WINTER 2020/21 The Walled Garden
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New Ventures in 2021 Welcome to the first issue of our newsletter for 2021. Well it has certainly been the most challenging winter we have experienced so far. The weather has been very wet at times and more recently cold and snowy. The pandemic has meant we have had to be very careful about how many people we could allow in to work in the garden at any one time and of course the need for social distancing has made it more difficult to get some tasks done. Despite all of this, a huge amount has been achieved, both in terms of upkeep and maintenance but also in delivering the landscape design. In this issue we describe some new areas in more detail, namely the Japanese garden and the lawns for the southwest quadrant. We are also embarking on an innovative new way of organic vegetable growing using the No Dig method, under the watchful eye of No Dig expert, Cherry Taylor. If you are interested in helping out, as a volunteer gardener or in an associated capacity, please read on for more details. Our contact details can be found on the back page. • New Ventures in 2021 • Access and volunteering news • New "No Dig" organic growing project • The Japanese Garden • Community Garden Lawns • Membership news • Seed swap scheme • News in brief • And now here come the daffodils • Contact us W IN TE R 2 0 20 / 2 1 Newsletter of the Friends of Llanfrechfa Grange Walled Garden The Walled Garden In this Issue
Transcript of WINTER 2020/21 The Walled Garden
New Ventures in 2021 Welcometothefirstissueofournewsletterfor2021.Wellithascertainlybeenthemostchallengingwinterwehaveexperiencedsofar.Theweatherhasbeenverywetattimesandmorerecentlycoldandsnowy.Thepandemichasmeantwehavehadtobeverycarefulabouthowmanypeoplewecouldallowintoworkinthegardenatanyonetimeandofcoursetheneedforsocialdistancinghasmadeitmoredifficulttogetsometasksdone.Despiteallofthis,ahugeamounthasbeenachieved,bothintermsofupkeepandmaintenancebutalsoindeliveringthelandscapedesign.
Inthisissuewedescribesomenewareasinmoredetail,namelytheJapanesegardenandthelawnsforthesouthwestquadrant.WearealsoembarkingonaninnovativenewwayoforganicvegetablegrowingusingtheNoDigmethod,underthewatchfuleyeofNoDigexpert,CherryTaylor.
Ifyouareinterestedinhelpingout,asavolunteergardenerorinanassociatedcapacity,pleasereadonformoredetails.Ourcontactdetailscanbefoundonthebackpage.
• NewVenturesin2021• Accessandvolunteeringnews• New"NoDig"organic
growingproject• TheJapaneseGarden• CommunityGardenLawns• Membershipnews• Seedswapscheme• Newsinbrief• Andnowherecomethe
daffodils• Contactus
W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 / 2 1
Newsletter of the Friends of Llanfrechfa Grange Walled Garden
The Walled Garden
In this Issue
THE WALLED GARDEN WINTER 2020/21
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Volunteering and our COVID plan
TheWalledgardendevelopmentreliessolelyonthegoodwillandhelpfromverycommittedanddedicatedvolunteers.Duringthelockdownperiod,wehavereliedonthemtohelpuscontinueessentialmaintenanceinthegarden.Initiallywehadadailyrotaofjust4peopleatatime,toensuresocialdistancing,butthishasnowbeenraisedto6perhalfaday.TherearestricthygienemeasuresinplaceandwrittenguidelinesforCOVID-19safety.
Wehave18regularvolunteerswhoareengagedinactivitiesacrossallpartsofthegarden;buildingtheJapaneseGarden,participatingintheNoDigorganicvegetablecourse,plantsowingandpropagation,procuringstonesandothermaterialsfromvarioussitesforhardlandscapingandplantingourspringbulbs.Youcanreadmoreabouttheseinthefollowingpages.
Thegardenworkhasprogressedwiththetirelessinputfromourvolunteersinallweather.Themorevulnerablevolunteershavesensiblystayedawayfromthegardenincludingsomewhohavetoprovidecareforvulnerablefamilymembers.Keepingthegardenopenforessentialworkhashowever,providedmanyofourvolunteerswithasenseofpurposeandimprovedmentalwellbeingduringthelockdown.
Access and Volunteering News Whathaveourvolunteersbeenuptoandhowarewemanagingduringthepandemic?
OuroriginalplanwastoformallyopentheWalledGardentothepublicinspring2021tocoincidewith,whatwasthengoingtobe,theopeningdateforthenewGrangeUniversityHospital.Asweareallonlytooaware,agreatdealhashappenedsincethenduetothepandemic.Thenewhospitalopenedearlyandasthingscurrentlystand,wearelikelytoremaininsomedegreeofLockdownforseveralmoremonthstocome.ItiswithgreatsadnessthereforethattheTrusteeshavedecidedthatopeningmustbedeferreduntilitissafetodoso.Weremainhopefulthatthiswillbeearlysummertimein2021.
Thelawnareadesign-SWquadrant
Opening Date Deferred
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New Project - "No Dig" Organic Vegetables
BetweenJanuaryandJune2021,wewillbeguidedthroughtheprocessofgrowing15typesofvegetablesusingCharlesDowding’sNoDigandorganicmethods.ThedealisthatweshareourlearningwithourmembersandvolunteersandhelptoraiseawarenessofthebenefitsoforganicgrowingusingtheNoDigmethod,whichweare,ofcourse,veryhappytodo.
Duringthecoursewewilllearnhowto:
• MakeNoDigbedsorconvertexistingones• Dealwithpestsandweedswithoutusing
chemicals• Sowandprickoutattheoptimumtimefor
eachvegetable• Plantattheappropriatespacings• Nurture,harvestandstoreourownlovely
freshorganicveg
Howwillwedothis,especiallywiththelimitationsimposedbythepandemicrestrictions?
ThecourseisbeingrunviaaprivatesocialmediagrouphostedbyCherryonFacebookandweeklygroupZoomlessons.Thisisallsupplementedwithhandoutnotes,YouTubevideodemonstrationsandgroupchats.AlltheseedshavebeenprovidedbythecoursesothateveryonegrowsthesamethingsatthesametimealongsideCherry,intheirownvegetableplots,bethatbackgarden,allotment,schoolorcommunitygarden.Wehaveallocatedabed1mx5minourProduceGardeninthenortheastquadrantoftheWalledGardenforthispurpose(Bed#3).
OurleadforthecourseisourTrusteeSecretary,AngelaFry.Shewillattendallthelessonsandguideinterestedmembersandvolunteerswhowanttoshareourlearningfromthecourse.WewillshareregularupdatesonourprogressviaourmainwebsitepagesandFacebook.YoucanalsosendusquestionstoraisewiththeNoDigcommunityaboutthemethod.
Newfor2021,wearedelightedtohavebeengivenacomplimentaryplaceasaCommunityGardenparticipantintheNoDigorganicvegetablegrowingcourserunbyVegOutco-founder
andorganicmarketgardenerCherryTaylor.
#3'NoDigbed'intheNEQandtheseedswewillbegrowingthroughoutthecourse.
THE WALLED GARDEN WINTER 2020/21
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TraditionalJapanesegardendesignprinciplesaimtousenaturalmaterialsandtoincorporatesimplicity,flowandasenseofserenity.Ourgardenwillbesimilarlyunderstatedandassymetricalwithcleanlinesandsubdued,naturalcoloursandtextures.Smoothrocksandstoneswillbelaidinaserpentinepatterntosuggestwaterwithcarefullyplacedbiggerrocksandstonesintendedtosymboliseeternity,stabilityandharmony.Steppingstoneswillencourageavisittoaquietstonebenchortoviewourtraditionalgranitelanternupclose.ThreecherrytreesarealreadyinplaceandweplantoaddarangeofotherJapanesestyleplantsinspring.Abamboofencewillprovideprivacytothenorthernsideofthegardenandamoongateawelcomingentrancenearthelawnarea.
InspiredbytraditionalJapanesegardendesignprinciples,oneofourfirst"Show"gardensisbeingbuiltintheSouthwestquadrant.
Left:Asimplestonebridgecrossingoverourdryriverbed.Madefromwhatmighthavebeenheavywindowledgesorlintelsthatwefoundburriedinthegarden.
The Japanese Garden
Right:Oursimplegranitebenchhasbeenbuiltfromsparekerbstonessalvagedfromthenewhospitalbuildingsite.Itwilleventuallybeshelteredbyanopenmock‘teahouse’wherevisitorscansitquietlyandwatchoverthegarden.
Above:ConceptdesigndrawingfortheJapanesegarden.
AlanfromAPWatersskillfullymanouvredtwoenormousegranitestonesoverthewallusinghisremotecontrolhyab.Thestones,donatedbyhomeownerTomGoodingofAbergavenny,werecollectedbyAlanlastyearandhavebeensatoutsidewaitingfortheirnewhometobeready.
Abeautiful5fttallKasugaNaralantern,fundedbytheMonmouthshireBuildingSocietyCharitableFoundation,isunderconstruction.Handcarvedfromsilver-greygranitethenameofthisornatelanterncomesfromtheancientKasugaGrandShrineinNara,Japan.Thelanternsweretraditionallyusedastempleguardians.OnefaceoftheintricatelycarvedlightboxbearsanimageofasacredJapanesenativeSikadeerwhilethetopresemblesalotusblossom,theflowerofparadiseandasymbolofpurity.
THE WALLED GARDEN WINTER 2020/21
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TheCommunitygardeninthesouthwestquadrantisgoingtobehometoanumberofdifferent'show'gardens.Asfeaturedabove,theseincludeaJapaneseGardenandacircularlawn.Therewillalsobeashrubbery,astumperyandbogarea,awildlifegarden,screeandphysicgardens.Wewillsharemoreontheseinfutureissues.Beneathtwoofthethreeornamentalcherrytrees,wewillbeplantingasecond,smallerlawn,thisoneplantedwithchamomile.Thisisnotthesortofchamomileyoumaketeawithbutaspecialvarietythatislowgrowing,lowmaintenanceandnon-flowering.Itishoweverbeautifultolookatandalsofragrant.
The Chamomile Lawn
The Community Garden Circular Lawn
Preparingthelawnarearequiredmanyweeksofweeding,rakingandlevelingthegroundbutfinallythedaycamewhenthegrasscouldbeputin.Thelawnisfastemerging,butasyoucansee,soalsoarethemolehills!Thenexttaskistoplanttheedging.Wehaveselectedthreebeautifulornamentalgrasses;MiscanthusNepalensis,MiscanthusSinensis"Starlight"andMiscanthusSinensis"KleineSilberspinne".Eachborderwillbebetween9and13mlongwithanopeningbetweeneachonetoprovideaccessontothelawn.
Theornamentalgrassesaredeciduousperennialsthatwillgrowuptoabout1mtallandprovidechangingcolourandtexturethroughtheseasons.ThelawnareahasbeenpartfundedbyPonthirCommunityCouncil.Alawnmowerhasalsobeendonatedbyoneofoursupporters!
AcircularlawnboundedbybeautifulornamentalgrassesistobeakeyfeaturefortheCommunityGardeninthesouthwestquadrant.
Above-thelawnarea,beforeandafterplanting
Clockwisefromtopleft-MiscanthusNepalensis,MiscanthusSinensis"Starlight"andMiscanthusSinensis"KleineSilberspinne"
Chamomilenobile"Treneague".
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Seed Swap Scheme Wehavesetupanewseedswapschemetoencouragethesharingofanyspareseedandtorecycleourownsurpluses.Theschemeisoperatedfromwithinthegardensofornowisonlyopentoourmembersandregularvolunteers.Seedsforswappingarelistedinthe'MembersArea'ofourwebsite.Theseedsarestoredinamarkedair-tightcontainerinthegreenhouse.Newdonationsshouldbedepositedinaseparatemarkedbagforcheckinginwhatwecanuseandwhattoallocatetotheseedswap.Anyonewhowantstotakefromtheswapbucketjustneedstojotdownwhattheyhavetaken.Don'thaveanyswapstodonate?That'sfine.Perhapspledgetogrowacoupleofextraplantsforustosellorleaveasmalldonationinstead.FormoreinformationpleasevisittheMembersareaofthewebsite.
Membership News
AsaRegisteredCharity,havingasupportnetworkofAssociateMembersisveryusefulfortheproject.BenefitsfortheCharityinclude:
• providinguswithasmallbutreliableincomefromsubscriptions,whichhelpswiththerunningcostsofthegarden.
• increasingtherangeandsizeofgrantswecanapplyfor.
• FeedbackandinputfrommembershelpstheTrusteesknowiftheyareguidingtheprojectintherightdirection.
TherearealsobenefitsinbecominganAssociateMember:
• Membersaresentquarterlynewsletters.• ThereisaMembersonlysectionofour
websitewhichgivesaccesstomoredetailedinformationontheprogressofthegarden,ournewseedswapscheme(seebelow)andsharedlearningfromtheCharity'sparticipationinthe2021'NoDig'organicgrowingcourse.
• SharebenefitsofWalledGardenaffiliationssuchasSocialFarmsandGardens.
• Invitationstosocialandothereventsatthegarden.
Thebestpartis–membershipissuchgoodvalue!Alloftheaboveforonly£4ayear!
Sodo,please,showusyoursupport.Wenowhaveanelectronicmembershipformonourwebsite:https://llanfrechfawalledgarden.wordpress.comOremailMembershipSecretary:[email protected],chequeorbanktransfer(seemembershipformfordetails).Welookforwardtohearingfromyousoon!
RecruitingmemberstoourRegisteredCharitybringsimportantbenefitstotheWalledGardenandisagreatwayforpeopletoshowtheirsupportandgetinvolved.
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News in Brief
Our Annual Report 2019-20 TheFriendsofLlanfrechfaGrangeWalledGardenAnnualReport,whichincludesourannualfinancialreturnfor2019/20,hasrecentlybeensubmittedtoTheCharityCommissionforEngland&Wales.ItcanbeviewedatTheCharityCommission'swebsiteatthislink:https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5108442
Grants and Donations
TheJapaneseGardenhasagainbenefitedfromthehelpofAdrianWatersandalsoreceivedtwogenerousdonations.Adrianhoistedtwoenormousgranitestonesoverthewallintothegarden;TheSoroptimistsClubofCwmbranhasfundedoneofthecherrytreestocommemoratethecentenaryofSoroptimistsInternational;andtheMonmouthshireBuildingSocietyCharitableFoundationhasfundedourgranitelantern.Wehavealsoreceived8barerootfruittreesfromKeepWalesTidyaspartofour2021applicationfortheGreenFlagCommunityAward.Theseinclude2Victoriaplumand3typesofappletree.OnceagainwearedelightedtohavebeengrantedfundingfromourtwolocalCommunityCouncils.TheLlanyravonandCroesyceiliogCCgrantwillhelpfundthestumperyplantsandthegrantfromPonthirCCwillbeusedforthePhysicGarden.
Making Leaf Mould ThetreesaroundGrangeHousedropahugevolumeofleavesintheautumn.Whilethesecanbeanuisanceunderfoottheyareperfectformakingleafmould.Looselypackedintotwobespokebinstheleaveswillbebrokendownbytheslowactionoffungi,ratherthanbybacteriathatdecomposeothercompostbiningredients,andwillbereadyformulchingorpottingonnextautumn.
WearesorrytoreportthatthespringraffleorganisedbytheNewportUskmouthRotaryClubwillnotbetakingplacethisyear,duetothedifficultiesaroundcoordinatingthisduringtheCOVIDcrisis.Thiseventnormallyraisesover£150fortheWalledGardensoitwillbemissed.Wehopeitwillbebacknextspring.
Spring Raffle Cancelled
Newcompostingbinsfromsalvagedpallets
And now here come the Daffodils... And now here come the daffodils,
The trumpeters of spring, All tooting joy, which thrills and thrills,
The while again they bring Their happiest note attuned with cheer
To tell that spring is truly here.
I am always glad when daffodils Lift up their golden horn,
To wake a day whose waking fills With mellowness the morn,
And lures the south winds thru the air To bear away my winter's care.
Daffodils (excerpt) by Charles A Heath
Springiscomingandjusttomakesureno-onemissesit,ourvolunteershavebeenbusyplantingupallsortsofspringfloweringbulbsalloverthegardentobringsomemuchneededcolourandjoyinthecomingmonths.Wewillhavemanydifferentvarietiesofdaffodils,crocus,tulips,muscari,fritillaries,anemonesandsnowdrops,whichwehopearegoingtoresultinariotofcolour.Ourthankstoallourvolunteersfortheirhardwork,wewillbesuretosharepicturesinournextissue.
Contact Us FriendsofLlanfrechfaGrangeWalledGarden,LlanfrechfaGrange,Cwmbran,Torfaen,NP448YN
THE WALLED GARDEN
WINTER 2020/21
Registered Charity number 1176172
Email:[email protected]:https://llanfrechfawalledgarden.wordpress.com/
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