Seaford Community Garden

If you volunteer between 9.30am and 12.30am on a Wednesday (and new volunteers are very welcome), you will know that it rarely rains at that time, in the Community Garden!

However, we do have exceptions. When we gardened in the wet, in late September, the polytunnel came into its own. Abdul was watering the herb cuttings while Jill was thinning out the tomato plants, as directed by Stan. Jan found a dry spot under one of our large trees, and was re-potting the nerines that a customer had donated from a congested clump in her own garden, while a robin watched over, also sheltering from the rain. The nerines were already showing buds and the flowers, when they open in the next couple of weeks, will give a fabulous pink display. Nearby, in our shady container, the Tricyrtis formosana (or Toad Lily) was in full bloom – it just shows what a bit of rain can do, even in a dark corner! On the sunny side, the Abutilon flowers were fully open, as was the towering Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’.

Allison and Katie were working through the propagation section, deciding which plants were ready to be promoted to the sales table. Allison took heel cuttings from the beautiful pink oleander, in order to produce plants to sell on, here in our corner of the Crouch Gardens.

The propagation section is round the outside of the polytunnel, on purpose-built wooden shelving. Brian, Dave and Neill created these, last year. The shelves are off-set, so that both rows can be easily watered. It’s home to a handsome Aeonium ‘Zwartkop’, which is often admired. We’re hoping to create many new small plants from this single one.

Despite the rain, a few customers popped in, sheltering under their umbrellas. The sales counter was offering apples, tomatoes and courgettes. Some of the outdoor tomatoes had been planted by children from the Charlie Bear’s Nursery, who make monthly visits. If you know of a group who would like to use the garden as a resource, let us know.

As you read this, we may well have a harvest of Physalis fruit, otherwise known as

Cape Gooseberry. They have also flourished in our hot, dry summer, and are recommended as a ‘super food’ to eat in fruit salad, or to use as a pretty garnish on a dessert.

In the tea break, taken in the cosy classroom, Neill told us about joining the Starlight Walk in Eastbourne, in aid of St Wilfrid’s Hospice, which he walked in memory of his dad.

We are a mixture of experienced gardeners and keen learners, and James, who has been involved in the garden from its inception, was delighted to see the return of the Sternbergia lutea, which to the uninitiated looks like a (very early!) daffodil. In fact, its star-like flower will give pleasure all winter.

Come and visit us, or have a taster as a volunteer, in Seaford’s best kept secret garden!

The Garden Team

Photos from top: Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’; a robin watching over; Physalis, or Cape Gooseberry; Tricyrtis formosana or Toad Lily; Abutilon; Sternbergia lutea.

DECEMBER DEADLINE: MONDAY 7th NOVEMBER