Big Bulb Plant 2011 Sunday 2nd 11.00 Tuesday 4th 18.30
Last year we planted 100’s of bulbs and were rewarded with a great spring flowering. This year we want to make the spring garden spectacular!
Join us at this year’s big bulb plant.
Bring bulbs – Colombia Road Sunday Market is a good place to buy them- Daffodils and Crocus are amongst the spring show stoppers.
Look forward to seeing you there
17 reasons for using plastic lumber when making a raised bed
Earlier this year we managed to get funding to build two raised herb beds. After some pretty extensive research we decided to go with recycled plastic lumber.
What is Recycled Plastic Lumber?
It’s just like timber but it’s made from 100% recycled post-industrial plastic, diverted from landfill. Because it’s plastic based, it’s rot proof, impact resistant, and algae and moss resistant. Plus, graffiti can simply be wiped clean as the profiles have a skin that paint cannot penetrate.
We bought our plastic lumber from the lovely folk at Kedel. They scrutinised our plans and offered all sorts of useful assistance. We’d definitely recommend them – contact details can be found at the end of this post.
We were really impressed with this tough, durable, maintenance free alternative to timber. Aside from being environmentally friendly it also has a life span many times that of wood without the need for treatment.
What are the benefits?
- Reduction of energy consumption by 66%
- Production of only a third of the sulphur dioxide
- Production of only half of the nitrous oxide
- Reduction of water usage by nearly 90%
- Reduction of carbon dioxide generation by two-and-a-half times
- 1.8 tonnes of oil are saved for every tonne of recycled polythene produced
- Lasts 5 times longer than timber
- Vandal Resistant
- Crack, chip and splinter proof
- Less Flammable than timber
- Insect and animal resistant
- Labour saving – minimal maintenance
- UV resistant
- Easy to clean
- Can be worked like timber
- Holds screws and fittings well
- Reduced Whole Life Costs
Oh, and it looks cool too. It’s like this sleek space-aged wonder material.
Any other advice?
We don’t have on site water so we rely on either rain or water carried from other residential flats (not ideal).
When we built the beds we put a membrane over the soil. This was intended to let water into the bed but prevent it from drying out. It works really well! As you’ll see in the picture above, you just need to cut a whole in the membrane for your plants and you’re good to go.
Where can I buy plastic lumber?
We ordered ours from the lovely folk at Kedel. They helped us tweak the design for our raised bed too so that it was structurally sound and were able to provide all sorts of other useful advice. I would definitely recommend them to other groups. To contact them call 01282 861 325 or email info@kedel.co.uk.
Boris Bikes to Expand into Bethnal Green
The London Assembly has released a map showing the expansion plans for the London Cycle Hire Scheme. A segment of the map is reproduced below of the Wilmot Street area. It looks like a docking station is planned at the end of Finnis Street – which should be good news for residents.
Can do Community Grant
Well done to Jonny for coordinating a successful bid for a £500 food growing grant from the Can do Community. We have decided to construct one more herb and vegetable bed where the flower mound is. Look out for further updates but keep your diary clear for the build and BBQ day – Sunday 18th September
The herb beds are flourishing, not to mention the rosemary & lavender border, sunflowers, and flower mound. The herbs are growing faster then we are picking them – so go harvest some! The borage is spectacular –(the bushy tall plant with small blue flowers) and the flowers are perfect in your summer pimms or sprinkled with nasturtium flowers and leaves on a bowl of salad.
Join us to share your ideas, tips and recipes and help tidy, and weed the garden at the next meets: Tuesday 2nd August 18.30 and Sunday 7th 11.00
Next garden meetings – Sunday 3rd and Tuesday 5th
Sunday 3rd – 11.00
meet in the garden to help tidy the garden, weed the beds and share herb tips.
Tuesday 5th – 17.30 – 19.00
We will be meeting with Southern Housing to discuss a new food growing grant. Come and give your ideas,
We will be continuing tidying the beds and harvesting herbs.
Big Lunch Success 2011
Thanks to everyone who turned up to the Big Lunch a few weeks ago. It was great to see so many people – even when the rain came in! You can check the photos from the day on Flickr.
Download your own Big Lunch Posters
Thanks to Sancha for producing this year’s awesome Big Lunch poster.
Click here to download.
What is the Big Lunch?
For all those Big Lunch newbies out there, take a look at this video.
The Wilmot, Ainsley, Corfield Street Big Lunch 2011
Join us for our own version of the Big Lunch on Sunday 5 June 2011 from 1pm onwards.
We’ve been running this event for the last three years. It’s been an excellent way of getting together, meeting your neighbours and enjoying a fab big BBQ lunch. You can check out photos and comments from past events by reading our blog.
Just bring some food to share and something for the BBQ (we’ll have a BBQ that accommodates a separate area for meat and vegetables)
Sound good? RSVP by leaving a comment below.
