Sandgate Community Garden: Update 29 December 2019

We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to browse the archives held by Saga the day before Christmas Eve, which tells the history of Enbrook Park.  Paul, the head gardener researched the subject some time ago for Roger De Haan, and very interesting and quite complex it is too!  The park has been under the threat of being built on for housing in the past, and as a Community, we are indeed fortunate to still have this green area, and for it to be open to the public.  We were of course particularly interested in anything referring to the Community Garden site, and a few relevant pictures have been attached.  The auction details from 1912 give a brief description of the old walled-in kitchen garden, it being ‘of a very productive nature’ with ‘espalier trees and bush and other fruit and its walls are also trained with fruit trees of various kinds’.  Prior to the walled garden being in existence, there was evidence on a map dated 1842 of allotments situated close to the stream and Sandgate Road.  So history is repeating itself, and the walled-in kitchen garden is coming back to life once again.

Delighted to say that on Saturday the bird boxes were at last put up, and we will be interested to see if anything chooses to nest there.  The advice is not to nail or screw the boxes to trees as this will damage the tree, so we have found some webbing straps and have tied them.  We will of course have to check they are not tied too tight, which can be done every year when the boxes are emptied or repaired.  It was great to be outdoors on Saturday if just for a while after all the festivities…… chippings got collected and laid on top of a cardboard base to make more paths….an ongoing process.

We have an amazing 198 followers on our Instagram page, which is quite incredible for such a new project.  How close we are to 200; so if you are not already following us, please consider making it a New Year’s resolution to do so and boost our numbers even more.

What’s next?

  • No arrangements have been made to meet on New Year’s Day, but we will be there on Saturday 4th January 2020 raring to go!
  • Start lining the pond area with sand in preparation for the pond liner
  • Remove and compost the deceased cosmos
  • Keep making more paths

The Sandgate Community Gardeners wish you all a Happy New Year, and look forward to seeing you in 2020.