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Hazel Grove – Project

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Hazel Grove – Project

Postby Romelia » 22 Aug 2007, 00:21

At last something amazing has happened for me! :o I have manage to get myself an allotment! I have been getting very depressed with the sounds of cars and nuisance outside my home. Not being able to enjoy nature and get back to the earth. I have so many oak trees and herbs in pots its getting silly! So off I set today to make it all happen. I went to a few allotments in my area and asked about allotment space and wot not. I got given names and free fruit and vedge, then passed along to the next allotment, and after a phone call I managed to persuade the man in charge to give me this huge allotment!

I have so many plans, but first things first, the land needs a good clearing. Eventually I plan to plant a grove, herb garden and grow my own vedge! I’m putting in a pond and I am hoping to keep Bees. :bee: The allotments new name is now Hazel Grove!

:coll:

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Last edited by Romelia on 27 Dec 2008, 20:57, edited 2 times in total.
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Postby Ghostrider » 22 Aug 2007, 00:24

Congratulations!  :o
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Postby Dryadia2 » 22 Aug 2007, 01:15

ImageRomelia!
This is wonderful news!
Bright Blessings and Happy Gardening!Image
Please keep us up to date on your progress.  And feel free to share photos too!

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Postby Lorraine » 22 Aug 2007, 02:20

Great stuff. Congratulations!
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Postby Aylyn » 22 Aug 2007, 10:07

Congratulations. I am sure you will enjoy it a lot. I know I did, and I am missing my allotment a lot....

:hiya:
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Postby Claer » 22 Aug 2007, 10:18

Congrats on the allotment. I got mine shortly after starting the bardic grade, and I've so loved it. My chickens and herb patch live on mine. Going down and harvesting fruit and veg then eating it less than 1 hr later is brilliant. I have found that I appreciate my food so much more since growing some of my own. If stressed it is a great way to unwind, and get exercise too. Oh, and I love having the opportunity to grow my own pumpkins for Samhain!!
Allotments can be good social places too, and nice and quiet at other times. I've spoken to more people in my neighbourhood since I got the allotment, even getting people just stop, say hello and ask what I've harvested today. They are a good conversation point.
Enjoy - and please let us know what your growing or tips you find out.
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Postby Aurora » 22 Aug 2007, 11:37

Congratulations Romelia!

I hope you enjoy your allotment  |-)
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...

Postby Romelia » 22 Aug 2007, 19:50

Hi
thanks for all your responses. Went down to Hazel Grove today to start clearing the land. Its such a massive plot! Met a few more neighbours who have volunteered to help me clear it up and dig the soil. They are all so lovely. The guy next to me has been there 30 years and sais i can just come in when i like and borrow his stuff! I cant wait to take the dogs up, they will love it! Anyway i could harp on forever but Ill spare you! Just thought id share a few photos of what its like at the moment. I am hoping to document the changes through the seasons and keep a diary.

Hazel Grove
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Sheds n raised beds
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A baby Collered Dove sat and watched as i built a bonfire
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Re: ...

Postby Dryadia2 » 22 Aug 2007, 20:00

Romelia wrote:...Just thought id share a few photos of what its like at the moment. I am hoping to document the changes through the seasons and keep a diary...

Wow!  It's big!  And what potential! :wink:
A diary to document the changes, is a fantastic idea!
I've documented my yard and lot, by taking photos at every season, over the years.  And have noticed quite a change in just 3 years!

Keep up the good work!Image

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Postby Ghostrider » 22 Aug 2007, 20:19

Allright...

I am hereby officially... JEALOUS!!  :grin:

Looking forward to seeing that plot grow!
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Postby Ade Sundog » 24 Aug 2007, 19:56

Hello There!
This looks like a dream come true
All the best
Ade

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Postby Lorraine » 25 Aug 2007, 00:23

I'm jealous too (well just a little bit).  It's good that your 'neighbour' will let you borrow his tools, that's going to be a big help initially.  Handy that you've got sheds, too!  I look forward to seeing it change and develop over the seasons.

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Burning

Postby Romelia » 25 Aug 2007, 15:35

Hello!
Thought id pop in and give you a little update! Its going really well and we have sorted out the barn at the back. we found a couple of nests in there and some field mice so im going to leave them be. We also have a couple of foxes, but i haven’t seen them yet.

Yesterday I burnt allot of wood and branches that attracted all the blokes from their allotments. They started helping me clear the rubbish but i think they just wanted an excuse to have a massive fire! It ended up being a great gathering and i got bags of fruit and vedge!

So im going back down for the a while to burn some more stuff and apparently im getting some gooseberry bushes off the man opposite my plot

By for now…

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Postby Ghostrider » 25 Aug 2007, 16:08

Any guy that says he doesn't like fires is a BIG FAT LYER!!  :grin:

Why do you think we control the BBQ??  :-)
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Postby Dryadia2 » 25 Aug 2007, 18:53

Thanks for the update, Romelia!
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Postby Earthwoman » 25 Aug 2007, 23:56

Congratulations to you, Romelia: your allotment is impressive. I love the pictures you have shared so far and look forward to see more.  :)
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Postby DaRC » 28 Aug 2007, 13:47

Oooh I'm dead jealous - I just don't have the time for an allotment.  Once the kids have flown the nest....
Good luck and keep the photo's coming :)

BTW a bonfire is a great community event
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Postby Aurora » 30 Aug 2007, 11:40

The photos have been great!

Keep sharing  :D
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update2

Postby Romelia » 30 Aug 2007, 13:21

Ho folks,
Been down to Hazel Grove today and things are taking shape. Have a meeting tomorrow with head of allotments to discuss waste disposal and my plans for the plot. Its going to be used so that it provides food but also a place for wildlife, and of course a sacred space. Apparently the man im meeting with is very generous and provides materials for many allotments.

Anyway I am finding amazing things as I dig around…like an old wall at the back and brick paths. Lots of old metal buckets that I will use as planters. Coming across lots of frogs and I have a family of field mice living in the main shed. I leave a hob knob biscuit down in the corner when I go home and next day there’s not a crumb left!!!! I have a cheeky Robin that’s getting friendly  and im sure will start pushing me to dig up worms!

So here are a few pics on things I found. Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

I have taken a couple of my oaks up and an olive tree, just so they get used to it before I plant them. I have many more though. So what I have been thinking is,… if anyone would like me to plant an oak for them? if you do perhaps you would like to give it a name, or something planted with it like a message? If so let me know!

Until next time

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Postby Aylyn » 30 Aug 2007, 13:39

Nice pics - reminds me of the way my allotment looked when I took it over. When I left it 10 years later, it was a virtual paradise, so I hope you are just as successful.

One thing, though:

The plant you photographed just before your garden shed looks like Japanese Knotweed to me, and that is an invasive, nasty species....

http://www.japaneseknotweed.co.uk/

It grows pretty much everywhere in Europe now, since it was brought in as a food and ornamentation plant. And is a problem everywhere now...
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