As it stands, we have manged to speak to funding bodies to back us with this project. We have requested volunteers from the college to help us with this project and college staff are helping us with this matter giving us their full support.
The project will continue and fully be of the ground in April. In the mean time we as the Avant Gardeners are keeping ourselves busy with smaller manageable garden displays and visual graphic designs.
Garden Update 14/3/09
In Rachael’s garden there are interesting features that need to be enhanced.
With two children it’s not as easy to keep the garden as its best. With toys and objects to play with that can always distract the eye from garden features.
Storing and keeping toys together helps to maintain and keep the garden looking presentable.
First major task was to clear unwanted waste from the shed. This gave more room to keep toys and other house hold objects. Its good to clear out sheds and cupboards it helps check what we have stored.
It always concerns me to think how certain recycled items could be reused. In this situation most of the unwanted waste had to be thrown away to clear space. I find sometimes collecting recycled items is handy to create artwork or to use for other alternatives (Solve other related problems). If not filtered correctly, unwanted waste may cause blockage within the home and creates more mess. If there are suitable containers to keep these items maintained, plastic, cardboard and metal then it becomes a more efficient system.
The side beddings where dug up and certain plants were moved to catch the eyes attention.
Daffodils, blue bells, sea holly and small bulbs where moved in suitable areas. Weeds and dead debris where picked and thrown in green waste bags. Plants in plant pots were moved near the door entrance to give instant attraction.
Garden essentials such as spade, fork, gloves, and recycling box were moved toward the back door onto a garden shelf for easy access. This shelf had been at the bottom of the garden but was hard to get to. It had a plastic green house cover but needed to be thrown away due to torn and ripped edges.
More stones were collected and rearranged for garden features in two sections on either end of the garden. This walk way path was eye catching and by placing branches and a plant pot near made it an interesting feature.
Twig branches had been cut down earlier within the year from the front garden and stored. The aim was to use the twigs either for a bonfire, or to attach branches to a tree. I decided to create a fence to separate the bottom compost area from the rest of the garden.
By piercing sticks into the ground I created a fence. More sticks are needed but this shows that every year you can always reuse garden materials in some way. I like this idea and will continue to develop this further.
With time and effort wood can always be reused to create small seats and additional features.
Some house hold furniture was thrown out and had been stored by the side walk entrance. This space was cleared and wood was used for a fire.
Towards the end of the day I had dug a foot deep hole in the ground near the compost area where I placed bricks around the edge and padded with soil. This way the fire was controlled more due to wind breezes.
I think it’s healthy to have a fire to feel the natural heat and see the flames burning. I find this was quite relaxing and therapeutic. This gave me an insight to how life was with out central heating. Discussion kept the night awake and brought friendships closer. Sausages and chicken drumsticks were then cooked shortly after the flames died down which gave of immense heat due to how the fire was dug.
Garden update 16/3/09
Before starting my horticulture course last year I had decided to make improvements to my garden due to me moving home. There was tons of rubbish to be cleared and maintenance to the building block that had to be carried out.
Now, in my second year living in my accommodation, my garden is turning out to how I want it to be.
There are still additional features which I’m refining, plants to be planted and things to build.
Last year i left the garden to see how the space naturally adapted and grew. I now have more of an idea how my garden space will turn out over the summer. Convolvulus grows vigorously in the garden so I have to maintain and control the overgrown weeds. I have managed to create a stone brick feature and I’ve started to collect wood for a feature for my back fence. Rhubarb has been planted as well as chives, sea holly, heather and strawberry plants.
I am continuing to develop my space and wanting to build some additional seats and to make the garden space more secluded.
