winter Garden Party
15 August 2015 - Summer Party
Our Summer Party took place on Saturday 15th August from about midday into the late afternoon. It was a fun day of gardening, activities and games, including boule, table tennis, badminton and chess which was enjoyed along with the now legendary cake spread available to enjoy with the BBQ and salads also on offer. This was all washed down with tea and other refreshing beverages which helped everyone to get right into the community spirit of the day.
21 June 2015 - Poetry on Midsummer’s Evening
We celebrated Midsummer’s Day with readings of poems on the theme of summer in the evening from about 7:00pm until late. There were readings by Walthamstow-based Forest Poets and several others including younger poets among the group who got up and read a few (either their own or other favourites by other writers). Everyone who attended agreed it was a big success and thoroughly enjoyed the poetry reading, the evening in the garden and the refreshments which never seem too far from our events.
6 - 14 June 2015 - E17 Art Trail comes to the garden!
Over the weekends of the 6th/7th and 13th/14th of June we celebrated our first involvement with the Art Trail. We estimate that overt the two weekends, over 100 visitors, some new, some regulars, enjoyed the garden and refreshments while they viewed the artwork of local artists, Heather Whitney and Natalie Cosgrove. Heather has used recycled materials to create purpose built Storytelling Scarecrows for the garden. Beautifully illustrated book pages tell the story of how a seed grows and the importance of bees for our gardens. Natalie's potato printing workshop was also a hit with young and not so young visitors alike! Her stunning canvases also added extra colour to the garden.
7 June 2015 - The Big Lunch
On Sunday 7th June it was another first for the garden when several local residents brought and shared food, as part of the national event, The Big Lunch. It was a great way to meet your neighbours and chat in the sun. A perfect lunch venue!
21 March 2015 - The Big Dig & Cultivate
Once again we supported Cultivate, Waltham Forest’s first urban food growing festival, tying it in with the Big Dig event on the Saturday 21st March 2015 from 12 midday to 4pm.
Participating in the Big Dig encourages local people to get down to the garden and get their hands dirty, learn something new and hopefully decide to continue to help throughout the growing season.
Cultivate throughout the Borough aims to mark Waltham Forest as the garden of London harnessing the knowledge, skills and enthusiasm of amateur and professional food and related growers.
Participating in the Big Dig encourages local people to get down to the garden and get their hands dirty, learn something new and hopefully decide to continue to help throughout the growing season.
Cultivate throughout the Borough aims to mark Waltham Forest as the garden of London harnessing the knowledge, skills and enthusiasm of amateur and professional food and related growers.
Just some of our events included planting out in the raised beds and bee forage area, children's play and activities, seed swapping / donation activities, Spring planting in children's old boots, nest box painting, Little Free Library Launch and a general spring clean for the place
We even had the local ukulele band along to offer support and a few well received tunes.
All in all it was a great day out for young and old alike and figures suggested that it may have been even bigger than last year in terms of overall attendance.
We even had the local ukulele band along to offer support and a few well received tunes.
All in all it was a great day out for young and old alike and figures suggested that it may have been even bigger than last year in terms of overall attendance.
More information about Cultivate Waltham Forest and the Big Dig can be found at these websites.
www.cultivatewf.org
http://www.capitalgrowth.org/events/big_dig/
www.cultivatewf.org
http://www.capitalgrowth.org/events/big_dig/
Winter 2014/15
Winter Building
While winter is traditionally supposed to be the slow period for a garden, it certainly has been far from that this year. Like last year, it has been a very busy couple of months with a lot happening in a very short time.
We were successful again this year in gaining support from our friends at the Community Development Fund and Wood Street First, obtaining no less than two successful grants for separate projects.
These two grants have satisfied our need for weather-proof secure storage requirements with not only a new shed and locker on the upper area but also a spacious four-metre container that will serve not only our needs but also those of Wood Street First for local events.
This has been a great period for the garden and the building of momentum is really tangible now. We should all be really pleased and proud of what we have achieved in such a short time.
Yule Event / Bulb Planting:
We had a brilliant bulb planting day in December (14th), where about twenty hardy souls all ventured out to dig some in. Our “traditional” Yule log event completed the day with amongst other things mulled wine, mince pies and some tasty German treat I was reliably informed is called stollen…This was the second year running we have held such an event and it was a really pleasant way to spend a day. We hope to see some good results of that when we all venture back in for the warmer weather – though I have noticed that our playful neighbours played merry havoc with those bulbs planted in the pots!
Winter Building
While winter is traditionally supposed to be the slow period for a garden, it certainly has been far from that this year. Like last year, it has been a very busy couple of months with a lot happening in a very short time.
We were successful again this year in gaining support from our friends at the Community Development Fund and Wood Street First, obtaining no less than two successful grants for separate projects.
These two grants have satisfied our need for weather-proof secure storage requirements with not only a new shed and locker on the upper area but also a spacious four-metre container that will serve not only our needs but also those of Wood Street First for local events.
This has been a great period for the garden and the building of momentum is really tangible now. We should all be really pleased and proud of what we have achieved in such a short time.
Yule Event / Bulb Planting:
We had a brilliant bulb planting day in December (14th), where about twenty hardy souls all ventured out to dig some in. Our “traditional” Yule log event completed the day with amongst other things mulled wine, mince pies and some tasty German treat I was reliably informed is called stollen…This was the second year running we have held such an event and it was a really pleasant way to spend a day. We hope to see some good results of that when we all venture back in for the warmer weather – though I have noticed that our playful neighbours played merry havoc with those bulbs planted in the pots!
Autumn 2014
Autumn Event (11 October):
We had an excellent Autumn event in early October, funded again by the ward fund, for which we are again extremely grateful for their support. It was really well attended and thanks should once again go out to everyone who supported it and helped to organise – whether it was with tea, coffee, cakes, gazebo construction, BBQ-ing, clearing up or just being there for a great day.
Summer 2014:
Midsummer Launch (21 June):
A fun event sponsored by the local ward fund with children's activities and play as well as a great opportunity to meet the neighbours and get to know folk from around and about. Activities included table tennis and badminton, children's activities and games, as well as the multi-purpose play area. There was plenty to refresh the crowds with lashings of tea, coffee, squash and cakes and a BBQ to enjoy the great community spirit.
Added Attractions:
We also managed to pick up a small greenhouse donated locally to help propagating some plants down the line and we started to expand into the lower section of the site with the introduction of a multi-purpose play area, built entirely by the garden volunteers and funded by a grant from the Community Development Fund.
Spring 2014:
Local, regional and National Events:
This was a big month for the garden and represented opportunities for us to work with local, pan-London and even national partners on various activities and events.
On Saturday 22nd March 2014, we kicked off the new planting year by participating in Cultivate, Waltham Forest’s first urban food growing festival, and we tied this in with the Big Dig, which is now a national annual event.
On the day we held seed planting events for the raised beds and bee forage, seed swaps and donations, poetry recitals, children's play activities and of course refreshments aplenty.
Over the course of the day we must have had over 50 people (adults and children) come and lend a hand, play and enjoy the garden.
In other big news, we were officially named one of the UK’s Bee Worlds, helping the UK to create wildflower havens for local bees. Our site was at that time one of only around 100 ‘Bee Worlds’ around the country as part of the Friends of the Earth’s Bee Cause campaign.
We also got ourselves a bit of outside coverage. Our thanks should go to Sophie Warnes who attended on the day. Sophie is from Grow Your Own London and she was studying for her MA in journalism at City University London. Her article about the Big Dig day and a photo gallery can be found here:
http://growyourownldn.com/2014/04/05/the-big-dig-at-greenway-community-play-garden/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiewarnes/sets/72157642783804775/
You can download all the information you need about these events and activities here:
www.cultivatewf.org
http://www.capitalgrowth.org/events/big_dig/
www.facebook.com/capitalgrowth
www.twitter.com/capital_growth
https://www.foe.co.uk/what_we_do/bee_worlds_39332
http://woodstreetfirst.org/2014/03/12/cultivate-wf-wood-street/#more-611
Autumn Event (11 October):
We had an excellent Autumn event in early October, funded again by the ward fund, for which we are again extremely grateful for their support. It was really well attended and thanks should once again go out to everyone who supported it and helped to organise – whether it was with tea, coffee, cakes, gazebo construction, BBQ-ing, clearing up or just being there for a great day.
Summer 2014:
Midsummer Launch (21 June):
A fun event sponsored by the local ward fund with children's activities and play as well as a great opportunity to meet the neighbours and get to know folk from around and about. Activities included table tennis and badminton, children's activities and games, as well as the multi-purpose play area. There was plenty to refresh the crowds with lashings of tea, coffee, squash and cakes and a BBQ to enjoy the great community spirit.
Added Attractions:
We also managed to pick up a small greenhouse donated locally to help propagating some plants down the line and we started to expand into the lower section of the site with the introduction of a multi-purpose play area, built entirely by the garden volunteers and funded by a grant from the Community Development Fund.
Spring 2014:
Local, regional and National Events:
This was a big month for the garden and represented opportunities for us to work with local, pan-London and even national partners on various activities and events.
On Saturday 22nd March 2014, we kicked off the new planting year by participating in Cultivate, Waltham Forest’s first urban food growing festival, and we tied this in with the Big Dig, which is now a national annual event.
On the day we held seed planting events for the raised beds and bee forage, seed swaps and donations, poetry recitals, children's play activities and of course refreshments aplenty.
Over the course of the day we must have had over 50 people (adults and children) come and lend a hand, play and enjoy the garden.
In other big news, we were officially named one of the UK’s Bee Worlds, helping the UK to create wildflower havens for local bees. Our site was at that time one of only around 100 ‘Bee Worlds’ around the country as part of the Friends of the Earth’s Bee Cause campaign.
We also got ourselves a bit of outside coverage. Our thanks should go to Sophie Warnes who attended on the day. Sophie is from Grow Your Own London and she was studying for her MA in journalism at City University London. Her article about the Big Dig day and a photo gallery can be found here:
http://growyourownldn.com/2014/04/05/the-big-dig-at-greenway-community-play-garden/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiewarnes/sets/72157642783804775/
You can download all the information you need about these events and activities here:
www.cultivatewf.org
http://www.capitalgrowth.org/events/big_dig/
www.facebook.com/capitalgrowth
www.twitter.com/capital_growth
https://www.foe.co.uk/what_we_do/bee_worlds_39332
http://woodstreetfirst.org/2014/03/12/cultivate-wf-wood-street/#more-611
Summer / Autumn / Winter 2013/14
Setbacks and Lessons:
There were some ongoing issues that prevented us getting on-site, not least being the need to have the entry resurfaced before we were permitted to officially open. We were patient and, while it was frustrating for us all at the time, in the end we prevailed....
Spring 2013:
Volunteer Build of the garden completed:
Garden-wise, it was a very busy time for us all and a lot happened in a very short time. The volunteer garden build completed around 10th March 2013.
There were now several raised garden beds in place ready for planting as well as some bench seating, a performance/story-tellers platform and overhead trellis frameworks.
We were also privileged to welcome Councillor Richard Sweden, the 2012/13 Mayor, as well as the two other Wood Street ward Councillors, Angie Bean and Peter Barnett who all made time to come down on one lovely Spring evening to visit the garden and look at the progress. It looked very much different to the derelict site that was there before.
Setbacks and Lessons:
There were some ongoing issues that prevented us getting on-site, not least being the need to have the entry resurfaced before we were permitted to officially open. We were patient and, while it was frustrating for us all at the time, in the end we prevailed....
Spring 2013:
Volunteer Build of the garden completed:
Garden-wise, it was a very busy time for us all and a lot happened in a very short time. The volunteer garden build completed around 10th March 2013.
There were now several raised garden beds in place ready for planting as well as some bench seating, a performance/story-tellers platform and overhead trellis frameworks.
We were also privileged to welcome Councillor Richard Sweden, the 2012/13 Mayor, as well as the two other Wood Street ward Councillors, Angie Bean and Peter Barnett who all made time to come down on one lovely Spring evening to visit the garden and look at the progress. It looked very much different to the derelict site that was there before.
Autumn / Winter 2012:
Work on the Build:
The contractors were on site planning and building the raised beds and trellises that made up the core of the garden section.
Summer 2012:
The Community Play Garden Consultation is Announced:
The link below leads to a web item from Wood Street First, local partners who have supported us throughout our existence as a community garden, which announced that we had secured funding to create the community play garden. On Tuesday (26 June 2012) local residents were invited to find out more about the project, give their views and get involved. The funding was from the London 2012 Changing Places Transform programme and had been secured with help from London Borough of Waltham Forest.
In the end, we had close to 50 local people attend, including the then Mayor, who showed up to offer their support, ideas, thoughts and views.
You can read the article here:
http://woodstreetfirst.org/2012/06/20/community-play-garden/
Work on the Build:
The contractors were on site planning and building the raised beds and trellises that made up the core of the garden section.
Summer 2012:
The Community Play Garden Consultation is Announced:
The link below leads to a web item from Wood Street First, local partners who have supported us throughout our existence as a community garden, which announced that we had secured funding to create the community play garden. On Tuesday (26 June 2012) local residents were invited to find out more about the project, give their views and get involved. The funding was from the London 2012 Changing Places Transform programme and had been secured with help from London Borough of Waltham Forest.
In the end, we had close to 50 local people attend, including the then Mayor, who showed up to offer their support, ideas, thoughts and views.
You can read the article here:
http://woodstreetfirst.org/2012/06/20/community-play-garden/