Preparing for winter - tool and equipment maintenance

It is always beneficial to keep tools in good working order, cleaning and drying them after use, but with winter approaching it is well worth giving them a little more attention. Simple tasks such as sharpening cutting tools and spraying metal surfaces with a coating of oil, particularly those difficult to reach areas such as hedge trimmer blades, will help make tools last longer and perform better.

Changing colour in our planted borders

A variety of wildlife enjoying the autumn sun

Todays next task - raised planter maintenance

Preparing for a little grass strimming and hedge trimming

A slow worm pictured on our wildlife banking area

September at the Green Heart Den

Reviewing onsite policies and procedures

A morning in the cabin reviewing the relevant policies and procedures. In particular ensuring our risk assessments and equipment instructions are current and available onsite.

A visit from some early autumn pollinators

Planting bulbs in pots and containers

Bulbs can make a colourful display in pots, containers and borders. They are one of the easiest plants to grow. If you want to provide colour in your containers or garden borders next spring, plant your bulbs from October until December before the hard frosts.

If you are spoilt for choice and just not sure what to plant Gardeners Worlds have listed their top ten bulbs for planting in pots and containers on their website here.

Enjoying the September sun

It only takes a little bit of sunshine to encourage a variety of wildlife onto our wilder areas; common lizards, red admiral butterflies and bumblebees all taking advantage of the September sun.

Its beginning to look a lot like autumn

A variety of crops ready for harvesting after a successful growing year

Adding colour to our grow your own scheme

Harvesting some of our cauliflower

A busy year growing a variety of crops

Crops ripening in the poly tunnel

A female common blue butterfly basking in the sun

An enjoyable afternoon harvesting blackberries

Important notice

It is with regret that after nearly 15 years volunteering on the project and following medical advice regarding recent health issues Graham cannot continue with his duties as coordinator and for being responsible for ensuring the site is properly maintained.  He has made the difficult decision to stand down from these roles by the end of this year (2017).

As a result Marsh Street Arches and Garden CIC are looking to recruit the following on a voluntary basis:

1. Coordinator - responsible for the overall day to day running of the project and acting as a point of contact.

2. Gardener/handyman - responsible for ensuring the garden and its facilities are kept well maintained, tidy and safe to use.

Experience is preferred but not essential however; reliability, the ability to work on your own initiative and as part of a team are crucial to the successful running of our project.

Hopefully this notice will allow time to find a replacement/s that can fill these positions and commit time to the future success of the project. 

As it may be that the project would need to cease operating if these roles cannot be filled we would be very much interested in hearing from any individual and/or organisation that could help fill these positions or offer any potential solution to this issue. 


Graham will remain a member of the CIC, continue managing our social media accounts and will no doubt be seen regularly pottering about on the garden and among other things; looking after the wildlife area, relaxing,  photographing wildlife, growing his own vegetables and helping where he can. 

Thank you.

Todays task - repairing post and wire fencing

Nature on our doorstep

Puss moth caterpillar sheltering in one of our mini beast hotels

An enjoyable visit from Ramsden Robins Nursery School

Allocating a raised planter for the use of Ramsden Robins Nursery School. 

Time to recharge for our project coordinator

Our project coordinator Graham will be taking time off from Friday 21st July until Monday 4th September.

Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Ongoing repairs needed to some raised planters

Maintaining our raised planters

Our mini best hotels are beginning to blend in

Calendula adding a splash of colour to our raised planters

Preparing to harvest the salad crops