Returning to Martineau Gardens in January after the winter break finds the volunteers with plenty of work to do, in spite of all the recent rain. The lawns, vegetables beds and borders are still waterlogged this week. So today the Garden Volunteers are making the most of the sunshine and giving the green glasshouse a spring clean. The shelving is being scrubbed and washed down to reduce the threat of pests and diseases overwintering. Come summer, this glasshouse will be full sweet black Hamburg grapes and the benches laden with plants  propagated by our Garden Volunteers.Across the path, the hot house next to the orchard is also receiving some TLC. Thanks to a donation from The William Dudley Trust, damaged glass panes are being replaced by Jericho Construction. This green house, which dates back to the origins of Martineau Gardens,  is where the more tender plants are cultivated. There are also Camellia sinensis (tea plant), orchids, a bird of paradise plant and a wide variety of cacti and succulents. In spring, cascades of jasmine fill the air with a sweet scent.

Volunteering at Martineau Gardens continues over the winter months. It’s a perfect day for gardening today – it might be cold but blue skies, bright sunlight and a fire all make for a good day of volunteering. Not to mention  the sounds of the birds and scuffles of the woodland animals closeby in our wildlife area.  Today the Garden volunteers have been mulching paths, sweeping up the last of the leaves and are about to stop for a well earned teabreak around the fire.  Tree surgeons donate wood to Martineau Gardens, which over the winter months, volunteers chop into logs. The logs are then sold to our customers for wood burning stoves and open fires and profits are ploughed back into the running costs of the charity. Pictured here, Stewart and our Garden volunteers have been sorting out wood that’s suitable for chopping. The pieces that are just too knobbly to work with are creating a welcome warmth on this wintery day.

Don’t forget that Martineau Gardens is open throughout the winter months. Do visit us over winter, for a breath of fresh air, a stomp through the woodland or pick up some preserves and compost.

Opening times over the Festive Period:

Open Monday to Saturday 10am – 4pm, except closed Tuesday 24 December and reopen 10am Thursday 2 January.