Seven tips to grow tomatoes in containers

A welcomed visit from Love Barrow Families

Some of our little blue bird chicks

Common blue butterflies enjoying the sun on our banking areas

Edible flowers - advice from Royal Horticultural Society

“Edible flowers add colour, flavour and texture to savoury and sweet dishes, as well as cordials, oils and butters. A wide range of annuals and perennial edible flowers can be grown in the garden from early spring to late autumn. Children can be encouraged to take an active interest in growing and preparing food through edible flowers” – Source RHS.

To find out more about edible flowers got to the link below.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=764

Please note not all flowers are edible, accurate identification of flowers is essential – if you are in doubt, don’t eat.

Our phacelia is beginning to attract pollinators

Our lilac shrub in bloom

Adding colour to the wildlife boundary areas

A variety of food crops being grown in the raised planters

Some of our early strawberries

Our new planting boxes

Lining our new planting boxes before installing them either side of the compost toilet ramp.

Funding to enable the purchase of our new planting boxes was provided from a grant we have been awarded by Cumbria County Council.

Plant donations......Thank you

Growing well in the poly tunnel

FREE gardeners drop-in session between 1 and 3 pm Friday 6th June

Our gardeners drop-in between 1 and 3 pm Friday 6^th June is a free service to help support you in your gardening and growing efforts.

Our resident expert, Jennifer (from Carpe Diem Gardens), will be available to answer your gardening queries such as; what to grow, when and where to grow your plants, what plants are edible? what plants should you plant next to one another? what plants are good for wildlife? All these and much more - there is no need book just call in!

FREE cook and eat workshop 10 - 12 noon, Friday 6th June

Our FREE Workshop Programme for 2014 continues between 10 - 12 noon on Friday 6 June when we are holding a FREE "Cook and eat" workshop on the site - using our rocket stove and kelly kettle.

You can book your place by ringing 01229 876546 or Email: neighbourhoodmgt@barrowbc.gov.uk

Funding to enable the workshop session has been provided from a grant we have been awarded by People’s Health Trust using money raised by Healthable Community Interest Company through The Health Lottery.

Assembling our new picnic table

Funding to enable the purchase of our new picnic table was provided from a grant we were awarded by Cumbria County Council.

Edible flowers - advice from Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)

“Edible flowers add colour, flavour and texture to savoury and sweet dishes, as well as cordials, oils and butters. A wide range of annuals and perennial edible flowers can be grown in the garden from early spring to late autumn. Children can be encouraged to take an active interest in growing and preparing food through edible flowers” – Souce RHS.

You can find out more about edible flowers on the RHS website here.

FREE art in the garden workshop

The aim of this free “art in the garden” workshop,  facilitated by Jennifer Lauruol of Carpe Diem Gardens, was to enjoy using soft pastel colours to experiment with drawing people. By the end of the session those attending had explored several ways of using pastel colours and created one or more colourful images of people.

Funding to enable the workshop session was provided from a grant  we have been awarded by The Peoples health Trust, using money raised by Healthable Community Interest Company via the health Lottery.

Among the feedback we received included:

"I have had a lovely morning at the workshop. Lovely people here"

"It is a calming, relaxing place. I made new friends"

"Felt comfortable, welcome and really enjoyed it"

"I feel confident enough to socialise more"

FREE Gardeners drop in service 1- 3 pm Friday 9th May

Our gardeners drop-in between 1 and 3 pm Friday 9th May is a free service to help support you in your gardening and growing efforts.

Our resident expert, Jennifer (from Carpe Diem Gardens), will be available to answer your gardening queries such as; what to grow, when and where to grow your plants, what plants are edible? what plants should you plant next to one another? what plants are good for wildlife? All these and much more - there is no need book just call in!

A welcomed visit from Ramsden Infants School

Quote for the week......

"No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted" - Aesop

Eight of the best herbs for containers

“Herbs are wonderful for containers. Few crops give you so much from so little space. Often just a few leaves can transform a dish. Many also have flowers that attract beneficial insects – bees love chive flowers for example and hoverflies love coriander flowers. If you like herbs and have space for a pot to two, do try growing a few. They are amongst the easiest in containers. And many like mint, chives, thyme and rosemary will return year after year, so you don’t even have to sow them every year, either. All in all, a real winner in small spaces" Source Vertical Veg

Vertical Veg has posted a new video in which Lorraine, who runs the herb farm Herbal Haven, shares her tips on how to grow - Eight of the best herbs for containers