The Shop is open for business

Since November we’ve had a number of requests to reopen the shop on a regular basis – and a number of volunteers to take turns behind the counter.

After speaking to members to find out what they’d like to buy from the shop we have placed an order for seeds and gardening gear and our Chair Linda reopened the shop on Sunday 17th February.

Planned shop hours are 10-12 on a Saturday and 12 – 2 on a Sunday.  If you need anything outside that time just ask a committee member and they will see if they can help.

There is a wide range of items available for sale, including:

  • ground cover fabric and pegs
  • fleece
  • netting
  • labels
  • string/ties
  • slug pellets (organic and safe for wildlife)
  • gardening gloves
  • bamboo canes
  • seed trays
  • watering cans

We’re also ordering seeds including:

  • beetroot
  • corn
  • pumpkin and squash
  • cucumber
  • sweetcorn
  • spinach
  • carrots
  • swede
  • courgettes
  • tomatoes
  • onion sets
  • garlic
  • potatoes
  • cabbage, sprouts,
  • strawberry plants

There will also be plants for sale later in the season.

We still have a few gaps in the shop rota – if you can spare some time on either a Saturday or Sunday once every 6 weeks please get in touch.

Hedge planting and seed bombing: Saturday 23rd February 2019

Since the committee was elected in November we have been asking members what they would like to see at Dorset Road Allotments.  A common request was for more working parties and community activities.   As a result we have created the Dorset Road Allotment’s Community Spruce programme for 2019.  This will give members an opportunity to come together to volunteer to help improve the site, to learn and to celebrate.

The first event is on Saturday 23rd February between 11am and 1pm.   We will be planting new wildlife and forager-friendly hedging along the perimeter of the site continuing work that has been underway for some time now.  Not only does native hedging provide a habitat for wildlife, it makes the site look better and importantly improves security.

As well as planting hedging there will be an opportunity to make wildflower seed bombs to try and bring diversity to the wildlife garden.  The 19th Bromley Scout Group have already made seed bombs for us and some of the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts will be on site to launch them into the wildlife garden.

We hope  you can join us to help improve the site and meet some of your fellow allotmenteers.

Refreshments will be provided.

 

Secret Garden update

Secret Garden – thanks to Jane and Damien

The main structure of the Secret Garden has now been completed!  This is mainly down to the hard work and determination of our members Jane and Damien.  They have given up many of their weekends this year to design and build our new accessible Secret Garden as well as oversee the work of their friends and family (thank you Annette, Sophie and Alice) as well our plotholders who have provided some additional help on volunteer days and our site manager Paul. You can read more about the history of the garden here and here.

Completing the door arbour

Magical Secret Garden

The garden will mature over the coming months and years as the climbers grow to enclose the space and make it more magical. At the moment I particularly enjoy the beautiful shadows that are cast in the garden by the willow tunnel, coppiced hazel fences and climbers outside the door arbour.  I’ve even enjoyed sitting and passing the time of day with fellow plotholders.

Shadows cast by the willow fence
Shadows cast by new grapevine

Volunteers needed

We will need help maintaining the garden over the years to come.  As with all work done on site, it is our plotholders and members who make Dorset Road Allotments such a safe, attractive and enjoyable allotment site.  Help that will be needed include:

  • watering the pot plants
  • weeding flower beds
  • cutting the grass.

We will also need more plants to fill out the large flower border.  If you are splitting perenniels, sowing annuals or have some spare shrubs please consider donating some plants to the garden.

If you can spare some time to help in the garden or want to donate some plants please speak to a committee member.

Tesco Bags of Help

And finally, we wouldn’t have been able to build our wonderful Secret Garden if it wasn’t for the help of our local community who voted for us in the Tesco Bags of Help scheme.  Thank you to everybody who voted.  I hope you have already visited the garden on our Open Day.  We will also be having a launch party on Sunday 27th August.  We are also open every Sunday between 10am-1pm for the local community to visit.

Save