Gardening Club

Ask your local supermarket for some black flower bins. Make holes in the bottom and then you can plant potatoes in them also other veg and flowers. The first year of our pensioners group , like you we had very little money. We got the black bins and put winter flowering pansies in them as a present from "Santa". The following spring early summer some of the owners planted them with begonia sempervirens which flowered until it was time to replant with pansies. Others cut their pansies down and fed them with tomato food and had them flowering all summer too. Good luck with a very worthwhile project.

The children may like Tomatoes and Strawberries in the hanging baskets, as well as flowers.

Thank you - great idea about the black bins - I got some from Morrisons last year for my pots so I will definately ask again.

Try your local re-cycling facility for tools and containers. You could also try and get some sort of sponsorship from the garden centers and such like in your area. Explain your successes with the children and what you hope to achieve with the adults.

Bless you a great idea one thing that occurred to me was 'Free Cycle' there may well be things offered to you such as plants even planters if you posted a request on your local one?

I'm not sure what you have by way of space - but if you are a bit pushed you could ask the Council if your club could manage the verges: there seems to be an enormous amount of space that is given over to grass and dog mess.

The other thing you could do is ask GOYers to donate spare seed: If you provide an address we can send it to, I'm sure you would get loads.

Oh Thank you for your help they are some great ideas. :-))))

I don`t think I can add anything to that Genius, good luck with the venture. :o)

We got £100 from the Housing Association which I was really pleased about and so got some hanging baskets,brackets and inserts, some compost and some plants (little toms, strawberries, geraniums, and bizzie lizzies - all of which are on my windowsill at the moment!!). I also got some seed potatoes and will soon be getting some cobbles (for an Easter Egg hunt - if you decorate them and put them round the estate the older kids dont nick them!! then the little uns get a chance to get an egg!!!) and some easter eggs. In all I've got about £12 left over so thank you for your ideas - will definately ask about the black bins.... :-))))))

Well done and well deserved. Have you thought of asking your local supermarkets if they give grants (Head Offices) for community projects like yours. I think Tesco does it and you might get some seeds from your local Lidl, Aldi, Wilkinsons or 99p store. I hope you have a great summer.

wot bt doing a car boot to raise mony

Well funny you mention that... we are doing one in the summer!!

You do seem to have progressed very well on this Genuisscuffy. Any chance of an update or are you run off your feet.

Great idea Genuisscuffy..Have only just read this blog
Wish you all success with this :-)

yes hows it all going not seen any thing else yet .

I do apologise - its been really busy (I've started a new job etc...!!!)but the garden is going on well - its been mentioned in a few Housing Association Newsletters and even some other residents associations have come to have a look!
The kids decided to grow flowers for bumble bees and butterflys this year so we've got lots growing (but annoying me as it looks like loads of weeds...ho hum!!!) but the kids are fascinated which is the whole point - will try to include some new photos this weekend. We've also made wind socks which they enjoyed and last night someone came round with about 40 plants that was over ordered in their company and would I like them (you bet!!) so apologise for not replying sooner but promise will update asap!!

You are definitely off the hook Genuisscuffy. It is wonderful that someone came with spare plants. It looks as if you are well and truly on the map in your area. I congratulate you on being such an inspiration in your community.