Sedgebrook Community Garden – Diary 2023

One more no-dig bed and plenty of odd jobs
After having a bit of a moan about a mower accidentally mowing half of the wildflower meadow we have developed, we adopted a ‘glass-half-full’ attitude and cracked on with our second new bed. After that, there was litter picking, path mowing and thinning out the cow-parsley and other undesirables in the woodland by Downing Drive. Several of our woodland bulbs are confidently poking out their heads – keep an eye out for the plants below.

Preparing a new flower bed
Our new site agreement for 2023 allows for two more flower beds to be added to the picnic area. We have decided that, as far as possible, we will follow the no-dig method for these beds. Today we prepared the first of the two. We also began the massive job of thinning out the cow parsley in the woodland area so it doesn’t overwhelm our planting.

More planting and first mow of the year for the paths
As there have been a few dry days, our intrepid mower was able to give our mown paths their first trim of 2023. If you walk all of the paths in the open space, you will have covered 500m. The rest of us continued with planting wildflower plug plants, including poppies, self-heal, lamium (dead nettle), corn chamomile and cranesbill (hardy geranium). Below, some photos of the new plants in the woodland

More planting and first mow of the year for the paths
As there have been a few dry days, our intrepid mower was able to give our mown paths their first trim of 2023. If you walk all of the paths in the open space, you will have covered 500m. The rest of us continued with planting wildflower plug plants, including poppies, self-heal, lamium (dead nettle), corn chamomile and cranesbill (hardy geranium). Below, some photos of the new plants in the woodland

Review of our site agreement with the parks department
The Sedgebrook Gardners, It’s Your Neighbourhood group has been working for one year – today was the day to review our site agreement and update it with our plans for 2023. We met on the open space with Penny Brown, the volunteers organiser for the council. The conversation was very constructive and Penny agreed to put most of our ideas forward for agreement with the City Council Parks Department.

Removing litter from the corner by the brook
Today we ventured between the brambles and scrub into the corner by the brook and the last building on Sedgebrook Close. We discovered a lot of litter and a small collaction of large, blue nitrous oxide canisters. It took a while – especially fishing odds and ends out of the brook – but the area was clear of rubbish once we’d finished.

We have continued to meet as a group almost every Thursday morning, throughout winter. There has not been much gardening to be done – perhaps a little tidying and cutting back. We have busied ourselves with litter picking, talking through our plans for 2023 and drinking plenty of coffee.