Outdoor Spaces Report 2024
Following the Management Plan developed in 2023, we have seen a transformation of the outdoor spaces. In December 2023 Messy Church painted old CDs to make decorations for a recycled ‘Shine your Light ‘ Christmas tree. The ‘tree branches’ were from the buddleia pruning.
In the spring of 2024, along the path to the porch and the Victoria Room, plants began to grow and flower; the tulips were magnificent.
We had ‘Windowsill growing kits’ on offer to encourage people, particularly those who are no longer active gardeners to become involved in the project. About 25 kits were given out, and 6 plants were returned to be planted.
At the same time, we asked if people had any surplus large pots we could have, as we have very soil to grow plants. In April, we were delighted to be offered about 15 large ceramic planters and a donation which helped to buy compost to fill the pots.
Members of the congregation agreed to ‘Adopt a pot’, donating surplus plants from their gardens.
The Messy Church children have grown sunflowers in large pots
By the end of the summer the lavender had established well.
In the damper and shadier areas nearer the gate, fern, winter jasmine, hellebores, and autumn cyclamen are growing well.
A small rose bush (originally from an arrangement in church) blooming, together with ice plants and Californian poppies have flowered. The rectangular troughs have now been planted up with cowslips, seaside, daisies, thyme and cyclamen. They will be placed at base of fence to suppress growth of invasive plants.
In the courtyard to the rear of the Victoria room,we now have a small hazel bush in a ceramic pot. Messy Church grew tomatoes again this year; the watering was greatly helped by the newly-installed water butt.
Photo11 Tomato plants
Some basic maintenance has been carried out, including trimming of the buddleia and removal of trailing growth from the concrete edges. The mural, painted on the wall many years ago, was very ‘tired’ so it has been cleaned of flaking paint and painted over to provide a clean white surface. Development of this space requires further thought and it will be considered as part of the plan for the Victoria Room.
The courtyard behind the kitchen has developed as a herb garden afterMessy Churchpots planted pots with parsley, chives, mint and thyme, which have been used in the preparation of Thursday lunches.
Outside the circuit office,a pair of blackbirds nested in the evergreen spindle and a bluetit has been seen inspecting the bird box.
The next steps
The existing pots have been prepared for new planting where necessary
More small lavender plants, thyme. seaside daisies (grown from cuttings), cowslips and cyclamen corms have been set out in the gravel and troughs. A small shrub – a New Zealand tea-tree has been planted in a pot.
Some additional planting of taller herbaceous perennials is planned, using plants which are able to grow in poor soil, drought-tolerant, attractive to insects (and people) and able to naturalise without becoming invasive or requiring too much time to keep tidy.
Plants have already been offered by members of the congregation
Cuttings of mint will be taken and the parsley will need to be renewed next spring.