Case Study 6: Willy Lotts - Design
Willy Lott’s garden
Overview
Description of garden
The FSC at Flatford Mill ran a course in February 2014 to create a design for a sustainable garden on the site of Willy Lott’s garden. The weekend course followed the Permaculture methodology and techniques.
The overall vision for the garden is:
to be a productive growing area for high value vegetables. herbs, cut flowers to be used in the FSC kitchen and buildings.
to be a place for staff to relax
to offer educational opportunities as a permaculture demonstration site and for children aged 7 -11 to learn about food production.
to model the centre’s Eco Centre Award credentials
Survey
The people who interact with the site and its potential produce, and the site itself, and the background of the site were surveyed to gather information to inform the design.
FSC Staff Involvement - A questionnaire was sent to the staff at FSC which provided a valuable source of information as to what was the needs for the garden. Two members of staff joined the course so that they could provide creative input into the design process.
Background information - The site is National trust owned, and is world famous due to The Haywain painting by John Constable. There are also huge number of people passing by. It is a heritage site, Willy Lott lived there in the 1800- 1850 period and we could imagine a typical cottage garden of that period full of flowers vegetables and herbs. Constable painted the site many times remarking how the site and the nature of the site made him the painter he was, he was a keen observer of what is today called ‘nearby nature’. Pre Willy Lott Flatford mill was also a textile mill which would have used plants such as teasels, soapwort and natural dye plants in its day to day work. The current use of the site by the FSC is one that is passionate about natural history and art, connecting people to nature.
We have tried to weave these themes into the garden, it is by no means a heritage garden, but it has a nod to the heritage. We have incorporated textile plants, cottage garden plants, access to nature for a wide a number of people as possible into the design.
Site survey - We measured the site and slope to create the base plan for the design. The Soil has a ph of 7.5 indicating slightly alkaline soil. It is a Sandy loam with lots of organic material indicating the soil will drain well and will need lots of additional water during dry summers. The indicator plants such as nettle and comfrey suggest it is a rich soil that has been dig and managed for many years. The back of the cottage is south facing, but we could not use the wall of the cottage as it is a fire exit. The prevailing wind came from the river side of the garden. With the recent high levels of rainfall we could see that the river came up to almost the side of the house but in the summer it can fall quite low. It is a low rainfall area, one of the driest in the UK or approximately 20 inches per year.
The Design
1. Vegetables and Herbs
5 x dug plots 1.25 m wide and approximately 4m (varying lengths to fit the space available). They would be planted with a 4 year rotation of vegetables and herbs of high value to the kitchen so that they can feed the staff with more interesting food.
Bed One
Courgettes (Cucurbit family)
Sow seeds in the cold frame in
mid-March and plant out after the last frost end of April or early
May, harvest continually from June to October. As the beds are small
it might be best to focus on courgettes only and mix green and yellow
varieties. You always miss one or two courgettes:
these can be used for chutney. Add lots of compost or manure before
this crop.
as they are rich feeders. You will only need 6 plants maximum for
this bed.
Bed Two
Red Onions, spring onions, garlic (Allium family) and Beetroot.
The onions are planted as sets in March time, beetroot and spring onions can be sown direct from March onwards and harvested June onwards. 100 onion sets, a packet of beetroot and a packet spring onion seeds.
Bed Three
Peas and Beans (Legume family) and Spinach
These crops put nitrogen in to the soil so the leafy salads that follow on will benefit from the high nitrogen levels from the legumes.
Broad beans can be sown direct into the ground in February and can be harvested by May.
Runner Beans, French Beans, Peas - sow in peat module trays in March and then plant out after the last frost, usually around the end of April or 1st week of May. The peas and beans can be grown up hazel sticks from the site rather than use bamboo imported from China. Sow in March, plant end April / beginning May and harvest July – October.
As beans are tall crops the spinach can be grown at the base of the beans, around the edge of the beds. Swiss chard bolts less than spinach and the rainbow or rhubarb chard is particularly attractive. Sow these in March for a summer crop and it will carry on growing into the winter.
Bed Four
All year round salad; Lettuce and Rocket, Mustard, Mizuna. (Brassicas).
Start sowing lettuce in March in the cold frame and plant out late April, use 3-4 cut and come again varieties so you have constant lettuce. Sow another batch in late May as lettuce tends to bolt at 21st June (the solstice), so you will be ready to replant to keep your kitchen in salad (???) till the autumn. In August the lettuce can be followed on with the winter salads such as rocket, mizuna, purslane, corn salad and Chinese mustard. Sow these direct into the soil or bring on in peat modules to slot in the gaps as they arise.
Radish can be sown in single rows in the gaps on a regular basis as they grow in 6 weeks and can be eaten and then are sown into any gaps.
Bed Five - Herbs
We are assuming the small bed will be used for annual herbs.
Perennial herbs
Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Marjoram/Oregano can be planted at the end of the rows at the edge of the central path. There is a bay tree by the Bungalow so one does not need to be planted in the garden.
1x Rosemary, 2 x sage, 6 x thyme, 3 x marjoram plants should be sufficient. Choose the culinary varieties rather than the coloured or variegated varieties.
Annual herbs
Basil, Coriander and Parsley can be sown in modules and raised in the cold frame mid March and planted out early May, and then picked little and often. The Basil and Coriander will last till the end of the summer months when they can be removed and used to make pesto. The Parsley will carry on cropping until April the following year when it will bolt. This can also be used as the basis of pesto. The Coriander tends to bolt if not watered adequately but if this happens you can re-sow direct into the soil in the summer months.
We would recommend the flat leaved Parsley for culinary purposes.
Grow around 15 plants of each herb for this space.
Herbs for tea
The
centre uses mostly chamomile, pepper mint and sweet fennel teas in
the dining room.
Peppermint
grows well in the damp and is very prolific so we have suggested mint
clumps by the river, it might be best to contain them in pots sunk
into the soil to save on watering.
Chamomile and sweet fennel need the sunshine and are located in the sunny flower beds, possibly by the gate. We would also suggest Lemon balm for tea. These are perennial plants so only need planting once.
3 x plants of each for the bed by the gate.
We suggest the kitchen staff could harvest large quantities of these herbs once or twice a year and dry the leaves using a dehydrator and then present them in kilner jars with the tea sacs so people can make their own tea bags.
Management of the beds
These beds rotate on a 4 year cycle, the herbs can remain in the same beds every year. Add manure / compost when being prepared and if you have it, wood ash from a wood burning stove. In the autumn, as the beds become empty, mulch with a layer of compost and topped with straw or other suitable material to “put the garden to bed for the winter”. In March all you need to do is to pull the straw back and then you will be ready to plant – no digging. This also allows the soil micro flora and fauna population build up which is the key in organic growing and improves the quality of the soil.
The paths between the raised beds (only 75 cm wide) can be created from wood chips from the site laid onto mypex plastic, a woven plastic weed suppressor (this will last more than 10 years). Although not completely necessary, beds could have a small wooden edge to keep the wood chips and the soil separate. This would also be beneficial from an educational perspective as visitors can clearly see how the beds are laid out.
2. Fruit beds
The following fruits were directly requested from the kitchen staff:
6 x Rhubarb plants: variety Timperley early
4 x Blackcurrant bushes: variety Ben Sarek
4 x Gooseberry bushes: variety Invicta
3 x Loganberries trained on the fence.
These should be planted through mypex to prevent the weed build up. I have found that by allowing a few "weeds" to grow up on top of the mypex in the summer months the birds do not notice the fruit so you do not lose too many to the bird population. The weeds are then removed after harvest time. If too many losses do occur you might need to buy some Environ-mesh for the ripening period to keep the birds off the crop.
All plants available from Place for Plants in East Bergholt.
3. Flowers
The design features several areas for flowers, a sunny south facing border and a shady damper area by the river.
The flowers were requested for: cut flowers, edible flowers, to give a sense of a cottage garden (a nod to the heritage of the site), to provide for sensory aspects to the garden (colour, scent, texture, auditory and edible flowers). We have chosen flowers that provide for those functions as well as drawing in bees, predatory insects and butterflies. The third function that the flower border provides is screening for privacy from the bedrooms in the house whilst providing a good view so the taller flowers would be placed in front of the windows. The fourth function is educational - especially the heritage plants that tell the textile mill story, the teasels, soapwort and natural dye plants can be used in workshops or just to explain to groups visiting the garden. Finally the flower garden can be used as a resource for the art courses and for the natural history courses researching insects in particular.
The Sunny border can include:
Edible flowers
Nasturtium, Calendula, Borage ( See appendix 1 for a larger selection of plants). All grown from seed, often they self seed so they only need to be introduced once, sow in modules in March, plant out in May. All available from Stormy Hall seeds.
12 of each would be more than enough
Cut flowers:
- Annual flowers
Sweet peas (use hazel poles for support), Cosmos, Sunflowers, Chinese aster, Nigella or love in a mist, Cornflower, Larkspur, Cowslip, Wild Pansy, Dill, Physallis - all from Stormy Hall seeds catalogue and raise as for edible flowers.
12 of each would be more than enough
Honesty (RHS wildlife garden)
- Perennial flowers
2 x Fennel (also tea plant), 3 x Alchimilla mollis, 1 x Echiops rito, 1 x Solidago canadensis, 3 x Lavender munstead, 3 x Echinacea, 1 x Rose “Cottage Rose”, 3 x Achillia fillipenulina, 3 x Verbena bonariensis, 2 x Hyssop, 3 x Cranesbill, 3 x Salvia viridis “blue”, 1 x Nepeta, 3 x Wild strawberry, 1 x Viburnum bondantense.
All available from Place For Plants
3 x Dahlias (Bishop of Landuff), 25 x gladioli, 50 x tulips for early flowers in spring from Parkers catalogue (plant in autumn/ spring).
We suggest that you use multiples as suggested, for the perennial plants this will be too many in the long term but will give an early established look to the garden.
Bulbs and tubers
There is a small space by the river, in front of the bug hotel that can be planted with spring flowers such as snowdrops, bluebells, Fritilaria, Helleborus orientalis, Scillias, Narcissi, tulips as well as transplanting the existing bulbs to that area.
Shady flowers and educational plants
Violet - edible (on site already just transplant a few)
Teasel used for brushing cloth, cut flower in winter, also wildlife rich, also found wild on site
Dye plants: Anthemis tinctoria x 1
Soapwort x 1 - a natural plant containing saponins and can be used for washing fabrics. Also would have been used in textile industry when Flatford was a textile mill.
Mullein - found wild in the garden already, very good for caterpillars and moths.
Purple loosestrife - enjoys the damp conditions, found wild.
Buddlia x 1 – "Black knight" attracts many butterflies, less rampant than many buddlias - can also be used for cut flower.
Comfrey and Nettle are abundant in the garden, they are fantastic for wildlife and both can be harvested and put on the compost heap to great advantage, the nettle can be used for nettle soup and dried for tea early in the season and also it is used for textiles although not on this scale. Threads can be teased out of the nettle plant in the autumn and used for woodcraft for children or art work. There is too much comfrey and nettle in the garden at the moment but it can be moved and restricted to the shady areas at the edges to provide many uses.
Pests and diseases control
Slugs are often the biggest problem in any garden and the easiest way to control them is to collect in the breeding season in Feb/march under a “slug trap” (a plank covered in black plastic or a brick left on the ground) and put them in salty water. The straw mulch can be a lovely home to slugs and if the population builds up too much then remove the mulch for a season.
Water the vulnerable crops such as lettuce with maxicrop – liquid seaweed to deter slug attack.
Allow “functional biodiversity” in the garden to work its magic. Fennel and Cow Parsley will attract hover flies that are predators to the insect pests. Allow these plants to “wander” around the garden a bit. Slightly untidy corners with a few nettles, or cow parsley, fennel stalks, twigs etc are ideal homes to lady birds, hover flies, hedgehogs who will all work for you for free!
Seed raising
A place to raise seeds was not mentioned in the client interview at all but would be crucial for the garden to be a success. In the design we have suggested a small cold frame in the garden facing south that could be built easily by your staff and watered from the IBC via watering cans and a tap. However this is quite a long way from the main staff area at the back of the mill. So another alternative would be to buy a cheap plastic lean-to glasshouse that could be put up for the 6 weeks of plant raising in the staff area at the back of the mill where a water butt is close by. This way any dry plants would be noticed on a regular basis. A third possibility would be to ask the National trust gardeners to raise the plants for you.
Seeds can be sourced from Stormy hall seed, a local (Wix) seed producing organic company, or Kings Seeds / Suffolk Herbs, or from seed saving or swapping . Appendix 2 lists all the seed sourcing possibilities - using heritage varieties might be another way of adding to the heritage culture of the garden.
4. Wildlife
Functional biodiversity: Flowers have been chosen specifically to attract pollinators and predatory insects into the garden, to control the pests and diseases, to pollinate the crops but also as an educational resource for courses.
Bug hotel: A bug hotel can be built near to the log bench in a damp corner. A simple design is to lean a vertically sited pallet to save space with wooden boxes screwed onto it, these are then filled with twigs, moss and other organic materials to provide a variety of habitats. You can create insect hotels to encourage populations from fennel twigs cut to 50 cm lengths and pushed into a tube or wooden container, or from rolled corrugated cardboard pushed into a plastic drink bottle.
5. Staff Space
The staff were keen on several benches to give them different seating options for relaxation.
Veg Bed Contemplation Bench and Tool Storage: A functional bench in front of the veg beds for gardeners to rest and look out over the veg garden when deciding what jobs need doing. A tool storage box can be built into the bench, or could be the bench, to provide easy access to essential everyday tools. This is backed by a Willow hurdle which can be sourced from Old Hall to provide a safe back, and a comfortable sitting area leaving the grass path for the fire exit from the house. This bench or box might have to be made specially by your maintenance staff, or an ordinary bench can be used with off the shelf box that slides underneath the bench. In the client interview to was suggested that there would be time slots of "minutes" to work in the garden, if this si so then getting tools from the existing shed, then going to the garden and then putting them away again would be a deterrent, so a small selection of hand tools on site would enable quick short bursts of work.
Circular Bench: This bench is for relaxation and is key to the design, as staff can look out over any part of the site or over the river. Something like bamboo ( already on site) can be planted in the middle of the circle, perhaps in a pot to limit its spread. A breeze coming off the river would provide a nice auditory effect for people as they relax on the bench.
Log bench: A quiet, secluded log-style bench sourced on-site down near the river, tucked out of view with an unmade path (made from drift wood collected on site).
6. Education
We expect the site to be used predominately by staff for quiet areas, and cropping areas, supported by volunteers to run the garden.
We have left two larger spaces for large classes of up to 30 children to enter the garden, then walk through the garden on grass paths to a second gathering place by the circular bench and then file out again. We have not specifically provided disabled access at this point although the grass paths should be fine for wheelchair access.
Interpretation for the garden is crucial, as these type of gardens can look "untidy" to the untutored eye. Although the main body of the garden should be very tidy we have left wilder parts around the edges. A large sign could be mounted on the Industrial Bulk Container (IBC) that holds water at the entrance to the garden. Also smaller signs and labels for the plants could be mounted in the garden or a laminated visitors "guided" tour could be left by the gate for explanation.
Apart from showing groups around to the garden and explaining it to them we also brainstormed these extra ideas:
Implementing the design, course to get the garden built
Grow cook eat experience for key stage 2 children
Contributes towards Eco Centre award
Master composting course (Emma Black AONB)
Natural dyes course
Links to similar courses at other FSC centres
Natural history / art courses resource
Habitat surveys at the beginning of the project and after a year to monitor species
Foraging / wild cooking courses - Outdoor kitchens can be loaned from Transition Town Ipswich
Building a bike - water pump course
Telling the story of Willy Lott’s cottage and Flatford mill - heritage plants to visitors
Apple day and local food celebrations
Introduction to Permaculture course.
7. Producing no Waste
A central theme of the design is to reduce waste. Several design features help contribute to this:
Produce: More food will be produced on-site which will mean less food miles and less packaging and cost to the centre, and also contribute to the site’s ‘eco centre’ award.
Teas: Staff will be able to make their own teas for guests. Currently peppermint, sweet fennel and chamomile are bought in, involving cost, packaging and transport. These can all be grown on site and bags made using ‘t-sac’ tea bag filters.
Composting: A composting area with 2/3 bins can process all waste from the garden, and can be topped up with vegetable scraps from the kitchen. Once one is full then covered over and left for 6 months, then dug out and put on the vegetable or flower garden. Shredded paper from the office can be included.
8. Watering
Ensuring an adequate store of water and the watering of productive plants will be key to the success of this site since the soil has a sandy quality which means it will drain quickly. An IBC is sited at the top corner of the site. There are several water collection options:
- Bike powered water pump from river: Water can be pumped from the river to the IBC using pedal power. This would offer a fun and educational activity to get children involved during visits. This model is very clever and combines a pannier frame with a stand. It was designed for farmers in Guatemala to move water around their site, and could be used at Flatford for the different garden sites, and then used as a bike when not required for pumping. It would rely on enthusiastic engineers to use these plans as a starting point and to build. A pump could be sourced new for approximately £15, or second hand from ebay. The following links are plans and pictures:
http://www.mayapedal.org/Bicibomba_Movil_eng.pdf
http://www.mayapedal.org/construction_photos.pdf
This blog and youtube shows an alternative simple way of attaching a bike on an exercise stand to turn a drill pump directly. A new outdoor stand would be expensive starting at £100, but a search on ebay indicated second hand options available.
http://commmunitygardening.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/bicycle-powered-water-pump-for.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTdShy89IMg&feature=youtu.be
- Bike powered water pump from Well: This model is for getting water from a well or borehole but may be over-engineered for what is required. The design could be scaled down though:
http://www.mayapedal.org/waterpump.pdf
- Collecting water from Edwards Building: Water could be collected from the nearby building – the IBC or water butt would need to be located behind the building away from view. Getting water to the site from here would be a challenge as pipes would need to be dug into the ground to prevent a trip hazard, or connected specifically during watering events when it is quiet. Alternatively, cans can be filled directly and walked over to the site, but this would be very time consuming and less likely to be maintained.
Watering and irrigation: Reduce the water requirements of the garden by building up the organic content of the soil, which you will do over the years, mulching and drip irrigation systems. This also saves you a lot of time as the garden can water itself. It is key however to check the soil regularly for dampness in the soil.
Irrigate where possible using leaky hose under the mulch to keep the moisture in. The irrigation system will be gravity fed from the IBC. Remember to feel the dampness of the soil to gauge if it requires water. If this isn’t possible then water using a hosepipe directed at the soil rather than the plants as much as possible.
The IBC can be obscured from view by trailing plants up the frame that encloses it. It could also be used to mount an information board about the garden.
Close attention would need to be paid in the period whilst raising plants in the cold frame, where daily watering would be required in warm periods. We would suggest having 2-3 watering cans on site that are filled up from the IBC in one go, so this would only need doing every few visits rather than every time.
9. Foraging map
The staff mentioned many plants that they already use and collect on site for the centres jams and cordials. We would recommend that this is expanded as there is a huge amount of the resources on site to make:
Elder flower cordial
Elderberry cordial
Rosehip syrup
Rose petal jelly
Blackberries in everything
Mulberries (we had delicious Bakewell Tart made with Mulberry Jam)
Nettle soups and dried for teas
We have an existing foraging map on-line of the Colne and Stour valleys as a part of the Transition Stour valley/Transition Wivenhoe websites - it would be great if the FSC site add their data to this site unless of course you would like to keep them secret ! This is the link and if a member of staff would like to add to the map you would need to discuss this with the administrator of the site Ruth Melville, who can give you access. [email protected]
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=216164382755899117805.0004acaa425b19cd0dc8e&dg=feature
10. Implementation Plan
To help with the implementation side of the garden we would suggest the following:
Volunteers
To establish: Run another course to implement the design. Could implement the bulk of the structure in one weekend if pre dug.
Or apply to the Sustainability fund of the AONB for the funds to source the material and pay for the Apricot Centre to implement with the Dedham Vale volunteers!
To maintain:
Appeal to local community and transition groups
Appeal to FSC members
Advertise on the site notice boards
Local councils e.g. Essex County Council / companies have volunteer programmes
Youth offender programmes?
Emma Black - master composter and volunteer coordinator for the Dedham Vale AONB
Run monthly/ fortnightly half day Sustainable Horticulture courses possibly linked to the RHS qualification to maintain the garden or generate income to pay for the gardener to maintain the garden. ( See similar course at Beth Chatto garden)
Task |
Description |
People |
Timing |
Survey |
Survey existing plants on site Relocate plants to shady area by fence. |
FSC staff / course |
asap |
Apply for Sustainability fund |
Apply to the Dedham vale AONB fund for support to build the garden with Emma Black Dedham vale AONB volunteers and Apricot centre |
If you decide to go down this route |
By 31.3.14 |
Starting the garden |
|
Volunteers, directed by staff or ‘Implementing Garden’ course |
By April 2014. Could be done in a weekend with 5 -10 volunteers |
Order materials |
Order all the materials for making and planting the garden |
FSC staff |
March 2014 |
Layout of garden |
Make raised beds: make wooden boxes, lay mypex and put down wood chips, fill with compost and soil. |
|
Late April 2014 |
Plant garden |
Plant fruit areas through mypex Plant up flower borders shady and sunny |
|
May 2014 |
Sow Veg seeds |
Sow some vegetables and flowers in soil. Buy / swap veg plants for this year and plant |
|
May 2014 |
Maintain garden |
Maintain garden
|
|
Summer 2014 |
Grass cutting |
Ask grass cutting team to cut new paths |
|
Summer 2014 |
Foraging map |
Note places of forageable plants Experiment with recipes / pasteurisation |
Kitchen staff |
Summer 2014 |
New courses |
Decide and develop new courses - re site |
FSC staff |
Autumn 2014 |
Maintain garden |
Mulch veg beds for winter |
|
Autumn 2014 |
Make compost boxes |
Make compost boxes on site |
|
Autumn 2014 |
Install watering system |
Commission bike water pump Install leaky hose Install IBC |
|
Autumn 2014 |
Tool box and cold frame |
Commission tool box / bench and cold frame install into the garden and willow hurdle |
|
Autumn 2014 |
Signage |
Commission signage |
|
January 2015 |
Order seeds and equipment |
Order seeds, dehydrator, tea sacs, bottles for cordials, tools for tool box, potting compost, modules, etc. Order circular bench |
|
January 2015 |
Bug hotel |
Make bug hotel |
|
February 2015 |
Celebrate |
Celebrate the completion of the garden and the new growing year |
|
March 2015 |
Material List
Item |
Description |
Quantities |
Costs |
Source/supplier |
Veg bed |
Gravel board or spare decking to edge beds / baton wood and screws |
61 metres 13 x 4.8 m 4x1 inch sawn timber Bundle of baton wood |
£73.32
£31.68 |
Jewsons Manningtree |
Veg Bed Paths |
Woodchip Mypex and pegs |
44 m square 100 m x 1 m roll (paths and fruit). Bag of pegs |
0 £52.92
£5.00 |
On site Hort supplies |
Main Paths |
Grass Seed Driftwood to edge path |
60 m square
|
£5.00 0 |
Hort supplies On site |
Plants |
As listed in body of text |
@ 80 plants in total |
@£400 |
Place for plants |
Seeds |
As listed in body of text |
|
@£50 |
As listed in sources below |
Benches |
Tool box/bench Circular bench Log bench |
1 1 1 |
@£100 £170 0 |
Made on site Nelson potter On-site |
Signage |
1 main board Smaller context boards |
|
£400 ? |
|
Willow screens |
Willow or hazel hurdle
fence posts Cable ties |
1
2 |
£40 each
£3.00 ea |
Richard King Old Hall Hort supplies or Nelson potter |
Water Storage |
IBC Leaky hose irrigation pipes Bike Pump equipment: Bike Centrifugal water pump Iron for frame Tap for IBC and fixings Hose and couplings |
1 50 m roll ? 1 1 ? 1 20 m plus geiga couplings |
~£45 £50.92
Free @£100
£20 £35 £20 |
Ebay Hort supplies Needs researching Free cycle
GVZ ardleigh Hort supplies |
Cold frame |
Wood and glass |
90 x 125 cm |
£100 approx |
Jewsons |
Compost Bins |
Pallets Fence posts |
7 8 |
‘foraged’ £3.00 ea |
Hort supplies or Nelson potter |
Bug Hotel |
Pallet Wooden boxes Local material Grasses Stones Twigs Mosses |
1 4 Lots |
free |
‘foraged’ Apricot Centre On-site
|
Herb teas |
Dehydrator Tea sacs |
1 |
£100 |
Vigo/ ebay Amazon |
Growing supplies |
Modules - 12's Organic potting compost Maxicrop Environ-mesh Tools |
Stack of 25 1 bag 5 l 2 x sheets 5 x Trowels, 1 x fork, 1 x spade, secateurs, 1 x rake, 1 x hoe |
£5 £8 £10 £35.50 @£50 |
Hort Supplies |
Total costs @ £2000
Suppliers
Supplier of knowledge - Joy Larkcom – The Vegetable Garden Displayed (RHS)
Parkers bulb catalogue – 0161 848 1124 wwww.dutchbulbs.co.uk
Kings Seeds catalogue – organic / conventional – you need the allotment catalogue or Suffolk herbs – 01376 570000 www.kingsseeds.com
Stormy Hall Seeds catalogue – 01287 661368 (Biodynamic) no web page just relocating to Wix in Essex.
Also see Appendix 2 with more Heritage seed options.
Place for Plants East Bergholt - all fruit bushes and plants can be sourced from here - although expensive it is very good quality plants and local, you can negotiate a 10% discount for bulk buying.
Horticultural supplies - Near Stowmarket a very good source of horticultural material at a fraction of the price of the garden centre, they will deliver £250 minimum orders. Organic potting compost, tools, mypex, environ-mesh, leaky hose, hoses, hose fittings - geiga couplings, bulbs, maxicrop, fence posts for compost bins and hurdle, grass seed.
01473 292862 - no website
Nelson Potter - Dodnash, Circular table, Willow hurdles from Poland, fence posts for compost bins and hurdles. 01473 311905
Richard King - Old Hall, willow or hazel hurdles grown and made at Old Hall. 07790686032
Ebay/Vigo - dehydrator for herbs www.vigopresses.com
Appendix 1
Edible flowers
Source: ( Plants for a Future) http://pfaf.org/user/cmspage.aspx?pageid=38
Nutritionally, the flower can be divided into three main elements. Firstly, there is the pollen. Although only present in fairly small quantities, this is a very rich source of protein and so helps to build and maintain the body structure. Its flavour is usually rather bland. Secondly, we have the nectar. This is usually rather sweet and is the substance that most attracts bees to the flowers to pollinate them. The bees turn the nectar into honey - when we eat the flowers we can use the sugars in the nectar to provide us with a good source of energy. Nectar provides a balanced form of sugars together with a range of minerals and does not have the negative effects of refined sugars, such as rotting the teeth. Finally, we have the petals and other parts of the flower structure. Although not normally as nutritious as leaves, they do have many similarities nutritionally and so can provide us with a good range of vitamins and minerals. Yellow flowers, in particular, are very good sources of vitamin A.
Alliums
The flowers of the various onions and garlics have a very similar taste to the leaves, though they are usually somewhat stronger and also sweeter. They make a particularly attractive addition to salads. By careful selection of species, it is possible to have flowers from spring to early winter. Most members of the genus prefer a sunny but sheltered position in a light well-drained soil, though they are surprisingly tolerant of other conditions.
Multi-functional varieties
A. cernuum. The NODDING ONION grows about 40cm tall, forming a clump about 25cm wide, it has some of the most beautiful flowers in the genus. These are produced in mid summer and have a strong onion flavour. If you can obtain it, the cultivar ‘Major’ is a more vigorous form with larger flower clusters.
A. moly. GOLDEN GARLIC grows up to 30cm tall and 10cm wide. Its yellow flowers are produced in early summer and have a very crisp texture with a garlic-like flavour. An excellent flavouring in salads, though too strong to be used in large quantities. Be careful not to get the sub-species A. moly bulbiferum since this produces bulbils in the flowering head and can be invasive. Golden garlic is a very vigorous plant that can look after itself, it is useful for naturalising between shrubs and grows well at the base of a beech hedge in a wet garden.
A. neapolitanum. Growing up to 30cm tall and 20cm wide, DAFFODIL GARLIC produces its white flowers in mid spring. These have a delicious sweetness followed by a fairly strong garlic flavour. The plant is not hardy in the colder areas, but in gardens where it is happy it will usually self-sow quite freely. Try to obtain the cultivar ‘Grandiflorum’ since this has larger flowers which are also produced in greater abundance.
A. tuberosum. GARLIC CHIVES grows about 30cm tall and 25cm wide. Its white flowers, which are produced in the autumn, have a pleasant onion flavour.
A.
tuberosum.
Garlic
Chives is widely grown in the East
for its leaves and flowering stems, there are many named varieties.
A.ursinum. Wild Garlic, or Ramsons, is a native woodland plant growing about 1ft tall that often forms large dense green carpets of growth in the early spring. The leaves have a mild garlic flavour and appear in late winter; they can be eaten both raw and cooked. As the leaves grow old in spring you could then eat the flowers, and finally the much hotter young seed-pods as spring turns into summer.
Asphodeline lutea
Growing up to 1 metre tall and eventually forming a clump 1 metre or more wide, YELLOW ASPHODEL is a very easily grown plant that succeeds in most soils so long as they are well drained. It grows best in full sun, though it also tolerates partial shade and is very drought tolerant. The yellow star-shaped flowers are an epicurean’s treat. They have a delightful sweetness and are delicious either on their own or in salads. They do need to be used as soon as possible after harvesting, however, because they do not store and will soon start to decompose. The plant flowers from late spring until the middle of summer -individual flowers are very short-lived, but new flowers are produced every day. If you pick them in the evening you can enjoy them visually during the day and gastronomically in the evening.
Calendula. versicolor
Growing up to 1.2 metres tall and 50cm wide, the beautiful flowers are produced in abundance from mid-summer, until the autumn frosts finally convince the plant that no more seed will be ripened this year. The plant requires a warm, sheltered position and is not hardy in the colder areas.
Hemerocolis. fulva
If you are only going to grow one day lily, then this is the species to go for. A vigorous spreading plant, it grows up to 1 metre tall and 1 metre or more wide. The flowers can be up to 20cm long, they have particularly thick, crunchy and tasty petals, whilst the taste is just amazing. They are produced in mid-summer. There are a number of double-flowered named cultivars of this species that are cultivated for their edible flowers in the Orient. With twice as many petals per flower, these are especially delicious to eat. Cultivars to look out for are ‘Kwanzo’, ‘Green Kwanzo’ and ‘Flore pleno’.
Malva moschata
The Musk Mallow is another very easily grown plant, growing up to 80cm tall and 60cm wide. It succeeds in most soils, though it prefers a reasonably well-drained and moderately fertile soil in a sunny position. Individual plants are generally quite short-lived though they can self-sow freely when in a suitable position and usually more than maintain themselves. The flowers are produced in great abundance in mid summer - if the plants are cut back when they are finishing flowering then they will often produce a fresh flush in early spring. These flowers have a very mild flavour and mucilaginous texture; they make an excellent and very decorative addition to the salad bowl. M. alcea is a closely related plant that can be used in the same way.
Tropaeolum majus
The only annual plant included in this section, the garden Nasturtium tolerates most soils, though it prefers a rich light well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Plants will often maintain themselves by self-sowing, though in cold springs the seed will often not germinate until mid or even late summer, which is too late to produce a reasonable crop. A very ornamental and free-flowering species, it is often in bloom from early summer until cut down by the autumn frosts. The flowers have a hot, watercress-like flavour and make a tasty addition to the salad bowl.
Typha angustifolia
The Reedmace is a very easily grown plant for boggy pond margins or shallow water up to 15cm deep. It requires a rich soil if it is to do well and succeeds in full sun or part shade. A very invasive plant, it grows 2 metres or more tall and spreads freely at the roots when in a suitable site. The young flowering stems can be eaten raw, cooked or made into a soup. They have a taste like sweet corn.
Viola odorata
The Sweet Violet succeeds in most soils but prefers a cool moist well-drained humus-rich soil in partial or dappled shade and protection from scorching winds. Sweet violets are evergreen perennials growing about 15cm tall and forming spreading clumps. They make an excellent weed-excluding ground cover and will often self-sow when well sited. The delicately scented flowers are produced in late winter and early spring, at which time they are usually the only edible flower available. Their sweetly perfumed taste makes them a treat not to be missed. They are also said to be useful as a thickener in soups and stews, and they are used fresh to flavour and colour confectionery.
Appendix 2
SEED SOURCING
Stormy Hall Seeds Catalogue
http://www.stormy-hall-seeds.co.uk/index.html
Biodynamic and Organic Vegetable, Herb and Flower Seeds - relocationg to Wix nr Manningtree March 2014.
Kings Seeds Catalogue
Vegetable, flower, herbs and Sweet Pea seeds, from the traditional home of the British seed industry, Kelvedon, Essex.
The Real Seed Catalogue
Many seeds are rare heirlooms, and because all are open-pollinated (non-hybrid) , you can save your own seed for future years.
Garden Organic's Heritage Seed Library
http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/hsl/index.php
Heritage Seed Library (HSL) aims to conserve and make available vegetable varieties that are not widely available. Currently they have around 800 accessions of open-pollinated varieties, of which about 200 are in their current Seed Catalogue which is sent free to members each year. Members receive their choice of up to six varieties and there is also an informal Seed Swap section run between members themselves. Seed Guardians are members who have decided to take on the extra responsibility of growing seed for them. Of the 40,000 plus packets of seed sent out each year, 40-50% is supplied by Guardians. So these people are essential to maintaining a sufficient amount of stock as well as safeguarding rare varieties.
Some of the Heritage Seed Library varieties:
http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/hsl/varieties.php
Broad Bean 'Crimson Flowered'
Broad
Bean - Crimson Flowered
The Heritage Seed Library's most well known variety, used to promote our work to conserve and distribute heritage varieties. Originally donated to the Seed Library in 1978 by Rhoda Cutbush of Kent. We do not know the exact age of this variety, but crimson-flowered broad beans were mentioned as long ago as 1778.
A beautiful bean in flower, followed by small upright pods that are delicious picked young and cooked whole or left longer on the plant for the small, tender deep green beans. Seed Guardian Sue Atherley of Croxteth Hall notes that it is “a compact plant, hardy in all weathers, producing glorious crimson velvet flowers. Flowering time is indeed a stunning sight”.
Climbing French Bean 'Bird's Egg'
Thought to have been known in England since 1825, this variety produces attractive flowers followed by beautiful pale green pods heavily speckled with red. Seed Guardian Nick Ruddy found the plants to be "tall, strong and high-yeilding". Sweet and tender when picked as young beans, but when dried the pretty white beans with red speckles are VERY succulent with a rich, full flavour; perfect for soups and stews.
Multiplier Onion 'Minogue'
Multiplier
Onion - Minogue
Our donor, Judy Steele, was given these onions by a school friend's father, Mr Minogue. He had been given sets by an allotment neighbour. Remarkably disease free and particularly hardy.
Lettuce 'Stoke'
Lettuce
- Stoke
Originally from Stoke, near Rochester in Kent where the Cheesman family had grown it for 160 years, but probably dates back to long before 1840. A compact lettuce, perfect for growing in limited space. The dark green leaves are meaty, flavoursome and slightly sweet keeping well for several days in the refrigerator says Seed Guardian, Kathy Kromm.
Runner Bean 'Inchley's White'
Runner
Bean - Inchley's White
A late, white flowered runner bean that produces a huge crop of long, irregular-shaped pods generously filled with white beans. Does well even in hot, dry conditions. Easy to care for, this variety is particularly productive and the pods are tender and delicious when picked young.