Sunday 20 July 2014

Getting there

Been busy doing brick wall and fencing for back yard at home. Not finished yet but getting there. 
All of the wall finished and two thirds of the fence.



Five extra courses of bricks to give the plants a fighting chance. Although this may all change when the courtyard is dug up to route the new drain.

But why does every job always seem to take longer than you think it will?
Notwithstanding the peculiar weather - our efforts have been intermittent. 

Rain and then hot sun, the yard faces south east and gets plenty of everything. 




Here's the fencing above for the climbers - plants (a Rambling Rector rose, a Mrs Cholmondeley and a Warszawska Nike clematis) are in. I do think next door's cat currently uses it as an assault course but with a little luck next year we shall have a green barrier too dense to scale.

I've protected and painted the fencing with a coloured preservative to match the brickwork so the fence and the bricks tone in and the effect is visually co-ordinated.

In small areas it's important not to get too many different colours or materials or the area looks even tinier.

Use the KISS rule - "Keep It Simple Stupid".

Some new plants (Echinacea Purpurea 'Bressingham hybrids') now flowering and giving life to the space.
















With the usual potted violas, pelargoniums, bacopa, trailing lobelia and ivy moved around to suit the mood.

We have cut and come again lettuce (in a window box) 



and spinach in a bucket/basket with other vegetables ready to harvest. 



The potatoes are in a dustbin,
  

 the tomatoes in a recycling box, 



the courgettes, peppers and chillies in growbags. 




Small space but good to sit in, relax and enjoy the fruits of one's labours.

And maybe have a glass of wine?



Thursday 3 July 2014

You can garden anywhere



To prove this statement take a look at 


What can be more challenging or difficult than to grow organic vegetables in the middle of Kings Cross?

Skip Garden Project 12-b
Image credit http://www.globalgeneration.org.uk/

Involve young people?

Run a small cafe on site?


Skip Garden Cafe hatch-b
Image credit http://www.globalgeneration.org.uk/


And sell some of the produce to a nearby restaurant, the Caravan?


The Skip Garden is housed in the area marked "Under construction" and is moved according to work requirements.

The ethos of this garden is as ambitious as the mix of mature volunteers and youngsters aged from 14 - 19 years old. 

Inner city kids are hard pushed to get to grips with "Nature" let alone try gardening. 

The fact that Global Generation seems to have found a key to attracting youth interest and then linking their involvement and commitment to an end academic qualification is genius.

A Business and Sustainability BTEC is not all the participants come away with.

The joy of growing one's own organic salads and vegetables from seed, and then eating eating them is a real achievement which needs commitment, consistency and patience. 

Quintessential gardening.


Fresh from the Kitchen 4
Image credit http://www.globalgeneration.org.uk/

Add to this the knowledge that a career can be made from selling the fruits of your labour and that is one very valuable lesson.

Doing something you love and feel passionate about for a living is a joy.

Welcome.