A varied programme of activities is open to local residents and the general public. All events start at the site unless mentioned otherwise, see below for a map.
Our community gardening session runs every Monday (excluding bank holidays) between 10am and 4pm. Everyone is welcome, including children accompanied by an adult.
A day to skill-up those new to growing vegetables and fruit trees. Drop by to our tool maintenance demonstration to learn how to maintain and fix worn spades, forks and sheers. Bring unneeded seeds and swap them with others to get ready for the coming season. Booking for workshops essential
Workshop: Creative Container Veg Growing
Kath Gavin (from Hulme Community Garden Centre)
REGISTER HERE: Morning / Afternoon
Discover which vegetables and herbs are suitable for growing in containers and the conditions they need to thrive. Learn how to plan and maintain your own growing space to provide a succession of delicious food throughout the year. Be inspired to repurpose household objects to create a unique garden. Take home seeds and cuttings to get you started
Kath has a background in Biology, Conservation and Therapeutic Horticulture with RHS, Thrive and Permaculture Design training. Initially responsible for the plant nursery at Hulme Community Garden Centre, and for the last five years running bespoke workshops and volunteer sessions for both adults and children in all aspects of vegan organic gardening and environmental education. A passionate allotmenteer with a particular interest in growing vegetables for all seasons and gardening for wildlife.
Workshop: Organic gardening, the natural way to grow
Marva Lashley (from Debdale Eco Centre)
REGISTER HERE: Morning / Afternoon
This workshop will cover the practical aspects of planning your vegetable garden, seed sowing, building and maintaining soil health, encouraging biodiversity, using resources responsibly, avoiding the use of harmful chemicals and maintaining a healthy growing area.
The essence of organic growing is to work with nature to promote a complete, healthy, productive and sustainable environment. It involves supporting healthy soils, encouraging wildlife and working creatively alongside nature when growing vegetables. The workshop will cover the practical aspects of planning your vegetable garden, seed sowing, building and maintaining soil health, encouraging biodiversity, using resources responsibly, avoiding the use of harmful chemicals and maintaining a healthy growing area. This workshop is designed to inspire you to reconnect with nature, adopt a more sustainable lifestyle and enjoy the benefits of sowing, growing and eating healthy organic vegetables.
After leaving high school, Marva worked in the amenities department of the local council as a gardener, propagating and maintaining ornamental plants in glasshouses. Her other activities included the interior landscaping of the town hall, the amenities offices and venues that were used for civic functions. From managing a garden centre to teaching horticulture, she has devoted the past decade to using and sharing her knowledge of organic gardening…… and continues to practice this exciting and satisfying vocation.
Workshop: Apple tree grafting – theory and practice
Mark Simmonds
REGISTER HERE: Morning / Afternoon
This half day workshop will teach you how to graft apple and other fruit trees.A range of local and heritage apple varieties including dessert, cooking and cider apples will be available to graft onto MM106 rootstock.
Mark Simmonds has a wealth of experience planting, restoring and working with community orchards across the North.
Demonstration: Tool maintenance
Free
11:00 – 14:00
Tools can be expensive and are vital to most garden jobs. Pop down to our tool maintenance demonstration and learn how to fix old tools and keep them in good working order.
Lunch: Soup and Seed Swap
We will be serving homemade soup from 13:00 – 14:00 for £2.00 a portion. As you enjoy a warm bowl, swap your seed with other growers ready for the coming season.
Birds are disappearing from our countryside as a consequence of industrial agriculture. Discover the wildlife on our doorstep with a morning and dusk bird walk with Stockport RSPB. Drop-in throughout the day for bird nest box building and to delve into the world of barn owls by unpicking an owl pellet (family-friendly). Booking for bird walks essential
Walk: Bird walks with Stockport RSPB
Stockport RSPB
A bird watching walk with local members of the RSPB. Bring a pair binoculars and delve into the worlds of our feathered avian friends. Binoculars will also be available to borrow.
Drop-in: Bird box building
£5 per home
11:00 – 14:00
Make and take away a bird nest box for your garden. We will pre-cut wood to make nest boxes for a variety of species. Members of the local RSPB group will be on hand to offer advise.
Drop-in: Owl pellet dissection
Free
Prise apart a barn owl pellet to discover what they have been eating and learn about the kind of habitats they need for hunting (family-friendly)
Wild pollinators, like solitary and bumble bees, are having a hard in a countryside doused with chemicals. Take a workshop in wildlife gardening with Cheshire Wildlife Trust and learn how to turn your garden into a sanctuary for struggling creatures. Build a bee nest box for your garden or community area (family-friendly). Booking for wildlife gardening workshop is essential
Workshop: Wildlife friendly gardening
Nick Rowles from Cheshire Wildlife Trust
A workshop on how to encourage more wildlife in your garden, with tips and practical advice on how to grow a range of flowers, fruit and vegetables in a nature friendly way, without the need for harmful chemicals.
Nick Rowles has ten years of experience as an environmental educator for Cheshire Wildlife Trust where he set up and ran a wildlife friendly demonstration garden. Nick is RHS trained in horticulture, has two wildlife friendly allotments and has delivered talks on gardening for wildlife at RHS Tatton.
Drop-in: Build a home for wild bees
£5 per home
11:00 – 14:00
Make your own nest for wild bees and give them a home in your garden. We will have everything you need to put together an inviting home for our wild pollinators.
7th June
Open Farm Sunday
Every year farms welcome people in to learn about where their food is produced. We are one of the few urban farms to take place. Come and learn how the community gardeners and The Kindling Trust are working to build a more just and ecological way of growing food which takes care of people, wildlife and our environment.
11th July
The Soil Beneath Us: A day about soil and its health
Scientists have warned that parts of the UK only have 100 harvests left in there soil. Soil is not just dirt but a complicated mix of living things and dead matter which has been abused with chemicals, machinery and the hooves of livestock for decades. Join us for a day-long workshop to learn how the soil is being
15th August
Preserve, Store and Prosper: Keeping fruit and veg throughout the winter
We can benefit from the goodness of fruit and vegetables throughout the year through chutneys-making, drying and fermenting. Join a workshop to find out how!
12th September
Bats: Box building and a walk
Bats aren’t just for Halloween, they also have an important role feeding on insects, performing natural pest control in our gardens, fields and farms. Join us for a bat walk by the South Lancashire Bat Group (family-friendly).
24th October
Autumn’s Abundance: Apple pressing and pumpkin carving
Autumn is a time of harvest. Join us to press apples and carve pumpkins (family-friendly).
Learn how to identify trees, carve, weave willow, and prune trees using holistic methods.
