Welcome to the SRT blog No. 55

Posted on May 28, 2021 in Welcome to the SRT Blog

28th May 2021 – Welcome to our blog post No. 55

We are heading for another bank holiday weekend with hopefully some good weather to come.

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5 more cats have arrived at HFG. 3 girls and 2 boys.

2 of the first cats to arrive, are now allowed out to explore.

Weeding geraniums for Sunnyside – not Hampton Court

3,300 red non-stop begonias ready to be picked up by Dacorum Council today.

Litter picking at HMG The Mount Bovingdon

Olivia has started a new stretch activity twice a week at the moment for anyone who wants to take part. It’s a great way to start the day and is something that Olivia practices herself and will pass on her knowledge so that others can run the class so that it may happen each day of the week.

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Gillian was cutting grass at St Peters church in Berkhamstead this week.

The Northchurch team are starting their conservation grazing to promote biodiversity, but need new fencing for the sheep or goats – so of course are building it themselves.

Plus a new pig pen where the pigs are going for the summer period. The ambition is for them to rotovate the ground providing more growing space. We are also putting posts around trees with some fencing to protect them from naughty chewing. Everyone seems to be getting involved.

Sean is feeding the cats.

Picking up and moving the straw with Graham and Lee.

They have a new mower for contract work which is being shown off by Bismillah in front of the shop.

New containers. One is being used for shop stock and the other is for animal feed. So another busy week.

Sam had a day out on Brighton beach last weekend.

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Ellie, one of our students at the Activity Centre finished her placement yesterday and has made a beautiful hand stitched picture as a thank you. Lovely detail.

The team were out this week working in Coombe Gardens

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I was over at Hemel Food Garden this week and met up with Catherine from NC, Suvi from AC and Heidi from HFG to put together samples of the products everyone has been making for our stands at Hampton Court.

Not only have we been growing over 7000 plants for Tom Stuart-Smiths show garden this year but we have been making products to sell to show what everyone can do. And what great product we have. Everything from gift tags made from our own seed paper, decorated with veg dye stamps to a game of noughts and crosses, with a wood base and painted bees and ladybirds, as well as our superb jams and chutneys. Thank you everyone for all your hard work and great team efforts.

See the pictures on the right side of some of the items made for Hampton Court. Not all are finished yet but will be soon and there are others not shown.

SEED PAPER GIFT TAGS Using shredded office paper waste which is pulped, our own grown and harvested French marigold seeds added, and then lain out in a sheet and dried. Design made from vegetable based watercolour paints is added, then tags cut to shape. Packaging is fully compostable. Made by NC

DECOUPAGE CHICKENS Made from recycled newspapers, books and magazine pages. Each made by a trainee whose name is on the bottom. They are water resistant, but not waterproof. Suitable for covered outdoor, and indoor use. Made by NC and decorated at all sites.

TIC, TAC, TOC GAME Wooden board game made from chainsaw cut, ash, donated by a local tree surgeon. Pebbles left over from contract work and painted by our trainees. Varnished for added protection. From HFG

SEED BOMBS Handmade by our trainees from clay dug from our HFG site, seeds added, hand rolled into balls and dried in the sun. Each seed bomb has 3 clay balls containing seeds of a wildflower mix of annual cornfield seeds. From HFG

JAMS & CHUTNEYS Hundreds have been made by the AC and some come in gift boxes.

Plus, we have been mentioned in the RHS, The Garden magazine (pgs16/17) within the article about Tom Stuart-Smiths Garden.