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MARCH - IN LIKE A POLAR BEAR..
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For the first time since we've been active in the garden, I've had to cancel some of our sessions - we lost three days this month but have somehow managed to achieve a huge amount over the last few weeks.
We are all so grateful that the shed is now up and weather tight. We have a gas stove in here for very chilly days - daring to hope we've seen the last of them, but the shed has been surprisingly warm when the sun is out with our lovely south facing windows.
This last month has seen us weaving baskets, planting our woodland trust trees, preparing the ground for our perennial flowers and marking out our annual flower garden for ploughing next month.
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Forms will be coming out by post this month to all our existing garden friends but if you would like to renew your subscription on line please click here and just join up using the button on the page
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We had a wonderful day in February under the tuition of Anna Liebmann weaving our very own baskets. Anna brought along willow for us to use but next time we do this it will be with Gilmerton House Kitchen Garden willow planted last year.
We first constructed a base - looking a bit like a small sun - then worked in long stems that would become the sides of our basket. These were woven in to the right depth of pretty much a good bread basket and then Anna showed us how to finish off our tops by tucking in the final stems to give a lovely finish.
It was a great experience for our volunteers, a little chilly towards the end when our big heater ran out, but everyone managed to make a very respectable basket with Anna's careful guidance. Some of our volunteers are very keen to do their own log baskets so we are hoping our own willow really gets going this summer and gives us lots of lovely material to work with.
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Our free trees from the Woodland Trust arrived just this last week and we've been enjoying planting this new wild hedge in the garden.
This native selection, including hawthorn, hazel and dog rose will form a pretty boundary to our bee garden in future years. Our chickens will be going in here also, just to keep our bees company, and the hedge will be part of an effective barrier around the chicken coup.
This photo shows a quince tree, kindly donated to the garden being planted just inside our new hedge.
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We were absolutely delighted to have news of new funding this month from the Finnis-Scott Foundation.
This new grant will go towards purchasing and planting our wall fruit, chiefly pears and plums, our crab apple walk and to buy our hazel nut trees for our nuttery all to be started this spring.
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Seeds of Change - therapeutic horticulture
MARCH UPDATE
Our therapeutic horticulture programme begins in the garden on the 4th of April - this initial 8 week block is chiefly for our existing volunteers but if you are interested in becoming involved please do let me know.
Our plan is to refine the course and iron out any wrinkles so we are up and running by June when we will open to course out to a wider audience. Contact me by email, june@gilmertonhouse.com or call me on 07984334535 if you are looking for more information.
Our volunteer sessions are Mondays 10am till 1pm and Thursdays 1pm till 4pm - all welcome!
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