Gardens are one of life’s enduring attractions, and the people of England are particularly fond of them. They might be associated with a rural idyll but north London has its fair share - Gillespie Road, Camley Street. The community garden on Myddleton Road also takes its place among them.  But, of course, gardens need tending or they will fall into disrepair. The oasis of greenery on Myddleton Road received a welcome boost on Saturday 31^st March with its first ‘community planting day’.

Under the ‘Making a Difference’ initiative, the Association persuaded Haringey Council to spruce up the garden a bit.

Planting Day Autumn 2008

	The volunteers, some wearing T-shirts from the Sponsored Walk pose for the official press photographer Many thanks to everyone who came along to the autumn planting session in the Community Garden, on Saturday 27 September. Their hard work and support is really appreciated.  A big thank-you to Lydia Navarro for leading the session, which was very well organised, and also to Robin Ray and the volunteers from the Worcester College of Ohio for their help on the day.   The garden looks terrific, much tidier and more varied now that all the new shrubs have been planted.   Matt Cooke preparing the ground for new plants.  Very heavy clay soil to dig It is so much tidier, and the new bamboo screens make a great back-drop for the new shrubs. The volunteers had fun and enjoyed making improvements to the Garden and meeting some new people. Children joined in – helping to plant bulbs and plant as well as exploring and playing in the Garden. Children joined in – planting bulbs Haringey Council kindly covered the cost of the plants, bamboo screens and help from a gardener for which the Garden Group is very grateful.  Refreshments were provided with tea and coffee available for the first time thanks to the provision of thermos jugs – bought with a donation from one of Haringey’s funds, thanks to Kate Garner. In addition to the volunteer workers, Matt Cooke (Labour Councillor for Bounds Green) spent time digging and planting and David Burrowes (Conservative MP for Enfield & Southgate) also came to support the event. Another new screen in place   The next project will be the creation of a ‘butterfly’ mosaic for which permission has been granted.  It will add to the garden’s theme of butterflies, and volunteers will be invited to come to the workshops organised by “Mosaic Miranda” in her workshop on the platform of Bowes Park station.

Above: local resident Asha Patel helps with planting; and left: local councillors Ali Demirci (in left of picture) and Matt Cooke planting a willow tree.

And with Bounds Green project officer Beverly Stevens in attendance, the Council duly delivered a gardener, plants and refreshments to Bowes Park’s green-fingered residents. They had previously supplied the garden with a set of new tools.  

‘I don’t have a garden,’ says local resident Asha, ‘so it’s nice to find a little patch and get involved.’ She, and fellow gardener Charlotte, were planting shrub roses.  

Another resident, Sue Bailey, was, in true gardener style, on her hands and knees. She professed not to be ‘green-fingered’ but said that she enjoyed gardening and found it relaxing.  

Gareth Walters, an experienced gardener who is employed by housing trust Metropolitan’s care and repair service, was on hand to offer advice and support.

Among the plants given a bedding down on the day were shrub roses, pyracanthus, which is a spikey evergreen bush, and a prunus ‘okame’, a flowering cherry tree ably rooted by Bounds Green councillors Matt Cooke and Ali Demirci.  

Right: Gareth Walters our gardening expert for the day; and below: finding the perfect spot for a rose bush
 

The garden also hosts a new willow tree, flowering current and buddlia to attract butterflies. The shrubs and trees were chosen to add colour to the garden throughout the year.

The planting day was a very successful and enjoyable day and we even had good weather. Many thanks to Haringey Council for their help and support.