Dear friend,
We hope you had a wonderful Summer holiday. We’re already well into the Autumn spirit, with a bountiful harvest of fruit and veg (more on that at the end of this newsletter!) and the launch of our Autumn workshop programme 🍁 Featuring practical events for gardeners and relaxing floristry and crafts. We hope that there’s something for you, and would love you to bring a friend.Hooray! It’s the Community Orchard’s 21st birthday this month and you are all cordially invited to the party which will be the Community Open Day on Saturday 24th September, 12-3pm. Richard has written a blog post to mark the occasion, where he talks about the idea behind establishing the Orchard and it’s role in supporting local children.
Best wishes,Holly
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Autumn workshops
Apple expert mini-series: Tasting and productsSaturday 24th September, 10:00-12:00, £25Try different eating, cooking, juicing and cider varieties of apples and learn about storage, drying, and cider and vinegar making. Take away a bottle of juice and a selection of apples.Grow with us: What do to on the veg plot in AutumnSaturday 24th & Wednesday 28th September, £25After a sunny Summer, we will take you through the top tasks to keep your garden productive and healthy throughout the Autumn months. Including sowing spring crops, propagating herbs and improving soil fertility.Autumnal centrepieces and floral Halloween decorationsSaturday 22nd October, 10:00-13:00, £35Make a terrifyingly beautiful flower pumpkin and table display to brighten your home and delight visitors. Enjoy being creative with seasonal foliage, and make two items to take home with you.Propagation: Create your own soft fruit gardenSaturday 11th November, 10:00-12:00, £25Take away cuttings, divisions and rooted plants to establish a fruit garden in pots, in a garden or an allotment. We will be looking at currants, rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries and more.Christmas wreath making – event will be online soonWednesday 7th & Saturday 10th December, £35Join us for a relaxing and creative session using natural materials to make your own Christmas wreath using fresh and dried foliage gathered from the gardens and hedgerows of St Ann’s Allotments.Make your own festive willow decorations – event will be online soonSaturday 10th December, £35Create unique decorations like trees, stars or reindeer using traditional Scandinavian designs that can be strung together to great effect, making Christmas ornaments that will last for years.
On the Orchard
The Community Orchard runs free events for all ages every month.
New Shoots, every Tuesday 09:30-11:00 from 6th SeptemberAfter School sessions, every Wednesday 15:45-17:00 from 7th SeptemberCommunity Open Day, Saturday 24 September, 12:00-15:00
Volunteering
Volunteering continues as usual, with so much to help with at this busy time of year!Tuesdays at the Nursery, 10:00-14:00Digging, sowing, pruning, clearing, building, watering, harvesting! All things food and flower focused for a productive garden.Wednesdays at Oliver’s, 10:00-14:00Help maintain a beautiful display garden for visitors to enjoy, and promote its heritage features.Volunteer inductions, 10:00-12:00 on Wed 14th & Tue 27th SeptemberThis is an introductory session for anyone interested in volunteering at STAA. Receive a tour of our projects to find out what you might be interested in, and an opportunity to meet people and ask questions.Urban Nature: Wildflowers and bees with Pete the BeekeeperSaturday 10th September, 10:00-14:00We will continue one of the most important tasks of the year – looking after the wildflower meadows – using traditional conservation management techniques. Plus, we’ll be clearing near our honey bees hives, and our fantastic beekeeper will join us to update us on the bees!Urban Nature: Wildflower meadows and pathsSaturday 24th September, 10:00-14:00We will be focussing around the ‘pond plot’ and also improving paths and access, plus any other remaining wildflower meadows – hoping to wrap up this seasons meadow tasks, as we will move to winter woodland tasks from October!Suitable for all abilities and levels of experience, tools provided. Just dress for the weather! 🌦️If you have any questions about volunteering, please contact Lucy at volunteering@staa-allotments.org.uk or visit our website.
Guided heritage tours
We run guided tours on the second Saturday and last Wednesday of each month around St Ann’s Allotments – the oldest and largest Victorian detached pleasure gardens in the world. Learn more about it’s 700-year history and it’s previous tenants, as well as explore some of the beautiful gardens and ancient hedgerow.
A record-breaking harvest
Last month we told you that we’d harvested 23.6kg of fresh fruit and veg to be donated to local food banks. Well, we’ve only gone and smashed that record with a whopping 174.4kg harvested in August! With over 46kg collected in just one day!
