Recycling jar lids, polytunnel update and Birdwatch news

Everything is looking lovely at the garden and most beds have been well composted with soil improver and well-rotted horse manure, so hopefully we will harvest big fat vegetables...

Scroll down to see our team of volunteers at work - and having a social cuppa... Plus Birdwatch count and the photo of our newest member....

The tea urn was fired up on a rainy Sunday

Tomas making polytunnel shelving

Charlotte made a name tag for a fruit tree using a jam jar lid and plans to make more for the other trees and perennial plants - a great way to recycle and it looks pretty too... The Empty Common Garden is blooming (primroses, daffodils) and many hands make the work light. We have finished clearing up a new patch that has fertile and wonderful-looking soil. As Mary wrote in a group email: "Join us...spread the word... it is a lovely place to visit or work as much or as little as time allows."

 A jam jar lid makes a useful tree label

Droplets of water looking magical

Below are the Birdwatch results for the Empty Common Community Garden, sent in by Rebecca.


2 Robins
2 Linnets
1 Common gull
5 Woodpigeons
2 Magpies
6 Rooks (decided not crows)
15 Piebald wagtails

Birdwatchers were also treated to a flyby, of 20 Barnacle/Brent Geese or perhaps greylags... the jury is out on that one! Results were submitted to the RSPB.

Where's everybody???

Last but not least... here's our youngest member... Say hello to Freddie!

The Empty Common Community Garden - still looking great in winter!

Last Sunday it was a rainy day but a group of hardy volunteers still gathered to check on the garden and do a Birdwatch (watch this space for a blog post!) 

Below is a pictorial contribution from volunteers - the photos were taken in late 2015 and in January 2016. Thank you for submitting these great photos, Mary, Rebecca and Charlotte. More to come, so you can all see how the garden progresses.

Mary made two delicious soups and provided beer for a Sunday get-together in late 2015. So even in the dead of winter we still like to eat together in the great outdoors.

January 2016: the daffodils are already out in force as is our army of volunteers! Check out the lovely rotted compost in the wheelbarrow. As Charlotte said in an email, we will have big fat veggies this coming year.