After a long cold winter we're gearing up to transform the growing spaces around Louth into fine displays of vegetables and fruit. If you have any spare seedlings that you'd like to plant out into one of spaces then please get in touch.

Thanks

James 

Google Earth image of the gardens currently located around Louth

If you go down to the garden today....you're sure of a big surprise!

Say hello to the latest contribution to the garden from the Kevi's students!

Tap it, unwrap it!

Giant Iced Doughnut!

Todmorden...just do it!

If you needed any convincing about the power of community watch this video

Incredible Edible Inspiration

In the deep midwinter!

We had a great day today, planting out three Lincolnshire heritage apple trees at the Charles St community garden. Fine specimens of Barnack Beauty, Allington Pippin and Sleeping Beauty were supplied by Shaun D'Arcy-Burt of Manby and settled into their new home in bright winter sunshine. The trees were funded from the estate of the late David Fleming and are dedicated to his memory. David was a founder member of the Ecology Party, an inspiration to the Transition Town movement and a great friend of Biff & Jean.

 We also prepared and planted out a wildflower patch alongside the fence. A variety of plants were donated by Biff & Jean including, cowslips, willow herb, pink campion, mullein, foxgloves and Alison's contribution Verbascum virgatum, aka twiggy mullein !
All in readiness to impress the 2013 East Midland in Bloom Judges...all the local passers by...and most importantly the BEES!

Look at that lovely Russian Kale!

Hot boxing!

Bit excited because my hot box composter is steaming away!
Thought I'd share this video of the box in action all I've done is make sure there's a reasonable mix of
browns and greens kept the airway clear and the micro beasts are doing the rest!
The makers say you should get mulching compost in 30 days and mature compost within 90 days
I'll have a look in a couple of months and let you know!
You can get more info on them here hot bin composting

And no, I'm not on commission!

Tools Shed donation

I collected a refurbished set of garden tools yesterday from Steve Russell of Morton Hall IRC (immigration removal centre).
The tools are publicly donated and then restored by detainees to be re-distributed to community use.

This was the first handover of tools in Lincolnshire though the same scheme has been running in London for the last 5 years.

This is a clip from the press release

“With more and more schools and community groups ‘growing their own’ there is great demand for garden tools and rarely any budget” says Conservation Foundation Director David Shreeve. “A recycling project that helps to equip the next generation of gardeners, reduces waste and provides practical skills for detainees, seems the ideal solution” 

If you know of a community group or school that would benefit from the scheme then please contact the Conservation Foundation  tools@conservationfoundation.co.uk

Spout yard planter

Thought you'd like to see a photo of the latest addition to Louth's "Footpath of Food".
We've installed a small metre square bed by the riverside in Spout Yard, we've planted strawberries and courgettes to give passers-by a little taster of "growing your own".
The plan is to make another similar bed on the other side of the path in the next few weeks.