A welcomed visit from EuroHealthNet

A welcomed visit from representatives of EuroHealthNet - the European network for public health, health promotion and disease prevention. Public health leaders from across Europe were visiting Barrow to learn more about the town’s work to improve health and well-being. The delegation included representatives from countries including Sweden and Greece, all keen to learn more about community health projects in the town.

Butterfly Conservations winter homes for wildlife

"November is the ideal time to take stock of your garden and look at how you can provide shelter for wildlife through the colder months ahead. It is very easy to provide winter homes for wildlife in your garden – simply creating a log pile can benefit many creatures including moths"

Butterfly Conservations Secret Gardener has revealed their best gardening tips for this month here

What to do in the garden in November advice from Thompson and Morgan

There is always something to be doing in the garden, whether it's pruning, tidying or sowing, so Thompson and Morgan have put together their top gardening tasks for November. These tips include; what to do in the flower garden, the vegetable garden, the fruit garden and in the green house.

 For more information, please visit their website here.

Foraging in the autumn sun

Embracing autumn

Preparing to transplant various cuttings

Cadas Fundraiser - Thai Food Event. 12 - 2 pm Tuesday 26 November

All the leaves are brown.......

FREE guide to urban gardening from Love the Garden

Love the Garden has produced a free in depth guide with hints and tips for growing in an urban area, in whatever space you have. The aim of the guide is to help provide you with the confidence to start growing, or develop and improving your growing skills. The Urban Gardening Guide provides urban gardeners with a host of handy tips, whether their fingers are newly green or they have years of experience. In their guide you will find information on how to use and design your gardening space, the plants that will best suit your situation, and even insider info on which plants get on well with one another.

You can download Love the Gardens free Urban Gardening Guide here.

Winter container gardening

There are a large variety of plants that can be grown in containers and raised planters which will provide interest, colour and structure throughout the winter months. By growing them in containers it will reduce their growth rate and overall height and spread.

Winter flowering shrubs include:

Mahonia – winter sun

Witch hazel

Winter box

Vibernum

Winter jasmine

Winter berries include:

Pyrancantha

Cotoneaster

Holly

Dogwood

New Roots Drop in centre - new website

New Roots are a dedicated group of people in recovery from drug and alcohol problems, service users and volunteers who have set up a ‘drop-in’ centre in Barrow-in-Furness for people with similar problems to be able to meet and discuss their issues or seek advice in a comfortable, relaxed and confidential environment.

If you would like more information please visit the New Roots website here

Aerating the Green Heart Den lawn

Maintaining one of our hedgehog homes

Autumn in the poly tunnel

Growing winter crops

Grow your own advice from Love the Garden

Grow your own advice from Love the Garden. Advice and tips include:

• Growing your own fruit and veg
• Crop rotation explained
• Vegetable planner
• How to grow herbs
• Create your own vegetable garden

For more information please visit: http://www.lovethegarden.com/how-to-grow

RHS Top 10 winter vegetables

RHS Top 10 winter veg - For all those keen to plough on through the winter here are the top 10 vegetables for your winter garden!

• Broad beans
• Asparagus
• Pea and pea shoots
• Garlic
• Onions, spring onion and shallots
• Winter lettuce
• Lambs lettuce
• Spinach
• Sugar snap peas
• Spring cabbage

Quote for the week.....

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” - Albert Camus

Feathered friends visiting today included.....

Robin's back

Valued volunteer Alex - maintaining the gravel areas

Quote for the week.....

“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt

How you can help hedgehogs

"Every year an unknown number of hedgehogs die or suffer horrific injuries because bonfire piles are not checked before being lit. To save hedgehogs and other wildlife from appalling suffering the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) urges that bonfires should not be built until the day they are to be lit"

If you would like more information on how you can help hedgehogs, please visit the BHPS website here

Autumn in the garden

Autumn in the garden, a set on Flickr.