Nothing beats the taste of fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs grown in your own garden or allotment – or the satisfaction and enjoyment you can get from doing it. Not sure what to grow or where to start? Want to try something new? Take a look at this wonderful resource from the RHS…here
London has become the world’s first National Parks City.
Our map – available to all members to browse in the Store -shows all green spaces and water reservoirs within the M25 area.
The aim of the National Parks City is to encourage more people to enjoy the great outdoors and to support all Londoners, and the city’s businesses and institutions, in making the city greener, healthier and wilder.
More than half of the world’s population now live in cities and the trend towards more urban-living is growing; London is set to be home to over 11 million people by 2050. Cities have to adapt if we want liveable neighbourhoods in the future that respond to the challenges of climate change, help to conserve biodiversity and provide people with healthy, active lifestyles. A study has shown the capital avoids £950 million per year in health costs due to the benefits Londoners gain from using green spaces.
So many places to go and things to enjoy! See much more on this website.
Water, precious water
We are entering a possible drought situation so we all need to do what we can to avoid wasting water. Also it is part of our ethos of being environmentally responsible to conserve water as much as possible.
A few tips on how we can help use less water:
Alone we won’t prevent a hose pipe ban but at least we will be doing our environmental best.
with thanks to Helen Finch.
And for even more good watering advice – see the RHS website
Some destinations you may not know about to visit this August…from Time Out
Vauxhall Park Lavender Garden
This small square field of purple buds and fragranced green foliage can be found between the rose pergola and miniature model village in Vauxhall Park. There’s a community lavender harvest at the end of the summer, which is then distilled to produce litres and litres of lavender oil!
Tube: Vauxhall www.vauxhallpark.org.uk
The Red Cross Garden
Originally intended to give Southwark children from nearby tenements a space to play, this Victorian garden has been restored to its original design, complete with pond, cottage, bandstand and formal borders.
Redcross Way London SE11EX Tube: London Bridge
Morden Hall Park
Kingfishers perch on reeds by the riverbank, and an old-fashioned waterwheel is slowly turned by the gentle current – in a public space just a few minutes’ walk from the Northern line!
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/morden-hall-park 020 8545 6850 Tube: Morden
And to find hidden gardens further afield – do check out the full article from Time Out here
The Garden Museum’s summer exhibition will celebrate Frances Hodgson Burnett’s beloved classic children’s book The Secret Garden. Explore how different artists’ illustrations from the past hundred years bring the story to life, embrace the healing power of gardens, and discover the true story of Burnett’s real ‘secret garden’ which inspired the book.
An exhibition suitable for all ages, with interactive games and trails for children to learn about the plants, animals and stories found in The Secret Garden and to inspire young visitors to try their hand at gardening.
From 6th July to 4th September – Adults £14 (seniors £11 and other concessions) Under 16’s Free with adult. More information and booking
and an accompanying workshop for children…
Family Cooking Workshop | Secret Garden Focaccia
£5 per child – but accompanying adult free. Find out more here
Granard School has a team of reading volunteers who help individual children with their reading during the school day.
Most of us try to grow tomatoes in the summer time, but it’s not always as straightforward as it looks.
Is your tomato plant growing like a triffid this year? Is it a cordon type or a bush type? What’s the difference?
There’s some good advice from the RHS about the different varieties and how to treat them here
and – the less well known Mr-Tomato-King (!) here
These two news items show the growing interest in what happens to our outdoor spaces and how to make them greener
The first is about a campaign for the right to grow in unused spaces – an interesting idea you might like to know more about…
People should be given the right to turn road verges, sterile lawns around hospitals and underused public spaces into vegetable gardens and orchards, say ‘Incredible Edible’, campaigners for a “right to grow” law.
Read more from the Guardian here
The Guardian May 2022
The second is about those huge areas of asphalt that schools sometimes call a ‘playing field’. Rising temperatures make these difficult to use – so imaginative designs come into play – with some lovely pictures of what is possible……
Out with asphalt: US schoolyards transformed into green oases – in pictures
With thanks to Greg Willcox
Feed your curiosity and explore London’s private, secret and little-known gardens across the city over one very special weekend. There are charges to enter – to support the maintenance of the gardens. A weekend ticket is available.
Gardens range from the historic and traditional to the new and experimental, and include private gardens, roof gardens, community allotments, gardens belonging to historic buildings, institutions, cafes, schools and shops.
All about this weekend available here
Garden opening times and days may vary. Some gardens may not be able to open at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances.
We are sorry to hear of the death of longstanding member and plotholder and Bruce May.
I am sorry to have to announce the death of Bruce May who was a long standing plot holder of plot 102B. His plot was always a delight particularly as it charmingly had a heart shaped narrow grass path at its centre. He was an excellent gardener so, when it became vacant, he was offered plot 103B as additional land. The plot had been horribly neglected but he quickly managed to tame it and made it very productive.
Helen Finch
Bruce was always a pleasant, calm influence on site 3. He helped with plot inspections on several occasions representing the non-committee member of the inspection team. Sadly he was very ill for a couple of years prior to his final demise but his family were able to continue to cultivate his plot and bring produce from the plot for Bruce to enjoy.
He will be missed.
