Pumpkin cutting

Pumpkin cutting, a photo by Marj Joly on Flickr.

The other large pumpkin weighing about 45kg was cut up and shared today.

As there is now little outside gardening to do, we have started to make our seed order list. We have a varied agenda each week - as the weather is not that good if you want to practise reading English and learn more about growing food at the same time come along and join us! We will have a variety of gardening books to look through over the winter months.

Sharing out the pumpkin

Pumpkin, a photo by LoopZilla on Flickr.

Yesterday we shared out two of the rather large atlantic giant pumpkins grown on my allotment with Lansbury Gardeners. The two pumpkins were shared out with at least 12 households, and we still have one more left!

Have just had roasted pumpkin soup made with part of our portion - very tasty. Probably make some curry with the rest.

Menteath House Garden

Menteath House Garden: after, a photo by Marj Joly on Flickr.

The garden is now pretty much finished in terms of the major build. The final three bags of bark went down this morning with help from Poplar HARCA who arrived just as I was starting to flag...

Ten households growing their own food in a small corner of east London next to their homes.

Potatoes

June, Mary and Lucille harvested some potatoes today. The crop wasn't that big, but they were very excited!

Hafiza's peas

Hafiza's peas, a photo by Marj Joly on Flickr.

Purple and green peas, grown by Hafiza. A very wet morning, so wet we could barely get out in the garden - managed a few minutes. Spent the morning chatting.

Carrots!

Guley and her first carrots, a photo by Marj Joly on Flickr.

Today Guley harvested the first of her carrots. Had a great day in the garden - tasting peas and rocket and working out what were weeds and what were not...

Great Radishes!

IMG_3311, a photo by Marj Joly on Flickr.

Umme (left) has managed to grow some very large radishes in her first year at the Hind Grove garden. She shared them with June.

Saturday June 11th - session cancelled

Apologies but the 12.3o to 2pm session on Saturday June 11th 2011 has had to be cancelled. Our next session will be on Thursday June 16th from 10 to 12noon.

We are still looking for more volunteers to help run our sessions. The Saturday session in particular needs more people to commit to helping out and now needs two people to support it. Get in touch if you think you can help.

Menteath House Garden

Menteath House Garden, a photo by LoopZilla on Flickr.

Built in two (half) days. One day to put the wooden raised beds together from a kit of parts, and then a second day to put the beds in place and fill them with top soil and manure.

Menteath House

Menteath House, a photo by LoopZilla on Flickr.

Menteath House Garden is almost done! Eight raised beds, in place, filled with compost and topsoil. A great effort from the team!

Menteath House garden build - help needed

The work is starting to create a lovely new vegetable garden outside Menteath House in Poplar. Menteath House is located between Dod Street and Farrance Street - E14 7DZ.

The beds are being built tomorrow (May 19th) at the Hind Grove Community Hall.

On Saturday May 21st from 11am to 3pm the beds will be moved over to the garden from the hall and filled with soil and compost.

If you can come along and help on Saturday- please do - even if it is only for a short time, as many hands make light work! Tools and gloves are provided, but make sure you wear suitable clothing and shoes as this is dirty work!

If you need more information get in touch with Louise on 07903 029 473
louise.joly@pobox.com

Saturday Sessions starting March 5th

Lansbury Gardeners

Hind Grove Community Hall

Thursdays 10am to 12noon

Saturdays 12.30pm to 2pm (from March 5^th)

From March we will have a range of seeds to give away including tomatoes, aubergines, chillies, beetroot, and lettuce

Why not see what you can grow in your garden or balcony?

We will be organising outings to some lovely gardens this summer. Drop in to find out more…

Meet your neighbours and find out more about growing vegetables!

www.lansburygardeners.org.uk

http://lansburygardeners.blogspot.com/

Louise Joly, Secretary

07903 029 473 020 7515 4964

Lansbury Gardeners is a voluntary organisation run by residents.

Sessions may occasionally be cancelled without notice.

Garden Improvements, February 2011

Garden improvements
Originally uploaded by Marj Joly

This is result of several sessions. First the raised beds and topsoil removed from the bags and added back. Then, more topspoil and compost. Then the gravel. The final touch. A lot work, and a great result!

Grow Your Own at Menteath House?

Lansbury Gardeners with support from Poplar HARCA are proposing to create a space for residents to grow their own food in part of the grassed area outside Menteath House. The plan is:

• To build 8 wooden raised beds in the space between Farrance Street and the Menteath House bin room

• The beds will be filled with good quality soil and compost suitable for growing lovely “home grown” vegetables

• A low wooden fence will surround the garden

• Lansbury Gardeners will provide seeds, tools and advice

Today we are consulting with residents living in Menteath House. We will be talking to residents, showing them the plans and getting their opinions. If you would like to see some examples of raised beds and meet members of Lansbury Gardeners you can also come to:

Hind Grove Community Hall
Thursday February 24th 10 to 12

If you have any comments or questions please respond by Monday February 28th. Thank you.
Louise Joly 0207 515 4964

Garden improvements: day two complete

As you can see the beds are now in place! The garden is transformed.

There is still more work to do - we need to order more soil and manure to top them up. The wood needs some more sanding, and we will give each bed a number. We also plan to put some weed suppressant membrane down around the beds, with either bark or gravel to finish the job.

Many thanks to all who helped Lansbury Gardeners achieve this. Happy gardening in 2011!

Garden improvements: day one complete

Just back from a long day with Lansbury Gardeners. Was awake at 5am thinking about things I thought I had forgotten and in Tesco by 7.30am getting various snacks to keep us going. Them Gordon and I went and picked up the cordless screwdrivers from HSS and came back and got set up from 9am...a long day.

Of the 16 raised beds - 14 have been built. 7 beds are in the garden and partially filled with soil.

Tomorrow morning Friday 21st January the final two beds will be built, all the beds will be put in the garden and the rest of the soil moved into them from the remaining bags. Next week we will get more soil to top them up.

If you can come down and help for any amount of time Friday morning you would be very welcome! We aim to be finished (certainly in the hall) by lunchtime so the Bingo can come in at 1.30. We should be able to finish the job.

Thanks to residents Rahima, Amina, June, Frances, Mary, Gordon and Shumi who all came and helped today. A big thanks also go to Agim, Thomas, Ken, Simon, Fintan and Ian from Poplar HARCA who helped with this massive job.

See you tomorrow - I will be at the hall from around 9am. Louise

Garden improvements at Hind Grove Community Hall!

On Thursday January 20th and Friday January 21st 2011 great things will be happening at the Hind Grove Community Hall garden!

The giant grow bags which have served us well for nearly three years - but are now looking a bit saggy and tired are to be replaced with timber beds (like the ones in the photo which are at West India House).

By doing this we will also be able to make more space available for growing and make the garden look more attractive. The wood arrived yesterday, and we are now all set to construct the beds which come pre-drilled so are easy to put together. The soil from the existing bags will be transferred over, and next week we will bring more soil in to top the beds up.

If you want to help us - come along to the hall from 10am onwards on Thursday. Light refreshments will be provided. If you would like to bring something to share that would be lovely. Hope to see you there.