A group of our Inclusion Matters [Lisburn] and ABI [Belfast] service users met at Bells Lane Allotments for a 4 week horticultural programme each Wednesday. The Programme was set up by CSAW and was facilitated by The New Leaf Company. 

Over the four weeks our service users enjoyed sowing seeds, planting, watering, harvesting, and learned about the different varieties of plants, vegetables, and herbs. The group enjoyed getting out in the fresh air and getting to know one another on a more personal level. Everyone discussed their first memories of gardening with family and friends and all the recipes they had made with vegetables and herbs. The group enjoyed the nostalgia of smelling herbs, that often reminded them of certain seasons and different occasions.

The group started off their gardening activity sessions with sowing seeds, such as, French beans, runner beans, peas, onions, and spring onions. The group then did a tour of the garden and discussed what was growing. 

During the next session everyone then potted some seedlings, including: Kolrabi, beetroot, Cayenne chillies, and courgettes. The group also sowed broccoli and savoy cabbages and planted some strawberry plants into the fruit bed and lettuces into another raised bed. 

The following week the group then weeded-out two raised beds and planted them with new multi sown onions and dwarf French beans. The onions were planted around the edge of the bed because we were later to also sow some carrots and we learned that the scent of the onion acts as a deterrent to carrot root fly! The group then helped with planting French beans with the lettuce, to help provide shade and the transfer of nitrogen over to the lettuce, which really helps with their growth rate! The group finished the session by helping water everything in the tunnel, planted some chamomile, and sowed some dwarf runner beans and tomato plants.

Our group planted garden peas in the raised beds and provided support for them with garden twine and bamboo canes, in addition, the group also planted tomatoes and courgettes in the tunnel.

Our group sowed herbs, basil, coriander, and parsley into flat trays, before touring the plot to determine how their patch was getting on and what was growing well!

The group watched a demonstration on how to take softwood cuttings, prior to having the opportunity to plant up some rosemary and sage cuttings to take home with them.

The group were supported and instructed by 'Mrs Bloom', aka, 'Ann', who is a horticulturist and she has worked with groups for many years practicing horticultural therapy in community settings. Ann is very passionate about sustainability, producing, supplying locally, and using organic and regenerative growing practices.

The group were encouraged by Ann to plant seeds at home and each attendee got to take home some of the produce that they had started to grow, so they can watch them grow at home for themselves.

The programme encouraged all attendees to get involved in gardening at home and also at community level. It is hoped the group can meet again in the future to see how their hard work has paid off by producing lots of fruit, veg, and herbs!

 

Find out more about our Inclusion Matters services by clicking the following link: InclUSion Matters | The Cedar Foundation (cedar-foundation.org)