The Garden
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Trainee Projects
Some of the trainees have been planning and carrying out specific project work to complete requirements for their SQA modules or the H.O.P.E. Garden Modules. Most of the project work has been carried out with minimal costs and with the help of other donations of materials or goods such as the picnic tables and birdbath from Angus College.
- Polytunnel and planters
Three
of H.O.P.E.'s most experienced trainees are Sylvia and Michael from
Montrose and George from Arbroath. They have established their own polytunnel
within the H.O.P.E. garden, and grow on bedding and shrubs that are
used to plant up containers and hanging baskets. These are then distributed
to resource centres and residential homes within the Angus area to brighten
up the residents' surroundings. Sylvia, Michael and George all enjoy
gardening as a hobby outwith their time at H.O.P.E. and they were looking
for a useful purpose to their gardening efforts which would benefit
the wider community as well as themselves.
Funding for this project has come from the Millennium Award called "You and Your Community". The money has been used to purchase a small polytunnel and glasshouse equipment for the trainees along with compost, seeds and plug plants and containers.
Winter and autumn plants are used to provide colour over the colder months and indoor flowering bulbs are also prepared.- Wildlife pond
- Gerry and Alan have both worked hard alongside H.O.P.E. gardener, Richard to complete the wildlife pond. Donations of pond plants complemented those purchased and with a little wildlife injection of tadpoles from a local primary school, the pond is now a well established wildlife haven. A sunny summer is a boost to the solar pond pump! A care student called Tracy from Angus College helped out with this project by providing all the edging stone and a good deal of sweat!
- Picnic area
- Bill with the help of Alex, worked away at this area to prepare a new picnic area next to the garden. Angus College joinery department have constructed 5 picnic tables. Richard and George completed the barbecue to go with it, and is put to good use at the summer plant sales.
- Raised boxes and borders
- George's raised flower borders, alongside the polytunnels, are establishing, and his raised boxes for growing vegetables are producing top vegetable specimens. We may extend the raised bed idea to other parts of the garden in the future to help those volunteers and trainees who have access difficulties.