We were delighted to receive 43 entries to this competition, which ran throughout October 2007.
The entries that will find a place in the garden were selected by members of the public attending the coffee morning at Dawley Library on Friday, 26th October and by members of library staff. All the entries had been typed into one document and given a number to maintain the anonymity of the authors. Most of the entries received at least one vote and there were many favourable comments on the standard of entry. In the case of longer entries, the selectors indicated favourite lines or phrases.
In order of the number of votes received, the five entries to be selected are:-
Away from all the noise and stress
A garden offers peace and rest
Mrs Jose Leeson, WEA Creative Writing Course
The beauty of the seasons in one place
Emma Eason, Dawley
One year long, the length of this song,
Repeated, nurtured, a gift lifelong, this song,
The song of the Garden.
David A. Hair, Malinslee
A corner of Dawley transformed to green,
Food for our senses – nature’s dream
Lesley Berry, WEA Creative Writing Course
When life conspires to get you down,
A garden will remove your frown
Lynda Lister, WEA Creative Writing Course
These will all be incorporated into the finished garden.
11.12.07
31.10.07
Next event - change of date
Our event about building nest boxes and other animal habitats will now take place on Friday February 15th 2008 instead of November 12th 2007 as advertised. In the meantime you can find a display of books in Dawley library on encouraging birds and other wildlife to your garden which you might like to read over the winter months.
Work is progressing well on the garden. Around 18 volunteers from the Green Gym removed or cut back some of the existing shrubs, a new path was dug out and all the slabs were lifted in preparation for them being relaid at a different angle. Here are some photos of how the garden looks at this stage.
Here's the Green Gym hard at work!
Work is progressing well on the garden. Around 18 volunteers from the Green Gym removed or cut back some of the existing shrubs, a new path was dug out and all the slabs were lifted in preparation for them being relaid at a different angle. Here are some photos of how the garden looks at this stage.
This area will include slabs, a raised bed and seating, with the sensory rainbow walk at the far end.
This will be the storytelling area.
Here's the Green Gym hard at work!
4.10.07
Volunteer event Friday 26th October 10.30am - 12.00 noon
Last Saturday at our 'Meet the designer' event we began thinking about which plants to use in the Sensory Rainbow Walk. We will continue this at our next event which is on Friday 26th October 10.30am - 12.00 noon. This is also an opportunity for you to find out what volunteering opportunites there are, some of which include helping with the planting, making a mural for the wall, a mosaic birdbath as well as helping to maintain parts of the garden once it is completed. We will also be judging the poetry competition.
All are welcome so please drop in for coffee and cakes and find out more.
All are welcome so please drop in for coffee and cakes and find out more.
21.9.07
Competition
Can you write a short poem, a haiku or phrase that sums up the beauty of a garden?
If so, it could be incorporated into the new garden, perhaps on the pergola posts over the Sensory Rainbow Walk. The competition will be launched at our 'Meet the designer' event on Saturday 29th September 10.00am - 12 noon. It's free to enter and we welcome entries from any local resident - young and old. The closing date is Wednesday 24th October. Please pick up an entry form from Dawley library.
If so, it could be incorporated into the new garden, perhaps on the pergola posts over the Sensory Rainbow Walk. The competition will be launched at our 'Meet the designer' event on Saturday 29th September 10.00am - 12 noon. It's free to enter and we welcome entries from any local resident - young and old. The closing date is Wednesday 24th October. Please pick up an entry form from Dawley library.
15.8.07
Meet the designer event
Saturday 29th September 2007 10.30am - 12noon is the date of our next event, when you can meet Mike Russell who is designing our new new wildlife garden. Find out what features he has incorporated and what his inspiration was. Also help us to decide which plants to include in the Sensory Rainbow Walk.
Feedback from the garden survey
We spent a wonderful sunny afternoon identifying and recording insects, plants and other wildlife that is currently in the garden. The list included snails, centipedes, woodlice, frog hoppers, butterflies and lacewings....blackberries, thistles, currant bushes, feverfew, foxgloves, holly, poppies, birch trees, ash and willow, ivy and lots of bindweed! About 12 children and 7 adults attended the event which was led by Helen and Pete from the Shropshire Wildlife Trust. The children also learnt about wasps nests, birds nests and made simple insect homes using bundles of sticks, bamboo sticks, twigs and moss.
The garden is very good and I like it.
Today was really good and I learnt a lot about new insects and found out a lot of facts I didn’t know before!! Also the garden’s really good and has lots of variety.
I enjoyed it. It was fun doing the habitat.
A lovely project. Lots of potential. Can’t wait for the next stage!
We had some lovely comments from those taking part:
Children
I enjoyed everything I did.
Children
I enjoyed everything I did.
The garden is very good and I like it.
Today was really good and I learnt a lot about new insects and found out a lot of facts I didn’t know before!! Also the garden’s really good and has lots of variety.
I enjoyed it. It was fun doing the habitat.
It was great fun finding all the bugs. The staff were brilliant. I would love to come again. And the garden was full of plants and wildlife. It was great!
I really liked the wildlife garden.I liked seaching for the little insects.And my favourte part was drawing my picther.It was very good.I thought it was fun.
The wildlife garden was really good fun. Pete & Helen were fantastic and they helped you find what spieces the bugs were. My favourite part was when Pete shook the bush and i sucked though the straw. It was really great fun.
I really liked the wildlife garden.I liked seaching for the little insects.And my favourte part was drawing my picther.It was very good.I thought it was fun.
The wildlife garden was really good fun. Pete & Helen were fantastic and they helped you find what spieces the bugs were. My favourite part was when Pete shook the bush and i sucked though the straw. It was really great fun.
Adults
Great fun and learnt a lot .
Great fun and learnt a lot .
Wonderful! Love it, so peaceful now, can only imagine how divine it will be.
Seating and table great idea to bring lunch and enjoy a good read.
A lovely project. Lots of potential. Can’t wait for the next stage!
6.8.07
Garden survey event
If you live locally then come along to our first garden event on Wednesday 8th August 2.30 - 4.00pm. Children and older people are invited to help us record what is currently in the garden - plants, insects, birds and other wildlife. The Shropshire Wildlife Trust will also be there and will give a talk about animal habitats and bring examples of bird's nests. You can even create homes for insects, to attract more varieties into the garden.
28.7.07
Designing the garden
Our garden designer, Mike Russell, has come up with a brilliant design, inspired by the shape of a snail. It's a circular design with a curved pathway, a series of coloured timber pergola archways to create a sensory rainbow walk, a lawn, lots of different seating areas and a storytelling space. Two other features of the garden will be a large birdbath, possibly covered in mosaic tiles, and a mural against the wall of the library, which could be a tree with handprint leaves.
The design is now at Dawley library so, if you live locally, do call in and have a look. We'd welcome your feedback.
Here is a more detailed description of the main features of the plan:
Design Features
• Circular shape to new garden takes advantage of existing lawn, and planting area and enables access to all areas of garden, still allowing for lots of space for many outside activities.
• A feature curved, timber edged, all ability pathway in reclaimed paving or bound gravel approx 1.2m wide curves around the garden in a loop so all areas can be reached for easy garden care. The path has many points of interest along the route.
• A series of coloured timber pergola archways will create a secret "sensory rainbow walk"
• The existing lawn has been extended to provide space for multiple activities and gazebo.
• Seating is provided along the path, the existing fallen willow tree, a focal contemplative tree-seat around the beautiful old silver birch tree and more social benches/picnic tables on the terrace areas.
• The existing terrace is divided into two areas one could be a sheltered story telling space, with new planting in raised beds between them, linking the library to the rest of the garden.
• A feature mosaic birdbath could take a central focal position in the circular garden.
Planting
• Many existing trees and some shrubs are retained within planting areas giving instant maturity to the garden.
• Planted areas have been kept to manageable and accessible proportions throughout the garden.
• Existing trees may need some tree surgery and thinning out.
• New planting has been introduced with a wildlife attracting, woodland theme.
• A series of painted timber archways form the "sensory rainbow walk", where sensory plants are in blocks of colour, tactile foliage and scented flowers.
• New planted areas give plenty of opportunities for ideas such as veg, cut flowers, and herbs.
Nature areas
• Lots of places already exist for wildlife and new habitats and homes can be created throughout the garden.
• Bird boxes, bat boxes, hedgehog homes and habitat piles can be installed in existing trees and on walls etc.
• A boggy area rather than a pond can easily be incorporated.
Arts & Crafts
• The blank wall of the library is an ideal place for a painted or tile mural. Idea for a tree with
handprint leaves is shown on plan.
• The "sensory rainbow walk" can include natural and handmade chimes etc.
• The birdbath could be an arts project with tile
mosaic fixed to a concrete birdbath.
• A carving or other piece of art could take a focal position opposite the doorway set back near the wall.
• Walls can be re-pointed then painted with a wildlife theme.
The design is now at Dawley library so, if you live locally, do call in and have a look. We'd welcome your feedback.
Here is a more detailed description of the main features of the plan:
Design Features
• Circular shape to new garden takes advantage of existing lawn, and planting area and enables access to all areas of garden, still allowing for lots of space for many outside activities.
• A feature curved, timber edged, all ability pathway in reclaimed paving or bound gravel approx 1.2m wide curves around the garden in a loop so all areas can be reached for easy garden care. The path has many points of interest along the route.
• A series of coloured timber pergola archways will create a secret "sensory rainbow walk"
• The existing lawn has been extended to provide space for multiple activities and gazebo.
• Seating is provided along the path, the existing fallen willow tree, a focal contemplative tree-seat around the beautiful old silver birch tree and more social benches/picnic tables on the terrace areas.
• The existing terrace is divided into two areas one could be a sheltered story telling space, with new planting in raised beds between them, linking the library to the rest of the garden.
• A feature mosaic birdbath could take a central focal position in the circular garden.
Planting
• Many existing trees and some shrubs are retained within planting areas giving instant maturity to the garden.
• Planted areas have been kept to manageable and accessible proportions throughout the garden.
• Existing trees may need some tree surgery and thinning out.
• New planting has been introduced with a wildlife attracting, woodland theme.
• A series of painted timber archways form the "sensory rainbow walk", where sensory plants are in blocks of colour, tactile foliage and scented flowers.
• New planted areas give plenty of opportunities for ideas such as veg, cut flowers, and herbs.
Nature areas
• Lots of places already exist for wildlife and new habitats and homes can be created throughout the garden.
• Bird boxes, bat boxes, hedgehog homes and habitat piles can be installed in existing trees and on walls etc.
• A boggy area rather than a pond can easily be incorporated.
Arts & Crafts
• The blank wall of the library is an ideal place for a painted or tile mural. Idea for a tree with
handprint leaves is shown on plan.
• The "sensory rainbow walk" can include natural and handmade chimes etc.
• The birdbath could be an arts project with tile
mosaic fixed to a concrete birdbath.
• A carving or other piece of art could take a focal position opposite the doorway set back near the wall.
• Walls can be re-pointed then painted with a wildlife theme.
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