The mini-beasts are coming to Town!
Sat 2nd Apr 2022
Barracks Lane Community Garden, based in East Oxford, has been awarded a grant supported by the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment (TOE) with funding from Grundon Waste Management Ltd to carry out the second phase of their Wild Edges project.
This project will see the garden replace the dishevelled wooden raised beds with raised beds made from recycled plastic and create a mini-beast safari.
The first phase of the project, completed in 2020, created a new planting scheme which included pollinator-friendly plants. Organic fruits and vegetables will be grown in the new raised beds in the second phase of the Wild Edges project.
The two strands to this project give the garden the opportunity to further promote more eco-friendly gardening to our visitors, which will benefit the local urban neighbourhood.
Chair of Trustees, Jennifer Creese said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this grant supported via TOE with funding from Grundon Waste Management Ltd.
“It allows us to carry out a major capital works project, which in turn will allow us to grow organic fruit and vegetables and create new homes for local insects, reptiles, birds and mammals, which will further improve the biodiversity of the garden and local area.
“Being able to build the new raised beds from recycled plastic enables the garden to support initiatives that help to reduce the amount of plastic going to landfill. We can’t wait for the first seeds to be planted”.
Community seed-sowing events will be going on when the Community Engagement Gardeners are onsite, which will be every other Thursday from 7th April. Produce from the new raised beds will be shared with volunteers and eaten at the garden’s events.
The mini-beast safari will be created in a raised bed that is too shaded to grow food, but perfect for mini-beasts! Throughout the year we will be running workshops to build habitats for mini-beasts. Visit our website https://www.barrackslanegarden.org.uk/ for details.
Ben Heaven Taylor, Chief Executive at the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment, said: “Barrack’s Lane Community Garden will be humming with bees and butterflies feeding from the pollinator-friendly plants this spring and summer.
“Using recycled plastic will ensure longevity of the new raised beds for vegetables and fruit. At a time when people want to reconnect with nature the Wild Edges project is giving everyone easy access to a beautiful garden.”
