Tidy Sunday August 2019

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The next Tidy Sunday is Sunday 4th August 2019. Please note this date for your diary:

Sunday 4th August 2019

Some members may prefer to attend on Saturday 3rd August and myself and your Chairperson, John Wood, will attend on both Saturday and Sunday

These are the areas and tasks that we plan to focus on:

  • mowing grass
  • strimming grass and pathways
  • removing weeds and overgrowth from pathways
  • removing weeds from the planted beds

During the last Tidy Weekend in July, 2 plot-holders continued to clear weeds from the overgrown pathways. The photograph below shows the results of this weed clearing.

A photograph that illustrates the before and after of pathway clearing at Craven Arms Community Garden.
CACG Paths Before and After Clearing

More recently we have started to re-surface the pathways and this is shown in the photograph below:

A photograph of a re-surfaced pathway at Craven Arms Community Garden
Re-surfaced Pathway at CACG

We have a number of projects under way at the moment aimed at restoring the Community Gardens to their former glory. We are able to carry out this re-surfacing project because we have received a grant from Craven Arms Town Council – to whom we are extremely grateful.

We have several more projects under way to improve the security and appearance of the Community Gardens. If any plot-holder are able to help us with these projects then please contact myself, Sean Scannell, Secretary, or John Wood, Chairperson.

New Planter

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Here at Craven Arms Community Garden we have been busy on a number of projects aimed at restoring the gardens to their former glory. This post describes work to construct a new planter.

Regular readers will know that we have recently received a grant from Craven Arms Town Council. We are using the grant funds to repair and enhance some of the features of Craven Arms Community Garden, including:

  • restoring pathways to their original condition
  • replacing rotten planters

Two Committee members have constructed a new planter based on a design developed by your Chairman John Wood.

The original planters are showing their age and in some case are completely rotten, as shown in the photograph below:

A photograph of an original planter at Craven Arms Community Garden
An Original CACG Planter

As we took this original planter apart it became evident that the wood was rotten throughout and none could be salvaged.

The photograph below shows the new planter we have constructed:

A photograph of a new planter at Craven Arms Community Garden
A New CACG Planter

This new planter is constructed from treated timber and we’ve used a plastic lining which should give us a longer life than the original planters. We’ve also taken the opportunity to ensure inclusivity and this planter is wheelchair-friendly.

We are extremely grateful to Craven Arms Town Council for providing us with a grant of £800 which allows us to improve the Community Garden and help preserve this facility for current and future plotholders, their families and visitors.

Tidy Sunday July 2019

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The next Tidy Sunday is Sunday 7th July 2019. Please note this date for your diary:

Sunday 7th July 2019

Some members may prefer to attend on Saturday 6th July and myself and your Chairperson, John Wood, will attend on both Saturday and Sunday

These are the areas and tasks that we plan to focus on:

  • mowing grass
  • strimming grass and pathways
  • removing any weeds from already cleared paths
  • path clearance – continuing path clearance ready for re-surfacing

During the last Tidy Weekend in June, 2 plot-holders continued clearing the pathways as described in readiness for re-surfacing. The photograph below shows the results of this pathway clearing.

A photograph showing path clearance in the north east corner of the Craven Arms Community Garden
CACG Path Clearance NE Corner

Over time grass and weeds have encroached on the edges of the paths and in some places the surface has deteriorated. Our aim is to restore the pathways to their original condition and ensure that they are both 1.2 m wide and have a surface that is suitable for wheelchair users and the less able.

We have recently received a grant for £800 from Craven Arms Town Council and this will fund some of the restoration and regeneration projects that we currently have under way.

If any plot-holder are able to help us with these projects then please contact myself, Sean Scannell, or John Wood, Chairperson.

Visit to Bowbrook Allotment Community

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The Committee of CACG have organised a visit to Bowbrook Allotment Community at Mytton Oak Road, Shrewsbury under the National Open Garden Scheme for the afternoon and early evening of Sunday 9th June 2019.

A photograph of Bowbrook Allotment Community
Bowbrook Allotment Community

Bowbrook Allotment Community organise group visits of between 10 and 30 visitors in order to support the National Open Garden Scheme and they charge a fee of £6 per person which includes tea, coffee, soft drinks and cakes. There is so much of interest that the tour is divided into 2 halves of with a break for refreshments.

The key features of Bowbrook Allotment Community are:

  • a 5 acre site
  • 93 plots surrounded by beautiful gardens, orchards and wild flower meadows
  • a nature/interest trail linking the plots
  • Garden of the 4 Seasons
  • a Perfect for Pollinators Garden
  • a Garden of Contemplation
  • a Prairie Garden
  • a story-telling willow dome
  • a willow tunnel
  • a sensory garden
  • a turf spiral

More details are provided within this PDF document which also provides some useful links and directions to the Bowbrook Allotment Community.

Bowbrook only offer group visits and CACG are offering this group visit at £6 per person and you can contact me, Sean Scannell, Secretary to make a booking:

  • 01588 238324
  • sean.scannell@googlemail.com
  • secretary@cravenarmscommunitygarden.org.uk

Payments of £6 per person are required in advance and tickets are available up to a maximum of 30 visitors on a first-come first-served basis.

Please look at the PDF document which provides more details.

Fencing NE Corner – Stage 7

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Regular readers will know that we have a project under way at the moment to repair and replace fences at the North East corner of the Craven Arms Community Garden – as described in an earlier post.

The photograph below shows further progress with the fencing – the installation of barbed wire at the top of the new fence on Thursday 23rd May 2019.

A photograph of the barbed wire on the new fence at the north east corner of the Craven Arms Community GardenArms
CACG Ongoing New Fence Work NE Corner Stage 7

The top of the fence features barbed wire and inside the fence there are Blackthorn and Hawthorn trees. When these have grown they will add to the deterrent and hopefully reduce theft and vandalism.

We have also added vertical extensions to the gate at the north east corner making this very difficult to climb over, as shown in the photograph below. In due course a combination lock will be provided so that plot-holders can gain secure access.

A photograph of the extension to the gate at the north east corner of the Craven Arms Community GardenArms
CACG North East Gate Extension

The gate will be unlocked whenever the Discovery Centre is open – so that visitors can walk through the Community Garden.

We are very grateful to Euro Quality Foundation who kindly provided the funds to allow this project to be carried out.

Tidy Sunday June 2019

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The next Tidy Sunday is Sunday 2nd June 2019. Please note this date for your diary:

Sunday 2nd June 2019

Some members may prefer to attend on Saturday 1st June and myself and your Chairperson, John Wood, will attend on both Saturday and Sunday

These are the areas and tasks that we plan to focus on:

  • mowing grass
  • strimming grass and pathways
  • path clearance – in the North-West of the garden towards the gate
  • path clearance – in the North-East of the garden towards the gate
  • path clearance – around the central Hornbeam hedge

During the last Tidy Weekend in May, 2 plot-holders made an excellent start on clearing the pathways as described in this blog post. The photograph below shows the “before” and “after” of this pathway clearing.

A photograph that illustrates the before and after of pathway clearing at Craven Arms Community Garden.
CACG Paths Before and After Clearing

When the Community Garden was first constructed the paths were designed to be wheelchair-friendly. Over time grass and weeds have encroached on the edges of the paths and in some places the surface has deteriorated.

We are aiming to restore the pathways to their original condition and ensure that they are both 1.2 m wide and have a surface that is suitable for wheelchair users and the less able.

We are currently seeking grant funding to purchase the requisite surface dressing to restore the paths, but the first step is to remove the growth encroaching on the paths.

Fencing NE Corner – Stage 6

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We have a project under way at the moment to repair and replace fences at the North East corner of the Craven Arms Community Garden – as described in an earlier post.

Several plot holders worked on this project during Saturday and Sunday of the recent Early May Bank Holiday weekend.

The photograph below shows progress with fencing and planting of new Blackthorn and Hawthorn hedges by the evening of Saturday 4th May 2019.

CACG Ongoing New Fence Work NE Corner Stage 6

We are also extending an existing gate as a way of enhancing security to combat vandalism and theft of produce, and the photograph below shows the work in progress with the existing gate at the north east corner of the Community Garden.

CACG Work in Progress on NE Gate

There is still some work to complete and if there any other plot-holders who are able to help with this important project we would be very glad to hear from you.

We are very grateful to Euro Quality Foundation who kindly provided the funds to allow this project to be carried out.

Path Clearance Saturday 4th May 2019

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At the CACG AGM held in February 2019 it was agreed that the monthly Tidy Day be moved from Saturdays to Sundays.

Some plot-holders prefer to continue the Tidy Saturdays and that’s absolutely fine. It’s more important that plot-holders make a contribution to the ongoing maintenance than to adhere to any specific day.

One of the tasks that was needed was the clearance of pathways where they had become overgrown with grass and weeds. The long term aim is to restore the surface of the paths and ensure that both the surface and the width (1.2m) are suitable for wheelchair users.

CACG Newly Cleared Pathways

Two plot-holders did a superb job on Saturday with this path clearance and we are very grateful for the effort and success. The photograph above shows the results of this superb effort.

Tidy Sunday May 2019

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The next Tidy Sunday is Sunday 5th May 2019. Please note this date for your diary:

Sunday 7th May 2019

Some members may prefer to attend on Saturday 6th April and myself and your Chairperson, John Wood, will attend on both Saturday and Sunday

These are the areas and tasks that we plan to focus on:

  • mowing grass
  • strimming grass and pathways
  • path clearance – in the North-West of the garden towards the gate
  • path clearance – in the North-East of the garden towards the gate
  • path clearance – around the central Hornbeam hedge

When the Community Garden was first constructed the paths were designed to be wheelchair-friendly. Over time grass and weeds have encroached on the edges of the paths and in some places the surface has deteriorated.

The image below is taken from Google Maps satellite view and shows how the paths have lost definition.

An aerial view of the Craven Arms Community Garden
An aerial view of the Craven Arms Community Garden

We are currently seeking some grant funding to allow us to carry out remedial work to the Community Gardens including restoring the pathways to their former glory.

Fencing NE Corner – Stage 5

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Within earlier blog posts here, here, here, and here I wrote about the fencing work under way to repair and replace fences at the North East corner of the Craven Arms Community Garden.

The photograph below shows the progress of the work achieved by the evening of Sunday 28th April 2019.

CACG New Fence Work NE Corner
CACG Ongoing New Fence Work NE Corner Stage 5 Inside

The photograph above shows the new fence along with the new Blackthorn and Hawthorn hedging from inside the Community Garden.

CACG New Fence Work NE Corner
CACG Ongoing New Fence Work NE Corner Stage 5 Outside

The photograph above shows the new fence viewed from outside the Community Garden and highlights the chicken wire and stones which should prevent rabbits from entering through this new fencing.

There is still some work to complete and if there any other plot-holders who are able to help with this important project we would be very glad to hear from you.

As always we are grateful to Euro Quality Foundation who kindly provided the funds to allow this project to be carried out.