While the sun has been a bit shy, the forecast for our community gardens is nothing but bright with the busy summer season underway. From events, to new faces and community sessions, catch up on all the news from our various green-fingered projects around the city.
Get Growing Trail 2024
Opening the gates to our North Bristol Dementia-Friendly allotment this June, it was a pleasure to take part in this year’s #GetGrowingTrail organised by Bristol Food Network.
North Bristol Dementia-friendly Allotment
With the cooler weather and the relentless attacks from slugs, everything is a bit behind at our Brentry allotment this season. However, with warmer weather heading our way, we’re looking forward to things picking up soon – and with a hearty harvest of broad beans and chard this year it certainly feels like we’re heading in the right direction!
Wellspring Settlement Community Garden
Since last we wrote, we have started working with a new social prescriber from Wellspring Settlement, which has been lovely. We have also been working hard on our vegetable beds, primping our flower beds, sorting out the roundabout planting and watching tadpoles in our pond. We will soon plant native hedgerows and wildflowers in local green spaces and will be helping the Family Centre with their garden.
BRI Sessions
We’ve had a few sessions outside in the hospital’s courtyard garden as the weather has begun warming up, and we have received the fantastic news that the hospital charity has given us funding for another year of sessions! We have continued beautifying the garden and supporting family and friends in gardening with the patients and nurses. Feedback has been fabulous, with patients and nurses saying it is their favourite part of the week. One heart-warming comment came from someone who said they thought they’d ‘never do gardening again’.
South Bristol Dementia-friendly Allotment
We have had a wonderful first few weeks on our new South Bristol dementia-friendly allotment. The raised beds are now full of vegetables and flowers, we’ve planted hanging baskets and created a wildlife pond, and we’ve been busy getting to know the other friendly allotment holders! We’ve even harvested our first veg – some lettuce – an occasion accompanied by a loud cheer!
Hoppiness Project
We’ve run four sessions as part of The Hoppiness Project and they’ve been going brilliantly. We now have hops in the ground at both care homes and have brought smiles to many people’s faces. Residents were disappointed that we didn’t bring any beer to the last sessions, so we plan to finish every session with beer and a sing-song in future! Participant-led coproduction for the win!
Lawrence Hill Health Centre
Sessions are going well at our Lawrence Hill Health Centre, where we’ve been extending the vegetable beds, creating beautiful mosaic signs, making new raised beds and decorating the garden and waiting room. Our aim is to transform the health practice into a vibrant space for the entire community of service users to enjoy. We want to create an environment that feels brighter and happier, enhancing the well-being of all.