Strone Primary youngsters lend a hand at Walled Garden
A group of children from Strone Primary visited Glenfinart Walled Garden on Friday afternoons for 4 weeks, accompanied by school staff. They planted out seedlings of radish, broccoli, cabbage, peas, beans and pumpkins which they grew from seeds planted in school. They have also been involved in planting seeds and established plants donated to the garden e.g. sunflower seeds, strawberry plants and broom. They learned about the history of the garden, Ph soil testing and how to weed round their plants. Some of the children added their wishes to the wishing tree (one wish we all identified with was for ‘a weed free garden’).
The most memorable activity was when the children were let loose on the tyres which were to be used as planters. They spent a fun filled 15 minutes rolling on and inside the tyres which had become sports cars, sailing ships and mobile play parks.
On the last week of term Lynn Kerr gave a talk at assembly about the garden, the history and the future plans for it. She showed a powerpoint presentation of photographs of the garden, both old and new and ran the video footage from Ardentinny.org. The pupils were very interested to hear how the video had been shot and the children who worked in the garden were surprised to see how much it had changed. They pointed out to the rest of the school the areas they had planted and the tyres with which they had played. They also spoke about the plants they had put in and what they remembered about the history of the walled garden.
Many of the children were keen to visit it in the school holidays, some wanted to do some work and others were interested to hear about the Beechgrove filming days.
Lynn Kerr.
Photographs supplied by Strone School.
A Flight through the Walled Garden
The Ardentinny Community Trust team, supported by enthusiastic volunteers, had the factor 30 out over the weekend as the temperatures soared in Glenfinart Walled Garden. These dedicated folks are bringing new life to the Victorian garden which had, until its acquisition by the Trust in 2012, remained largely neglected over many years. The energy expended over the past weeks and months has been impressive: polytunnel completed; paths created; sheds erected; an orchard established; and vegetables and flowers planted.
Support from local businesses and individuals has been exceptional. Indeed, this last weekend local firm West Coast Tool & Hire provided the Trust with the loan of a digger and motorised barrow, free of charge. This enabled designated digger driver, David and hand barrow “operative”, Lynn to make a major impression on the circular Beechgrove Garden area of the project which is due to be completed and filmed at the end of July. Included below is the ambitious garden design created by Lynn Harris.
If you would like to be part of this exciting project and have a few hours to spare, why not come along any Monday, Wednesday or Saturday from 10.00 to 16.00 or call Bill on 810238 or Merle on 810220 for information. Do visit us, you will be made very welcome!
Bird’s-eye view of the garden courtesy of a rookie pilot who’s still a long way off getting his wings!
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Filming begins as Beechgrove Garden plan takes shape
Tern TV was in Ardentinny on Saturday filming the ‘before’ shots for Beechgrove’s programme on Glenfinart Walled Garden. In the meantime, their landscape designer, Lynn Harris had taken away ‘the wish list’ for possible inclusion in the garden design.
Lynn and Beechgrove researcher, Stacey Shear, had earlier attended a meeting with Ardentinny Community Trust’s Walled Garden Committee in order to ascertain what they would like to have in the garden. Ideas gleaned from community consultations were passed on and the committee received the good news that Lynn intends to do a design for the whole garden, rather than just a part of it.
Due to tight financial and time constraints it will not be possible to put the complete design in place prior to broadcast. However, Lynn felt that by having ‘the whole picture’, this professional design plan could be presented to future potential funders in order to facilitate its eventual completion.
While Lynn and her team are working hard on our behalf, there is something she would like you to do. As it is a time for thinning out or discarding unwanted plants, she has asked that gardeners in Cowal give any excess plants to the project. No matter how insignificant you consider them to be, she promises that every single one will be used somewhere in the garden.
If you have unwanted plants to give or would like to volunteer in the garden, contact Ardentinny Community Trust (ACT) Convener, Bill Williamson on 01369 810238, or ACT secretary, Merle Ferguson 01369 810220 (In the case of adverse weather conditions, please phone either of these numbers to check that the garden is open). Alternatively, you can visit the garden between 10.00 and 16.00 hours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays or contact the committee at info@glenfinartgarden.org.
The Beechgrove Garden team will be in Cowal to record the programme from 31 July – 2 August, 2013.
Sophie Thompson’s ‘Plumsden’ tree
Glenfinart Walled Garden’s patron and friend, Sophie Thompson/Lumsden recently planted a plum tree in the garden’s fledgling orchard. She was also kind enough to share her thoughts on this special garden project:
The Glenfinart walled garden feels like it is reclaiming something so utterly nourishing for the local community, literally getting down to the roots of the enchanting place that is Ardentinny. [pullquote]It made us feel so honoured to be a wee part of such an awesome community endeavour.[/pullquote]
The inclusive nature of a garden that embraces all ages, something organic that lies at the very heart of the village, that everyone can be a part of and benefit from, is the sort of thing that can lift a spirit and make a person want to burst in to song!
I spared Anna and Bill Williamson that as we went along on a bright day in February (Yes BRIGHT!) to plant a Plum tree. I just felt plugged in to something so special.
Visited said Plum with Mr Plumsden and the kids a few weeks later. It made us feel so honoured to be a wee part of such an awesome community endeavour.
An utterly fecund place for the roots of Ardentinny to be tended and flourish.
Sophie and her sister Emma Thompson are patrons of Glenfinart Walled Garden.