To be completed once ground is weeded and cleared of rubble

Nasturtiums ✅

Marigolds ✅

Calendula ✅

Poached Egg Plants ✅

Lavender ✅

Sunflower Seeds ✅

Wildflower Seeds ✅

using lots of personal water atm that is v costly! can't maintain, especially as more plants are planted.

lavender

foxglove

poached egg plants

(before uncovering & mulching all surface with manure)

There is another patch where I plant to plant more pollinators and well as put a few wildlife habitats (stick, rock, dead leaf piles, etc)

This plan I want to be more wildlife focused, however will see what is doable with space & resources.

Changed over my strawberry plant as that was also over growing (and some other sprouts) and am impatient as would love to get that in a balcony box & outside but need more than one for that. so gonna grab one of the pots at my course.

May actually sow half flower and half herbs today. Get the pansies started especially as I've got a hanging basket ready for them to go in. It's cold today!!

Was out with the kids earlier and saw the runner beans we sowed have ACTUALLY started sprouting!!! Which reminds me, I need to put a cover on it tomorrow.

Heading to B&Q tomorrow to grab some more tools & tarpaulin for a private job this week! The funds are gonna go towards the garden so really happy I got it. Very excited (!). Lots to do tomorrow.

Hawthorn

Alder

Weave into ground

Dead Hedge around some borders? Small dead hedge?

Update to 17/04/25 post; I was keeping the seedlings covered too long and the excess heat made them explode with growth meaning they're incredibly leggy - not supposed to happen! They've since been uncovered and I'm hardening them off as they've been ready to go outside for a while (oops!)

Private Job Update:

I STARTED THE JOB!!!! It's going really well, it's a massive one and I absolutely should have charged a bit more for it but will learn from my mistake and how to properly assess and price a job + my time. My take home will be around £72 after purchasing tools for the job, paying my partner for lifts, and the charge for the lead (what's good is that the tools are a once off purchase that I won't have to make again which means my take home will be more on future jobs!).

I think I'll focus on getting polythene mulch for the weeds to zero in on the soil, and wood treatment for the pallets to finally make some planters, as most of my seedlings and plants are ready to go out and by god if I haven't run out of planters quick!

Extra will go to fuel for collecting more manure to mulch.

Some issues with last year were that I was aiming too high and for perfection with very minimal external assistance. I primarily wanted a community garden with wildlife patches and structures dotted throughout, however this meant taking on the task of improving the current soil quality enough to grow in which was a huge undertaking - it was layers of rubble and litter and building waste and would have meant digging up the majority of it to sift through. This also involved sourcing and/ or building planters for raised beds on some occasions, and all the seeds, plants and starts necessary. It also required daily watering, which for someone on a top floor flat, a busy schedule and a tiny watering can with no outdoor water access, is difficult to maintain.

Unfortunately I was also battling against waste from neighbours and children which was a daily issue - we have a lot of kids on the street, and they would often take or move materials left out, and leave waste behind. Litter is an ongoing and prevalent issue in this street. What ended up happening is I would spend the majority of allocated 'session' time litter picking to clear the ground, meaning the main tasks didn't get completed, or started and not finished in the allocated time. I unfortunately also had issues with dog waste - sadly, every neighbour knew and knows about the project, what I was doing, but new dog waste left and not cleaned up on the site was also a near daily issue. I definitely felt inconsidered and discouraged, and overall I found the active lack of care and sometimes direct negative intervention from neighbours demoralising. The area for the project is completely visible to the street and surrounding houses, and it leaves you feeling a bit vulnerable knowing everyone can see you trying/ caring (and having a lot to lose) with nothing behind me to back me up or defend me.

Logistically with what I was expecting of myself I made it very difficult - I don't drive, so disposing of rubble and waste was difficult, as well as picking up things like bulk compost, horse manure, equipment, et cetera. Again, I did not take into consideration what I was actually practically capable of and shot for the stars rather than realistic, achievable goals.

There also honestly wasn't enough consistent interest for a community garden - what was I thinking?! The majority of the people, with love, showed surface level support but no enthusiasm for involvement in any regard - understandably cuz it essentially looked like I was shovelling mud, various kinds of shit and rubbish, and litter picking all day, which I was.

I also found out I received a report about the project from a neighbour whose garden backs onto one of the areas I'm working on. This was luckily shut down by the community officer or 'neighbourhood coach' who was in support (which is exciting and promising!), but again it was sad to hear that people were having negative reactions to it and reporting it rather than expressing their concerns to me. It's late so will edit later!