This magnificent specimen is no Triffid but the more daintily named Angelica - it is a herb that can be used for a variety of culinary uses but we have read that excessive consumption as a tea made from the leaves is not recommended.
Triffid?
This magnificent specimen is no Triffid but the more daintily named Angelica - it is a herb that can be used for a variety of culinary uses but we have read that excessive consumption as a tea made from the leaves is not recommended.
April 2011 - Spring has Sprung!
Freezing winter straight to what feels like April summer - but our garden's not complaining about the good weather. As you can see from the photos the garden is greening up again. Rhubarb survived the best attempts of our resident fox family to uproot them. Salads, fruiting bushes and chives are doing really well.
Planning Ahead - Crop Rotation
A recent visit to a Victorian walled garden gave us some ideas about managing our growing beds. Crop rotation is a tried and tested method to get the best out of the soil and managing potential diseases - without using chemicals. Here's a photograph of a recommended rotation plan over 3 growing seasons.
Early December 2010
Helston Court Growers is now a registered Capital Growth Site, no 690 of 2012 that the Mayor of London wants to have by 2012. By joining Capital Growth, we will benefit from:
advice and training
information on food growing initiatives and schemes
networking with other gardens
discounts on supplies
Its a good achievement for the end of first growing season!
information on food growing initiatives and schemes
networking with other gardens
discounts on supplies
Its a good achievement for the end of first growing season!
November 28th 2010
Pat reaps revenge on the bane of her life...the jerusalem artichokes. We got a good harvest!
November 2010
Flourishing green manure
Goji berriesWe have spent recent sessions tidying up for the winter and considering trying out some winter vegetables to grow. As you can see the Goji berries bring some welcome bright colour to the garden - we have had a great first crop of this "super" food that's packed with vitamins!
2 October 2010
The harvest display table
Face painting for the kids (& a few adults!)
Isobel, Pat & MariaWe welcomed friends, family and supporters to our garden on the 2nd October to enjoy homemade and grown pumpkin soup and cakes. Some of our harvested fruit, herbs and veg were on display. Isobel made her first public speech as new chair of our growers group to thank everybody for their hard work and help to get the garden going. Can you believe we managed to grow water melon as proudly displayed by Isobel, Pat and Marial in our first season!
17 September 2010
The Helston Court Growers are celebrating their Garden with the wider community and invite everyone to attend their launch and harvest celebration on Saturday 2nd October 2010 at 1pm
There will be delicious food made fresh from the garden's produce, free face painting for the children and plenty of fun to be had all round.
2 September 2010
Isobel and Lainya visited community gardens and city farms in Nottingham to see and learn from good practise models and meet new friends. The event was organised as part of the Federation of City Farms and Community Garden's 30 year celebrations!
Pictures below show some of the sites visited.
Councillor Bevan digs for Helston Court
Councillor John Bevan popped in to the Garden and helped Isobel dig up our potatoes!
21 June 2010
As the longest day of the year is upon us, Helston Court Growers begin to reap the rewards of the Garden. The potatoes that were planted in February have been harvested and enjoyed on the plates of residents from Pagin House and Helston Court.
Advice to all growers - Keep your potatoes covered to ensure that they don't turn green! As well as looking unappetising, green potatoes can give you a bad stomach ache
16 June 2010
Helston Court Community Garden Management Group
The garden is coming to life and growing nicely so it's time to start thinking about a management group. Members have been meeting on a bi-weekly basis to establish 'Golden Garden Rules', a constitution and officer roles. We have also been discussing ways of increasing interest and membership amongst the community and partnerships and links with surrounding community gardens.
If you are interested in coming along to the Garden then please contact the Bridge Renewal Trust at Lainya@bridgerenewaltrust.org.uk or on 07702207191
Salad
Sunday 9th May: Some lovely salad picked (and eaten) by Lou and Ed -- all (except tomatoes) from Helston Court! Yummy.
Goodbye Gemma
All the growers at Helston Court Community Garden and colleagues at the Bridge Renewal Trust would like to say a great big Thank You to Gemma Harris (Development Worker) for helping us get the garden started.
Monday 10 May 2010
As we enter the month of May, the community garden at Helston Court comes into bloom, with the Figs, Jerusalem Artichokes and Rhubarb all thriving.
We are also pleased to confirm that after an entire day of rain all 5 water-butts are bursting full with harvested water.
Mon 19 April 2010
The residents opened up the garden for extra sessions and Pat (left)
repatriated a fennel plant that was 'hiding' in isobel's bay tree pot
To make the site sustainable we are rainwater harvesting.
Unluckily for us we haven't had much rain so Fatma (left)
problem solved and went to collect some water from her
house with buckets and a wheelbarrow
Sun 18 Apr 2010
Hot and sunny...
The dandelions & three-cornered leek are flowering, the chives are in bud, and the strawberries are already starting to fruit.
We can't grow directly on the sunny south-facing wall, but we've put up trellis on the bed in front, and planted 4 grape vines. (Also in this 'Med Bed' are figs, mediterranean herbs and kiwi vines.)
Tues 13 Apr 2010
Planting gooseberries.
Shabelle's lettuces & radishes are growing well after a month - but just to check, a couple of radishes had to be examined up close...
Shabelle's lettuces & radishes are growing well after a month - but just to check, a couple of radishes had to be examined up close...
Sun 11 Apr 2010
The last shipment of plants:
Goji berries, Figs, Grape vines, Blackcurrants, Redcurrants, Whitecurrants, Day Lilies, Rhubarb and more...
The gardeners rushed to get them all planted before they wilt in the sun.
Fatma the farmer brings tomato plants and sows lots of vegetable seeds.Isobel encourages little Clementine as she walks for the 1st time!
Then she gets straight on with the watering.
Lot
s of plants coming up - here's our first Jerusalem Artichoke shoot.And spotted at last - our unwanted secret visitor.
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