Ready, Steady … Grow! March 28, 2014

A Report on the Big Dig Event

Muddy hands was the order of the day at our first event of the year. Stewart and Rachael led a series of family-friendly gardening workshops, as part of our Big Dig Event on Saturday 22 March, 2014

Muddy hands, wildflower seedbomb making

Our free event was aiming to inspire you to grow your own, no matter how big or small your grow space is or how much or how little experience you have. There were drop-in food growing workshops and family-friendly activities to inspire even the most reluctant gardeners to don their gardening gloves. 

Wildflower Seed Bombing- Stewart showed family groups how to make wild flowers ‘seed bombs’. Made from compost, clay and wildflower seed, the muddy balls contained seed attractive to bumble bees. So, when the flowers grow they will attract bumble bees, who in turn, will pollinate the flowers and crops we grow at Martineau Gardens.
watering the mix, wildflower seed bomb making
Wildlfower seed for bees, making seed bombs
Pictured here, children are stirring and watering the balls, before ‘bombing’ our new wildflower area beside the Tai Chi Lawn. 
Throwing wildlfower seed bombs 1
Throwing the wildflower seed bombs, crop on bomb
Rather than buying new herb plants, why not grow your own from cuttings? Rachael showed children how to take cutting from the sage growing in the herb bed at Martineau Gardens and how to pot them on to take home and grow.
Getting up close to Herbsm learning how to do herb cuttings
There were also guided tours of the Gardens, taking in the growing areas, the wildlife areas, woodland and formal areas and refreshments available from the Pavilion.
BC with her own sage cutting, Big Dig
Plants and Produce area, at the Big Dig Seed Event
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BigDigLogo

 

 

 

 

 



Gardening in between the showers March 12, 2014

With all the wet weather we have been having, Stewart and the team have had to work round the challenges of saturated clay soil by using paths, stepping stones and small boards to keep up with the garden tasks!

Some volunteers just don’t know there own strength!

GardeningBut the hard work was worth it. Thanks to J and L for transforming this flowerbed, near the entrance, the bed has been planted up with helebores and snowdrops. Close by catkins quiver in the breeze, their lime yellow in brilliant contrast to a fresh, blue spring sky.

The Garden team have also been turning their attention to the Orchard. There are over 30 different varieties of fruit tree in the orchard. Spartan, Worcester, Russet, Egremont Russet, Worcester Pearmain, Ellisons Orange, Conference and Williams are some of the apple and pear varieties. There are also Fig (Brown Turkey), Damson and Plum trees all producing plentiful and delicious fruit in the summer. At the centre of the orchard is a magnificent Mulberry (Morus nigra) tree. Sadly, we lost our medlar tree in the wet weather this year. In it’s place a new plum tree has been planted.

2014 - plantinga  fruit tree, all model releasse shd

 

You can read more about gardening with Stewart and Jean’s top gardening tips for March, in this article which has just appeared in the March issue of Harborne, Edgbaston & Moseley Life (see page 24).