"Spring is a season of the soul to regain its strength.” ― Lailah Gifty Akita It was the Big Dig day on the 27th. When communities are encouraged to go out and grow things. So we decided to use this as the day for our first plant sale in the garden as well as a day for telling people about the garden, giving away free seeds and getting them involved. Unfortunately it was a very stormy day with strong winds and torrential rain. So we didn’t get into the garden at all. Instead we worked in the Studio, ate lots of cake and still had a good time. We are planning other plant sale and activity days though. There’s quite a collection of plants to sell. Some donated, some cuttings, some grown from

"April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks Go." Christopher Morley And it’s been all go in the garden this week. We’ve had extra sessions as there is so much to do. The weeds have been growing and slugs have started to appear. We’ve been getting help from the ladybirds though. I counted 23 in the garden on Wednesday. We had a ton of soil delivered to the garden to fill up our extra containers. We have started to do this, but it’s a long job. Especially as we have acquired so many containers for our ever growing garden. The weather has been fairly dry for April. So the garden needs a good water. We can only do this about once a week at the moment. And then only when we have

"That God once loved a garden we learn in Holy writ. And seeing gardens in the Spring I well can credit it." - Winifred Mary Letts The Roman month Aprilis is derived from a verb meaning ‘to open’ ‘Fruits and flowers and animals and seas do open’ this month an ancient Roman calendar explains. And we have lots of plants opening up after their winter slumber now. In fact the garden is a riot of colour with bulbs and shrubs flowering, along with all our pansies that have flowered all winter. Planning ahead for more colour in the summer, volunteers have adopted seeds and been growing them at home. So there have been window ledges all over Halton full of seed trays and pots. Mine have overflowe

“A gush of bird-song, a patter of dew, A cloud, and a rainbow's warning, Suddenly sunshine and perfect blue— An April day in the morning.“ Harriet Prescott Spofford That sounds like times in the garden. A little haven in the Old Town. I love to just sit there some mornings watching our local blackbird and just feeling how peaceful it is. And we’ve been getting more sunshine too, so the garden is even more welcoming. Only there may be April showers to come…. Actually there are a few creatures visiting at the moment. Some we want to see, like the ladybird. But others, like the slugs and caterpillars are less welcome. There has been a bit of life in Bugingham Palace too. There are kid’s spotter