Learning About Our Roots

Paul had already arrived and Mike, the task owner, was putting out the ‘warning digging’ sign as I arrived. Miranda and Amy join us and as we were sign in. Andrew, Emily and a third Amy appeared soon after.

The task this month was digging the other side on the flowerbed we were digging and planting in May (read about it here). First, we sheared down the thick vegetation and removed vast amount of sticky weed. Then we dug out roots and turned the soil. Paul managed to big out some impressive roots and some however covered the back of this head in mud! A man with two bulldogs came over to tell us how much of a good job we were doing and one of this started helping us out munching on the weeds whilst of other one was terrified on the wheelbarrow.

While we were digging Mike told some stories about the history of some of the local parks. St Lawrence park is known locally as ‘grannies parks’, there are a number of theories about why this is such as grannies bringing their kids to play and a little hut where grannies met at weekends and out on food. There is a ‘hill park’ which wasn’t a park or hill but used to be there the ships dropped their ballast. We also learnt all about a near by park known as plaguy park where there were plague pits and a denominational cemetery where once it fell out of use the grave stone were used as paving stones.

After much hard work we stopped for a tea and coffee break. Paul had brought Jaffa cakes which we enjoyed.

After tea we continued digging and turning soil to finish the flowerbed area we were working on. Somehow, we started talking about languages and we learnt there are a few bilinguists amongst us. Miranda examples how to say I enjoy gardening in German and Spanish. Amy taught us all some Russian and Andrew some Swedish. With just the corner left we ended up digging ourselves into the corner! Once all the soil was dug and turned Amy spread seeds over the flowerbed and Miranda racked them in to the soil.

After we were finished we went to look at previous jobs we had done in the park. First up were the little saplings growing in the other half of flower bed we dug in May. Then we went and had a look at the raised vegetable box we build back in April. This was based on the children book ‘Oliver’s vegetables’ and the children from a local primary school have been growing all kinds of veg in it. Finally, we looked at the flowerbed we dug out in also in April were the local school children had planted flowers and they were starting to grow.

After all that hard work we deserved a treat! So most of us went for doughnuts at Proven Goods in nearby Haults Yard. With flavours like Eton mess, banoffee pie and Nutella and nut, they were extremely tasty!

Andrew is leading a mission in Harbottle park tomorrow! We are back in St Lawrence Park twice in July sign up here for the 6th and here for the 27th.