From arts clubs for kids to gardening groups for adults, there’s something for everyone at North Edinburgh Arts this autumn!
Tag: gardening
September plant of the month: Heather
Heather heralds the arrival of Autumn
Heather: Nectar in the Autumn
In September, the summer flowers in the garden and on our terraces have peaked so now it’s heather’s time in the spotlight. Heather begins to flower in September and is a source of luscious late summer colour, and for this reason, it is Thejoyofplants.co.uk‘s Garden Plant of the Month of September.
Carpet
Heather (Calluna vulgaris) is a European classic and is native to the coastal areas of Western Europe, Great Britain and Ireland, as well as being one of Scotland’s most prolific plants. It grows in beautiful long shoots with shingled leaves and small symmetrical flowers. Its purple and pink flowers have a slightly weathered appearance and that gives both the plants and the countryside a tough and natural look. In the garden, the plants provide a hardy carpet that give a calm and authentic effect whilst in pots, heather becomes a robust eye-catcher.
Nectar
Heather will flower from September to early November. The flowers contain an abundance of nectar which enables the bees to have a quick restock before winter begins, thereby providing us with a plentiful supply of their delicious heather honey.
Pure Nature
Heather is a perennial plant that can survive 30-40 years in the wild. It is a little higher and less dense than other types of heath and this gives it a strong and natural appearance. In the wild, the purple and pink flowers create beautiful landscapes. In the garden, heather has the same effect, providing a wonderful contrast to the other green and variegated leaves, with its foliage deepening and intensifying as the year progresses.
Heathers are incredibly versatile and look fantastic in pots and rockeries, as well as providing stunning ground cover alongside flowering perennials and grasses in your flowerbeds.
Care Tips
- Heather loves the light – The more light it gets, the more beautiful the leaves.
- It is a natural survivor and can tolerate very little care and poor soil, but it does prefer well-drained, acidic conditions.
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Heather can be planted at any time of the year, provided the soil is not frozen, and should be pruned every year after flowering.
Interesting Facts
- The scientific name for heather is “Calluna vulgaris”. “Calluna” originates from the Greek word “kallune” which means “to clean” or “to brush” as the twigs were historically used to make brooms.
– Heather provides a great flavouring agent for beer, wine and tea – cheers!
– Heather is used in many cosmetics such as shampoos, lotions, bubble baths and perfumes.
– And finally, in the plant world, Heather symbolizes admiration and good luck!
Meet Ferry Road’s Dottery Diggers!
‘Bill and Ben’ tackle the tatties!
A group of green-fingered sheltered housing residents have taken to growing their own fruit and vegetables. Seven residents at Port of Leith Housing Association’s St Nicholas Court, on Ferry Road, have become the ‘Dottery Diggers’!
The purpose of the initiative was to get residents active outdoors, gain new skills and grow their own fresh produce which can be used for meals.
The Diggers fundraise to buy their tools, seeds and pots and have already grown tomatoes, strawberries and onions. Two of the residents – John Ross and Bill Smith – have been in charge of growing potatoes.
Maureen Tait, PoLHA’s Sheltered Housing Services Manager, said: “Our residents embrace new initiatives and I’m delighted the fruits of their labour are going down a treat.
“We’ve not had a brilliant summer weather-wise, but through rain or shine, the budding gardeners have been out tending to their produce. The most difficult vegetables to grow have been potatoes, but John and Bill have worked hard and even earned themselves the nickname of Bill and Ben!”
Garden Plant of the Month: Hydrangea
Fling the doors open to the garden and head outside! Summer is here and what better way to spend your free time than being outside and enjoying the sunshine in your beautiful, flower-filled garden. July is the month when the blooms of the hydrangeas are at their extravagant peak and gardeners everywhere simply cannot believe their luck. For this reason, Thejoyofplants.co.uk G
Take your pick
The hydrangea is a vigorous and hardy plant and is also extremely popular. There are numerous different varieties and colours ranging from white, pink, blue and purple. One of the best known is the delightful ‘Annabelle’ (Snowball) variety, with its heart-shaped leaves and large, white, ball-shaped blooms (hence the name!).
The ‘Paniculata’ Hydrangea, with its gracefully arched branches and clusters of cone-shaped blooms, is also a great garden favourite. Many varieties, particularly the lace-cap and mopheads, have the fascinating, chameleon-like ability to change colour when adapting to different environments and soils and will often change colour in late summer.
So, if you want to give your garden that natural, luxurious, extravagant feel, why don’t you fill your borders and terraces with white Annabelles and Paniculatas, or, if you would rather go for a playful and lively kaleidoscope of colour, try composing a combination of multicoloured hyrdrangeas in your borders and containers.
Water, water, water
The name Hydrangea, roughly translated, means ‘water barrel’ and this alludes to the hydrangea’s cup-shaped flower and its need for plenty of water. You will know straight away when your plant needs water because it will go limp but it will also immediately spring back to life once its thirst is quenched.
Enjoy for as long as you can
Hydrangeas are even beautiful in Winter. Leave the flowers on the plant and when they are covered in a layer of frost, they become the sparkling jewels of the Winter garden.
Power of Food Festival is fast approaching …
North Edinburgh plays a major part in this month’s Power of Food Festival with events and activities in Blackhall, Drylaw, Granton, Leith, Muirhouse and the Botanics to name just a few …! 
Hello everyone!
It’s an amazing privilege to be in a position today to launch the programme of Edinburgh’s first Power of Food Festival, only five and a half months after we decided to turn the original idea into a reality. It’s been a bit of a mad time getting everything in place, but really exhilarating to see it all coming together thanks to the efforts of a wide range of individuals keen to share their resources, skills, energy and passion. And how appropriate to be launching such an initiative on Volunteers Week! Volunteers are at the heart of community food growing and of the centre of the Festival.
We look forward to seeing you in one (or several!) of the 15 gardens of the Festival on 20-21 June and hope you enjoy the celebration!
Best wishes from
The Power of Food Festival Committee
Rebecca Crowther
Christine Giraud
Marie-Amélie Viatte
After months of preparation, The Power of Food Festival is pleased to announce an exciting programme of free events organised by each venue in line with what they do best: connecting people!
From well established award winning gardens, to new grassroot food growing projects, the diversity of the initiatives which feature in the programme will surprise and delight Festival goers. Venues open on the weekend of 20 and 21 June include a library, an office block, a secret garden, and a farmhouse which is undergoing an incredible transformation!
A citywide celebration
From Portobello to Wester Hailes, Granton to Blackhall, Tollcross to Old Dalkeith Road, and many others in between, every corner of Edinburgh will have a garden celebrating the joy of community food growing. There will be a rich menu of events suited for every taste, for children and adults alike, including: children’s poetry writing, bug hunting, storytelling and sharing, choir music, conversations on nature, food and sustainability, wind band, foraging, cooking and eating, as well as practical gardening workshops, and the launch of Edible Edinburgh Food Charter of a Sustainable Food City.
In association with Sustrans, visitors can also join in a guided bike tour of the
gardens (free but ticketed). Bookings can be made online.
Whether on foot or on two wheels, visitors can plan their Festival trip and keep up to date with the latest events and information via The Power of Food Festival website (details below).
A Festival for everyone
Why not invite your friends and family to take part in the first Edinburgh Power of Food Festival? The weekend will give everyone a chance to meet people in their local community, to join those who are transforming the city landscape everyday, and to give a deeper meaning to the word ‘community’. Maybe it will be the beginning of a great adventure: who knows where The Power of Food will take you?
The full programme of events can be accessed here: PoF Programme
Come with family and friends to The Power of Food Festival
Celebrating community food growing and local change makers
summer solstice weekend 20-21 June
W: poweroffoodfestival.wordpress.
Twitter @PoFFest FacebookEdinburghPowerofFoodFestival
Garden Plant of the Month: Strawberry
Summertime is here and what could be better than strawberries and cream, the epitome of the British summer! Not only do they taste delicious but they are also great to have in your garden. The strawberry (Fragaria), is an incredibly easy plant to grow and it will soon be yielding its first sweet, succulent fruit of the season.
For this reason, our Garden Plant of the Month of Thejoyofplants.co.uk has to be the scrumptious strawberry, whose eye-catching fruit and sensational taste has also been linked to having great medicinal powers from as long ago as the Roman times.
Getting Started:
What could be more satisfying than picking strawberries fresh from you own garden? All that love and attention that has been lavished upon them makes the home-grown variety so much tastier than any strawberry bought from a shop! For a bumper harvest, why don’t you choose perpetual plants such as the ‘Ostara’, ‘Rapella’, ‘Selva’ and ‘Toscana’ that bear fruit all summer long?
Strawberries are not only easy to grow but they are also very versatile – they can be grown virtually anywhere, in borders, pots, even hanging baskets. Simply chose a bright, sunny spot, plant them 30 to 40 cm apart with the crown at soil level and water them regularly and well.
Why don’t you try planting your strawberries alongside some redcurrants, blackberries and raspberries to create your very own fruit salad, smoothies and jams straight from the garden!
Did you know?
- Around 28,000 kilograms of strawberries are consumed during Wimbledon, along with 7,000 litres of cream and 28,000 bottles of champagne!
- The acid in strawberries can actually help whiten your teeth – smile!
- The strawberry (as well as the raspberry) is actually a member of the rose family
- Strawberries contain more Vitamin C than an orange
- The delicious strawberry is actually very good for you – it can help reduce cholesterol and can even help fight cancers
Walled garden friends set meeting date
The next meeting of the Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden
will be held on Thursday 23 April from 6 -7.30 pm
at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre
Agenda so far:
- Community ideas and aspirations – new additions to our list like the solar powered cycletrack to light up at night, recreation of a bit of the medieval castle!
- Funding to make things happen – priorities?
- Awareness raising, membership and voting rights.
- EDI/WEL meeting
- Planning committee meeting & Local Development Plan
Seating for 20, so please get in touch if you want to come along or put forward suggestions or questions for the meeting.
PS: Feedback from the exhibition at North Edinburgh Arts café has been very positive with many people surprised and glad to hear about the Friends Group campaign to safeguard and restore the walled garden.
Looking forward to seeing the film Sophia is making!
Kirsty Sutherland
Get growing in Drylaw this weekend
News from Granton Community Gardeners
The sun’s out today and Spring is slowly underway …
We’ve been busy in the gardens, including building a greenhouse, and planting a small orchard with the children at Granton Early Years Centre. We got our first potatoes planted on Saturday.
It’s a great time of year to get involved in community gardening. And this Saturday (21st) we are joint-hosting an event that will be great for getting inspired! (see flyer (above))
‘Germination’
At DRYLAW NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE
Saturday 21 March
1pm – 5pm
FREE EVENT
ALL WELCOME!
A celebration of community gardening with a DIY and collaborative spirit.
See flyer for list of workshops.
Also confirmed: Meet a man who has designed and built a bike powered flour mill, have a go and cook pancakes with the result!
Lifts available from Garden at top of Wardieburn Road. Meet 12.30.
Gardening drop-ins are continuing every Tuesday and Saturday. Meet 11am at the garden on the corner of Wardieburn Road and Boswall Parkway. All welcome! No previous gardening experience required!
Gardeners Cafe is now on Tuesdays 3pm-6pm at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre up until the Easter Holidays. Free veggie soup and bread and chat. On Tuesday 31 March we will have a workshop on foraging and herbal medicine from Grassroots Remedies. Please RSVP if you’d like to come to that.
Tom,
Granton Community Gardeners
http://www.facebook.com/grantoncommunitygardeners
The garden by candlelight at North Edinburgh Arts
A seasonal invite from North Edinburh Arts
TODAY at 3:45pm
Enjoy watching and joining in with the creation of our alternative Christmas tree sculpture with artist in residence, Natalie Taylor. We are using recycled pieces of kilt and a willow structure to create our eco-friendly tree this year.
As dusk draws in, prepare to see the NEA garden in a whole new (candle) light as we create a magical twilight with glowing glass jars galore.
Mince pies and (non-alcoholic) mulled wine will be served, just to make sure you leave with that festive feeling!
Please join us to celebrate the end of a wonderful term at NEA!
North Edinburgh Arts
North Edinburgh Arts launches Autumn programme
Summer’s almost over, but cheer up – North Edinburgh Arts have just launched their exciting Autumn programme!
The holidays are over but the fun doesn’t have to be!
North Edinburgh Arts can’t wait to see you all back again to enjoy our packed Autumn programme.
Activities for Children
Join Alice in Zoo Arts every Wednesday from 4.00 – 5.30pm. These visual art sessions are for local young artists (9-14 years) who would like to be inspired, improve their creative skills and get involved with exciting visual art projects that run on a 2-4 week basis. Sessions are 50p per child which includes a healthy snack. Follow them onFacebook here.
Thursday and Saturday mornings see the return of Create, our very popular creative, messy play project for 0-5 year olds and their parents/carers. The sessions demonstrate resourceful and inspiring ways to actively learn with your wee ones. These drop-in sessions run from 10am -12noon and are are 50p per child per session. ‘Like’ them on Facebook here.
Eco Kidz is back with more ideas to turn recylcing into crafty, sellable items. Learn a variety of skills in these fun sessions including art, design, craft, marketing and retailing. The group will eventually go on to sell items made in these weekly sessions. Eco-Kidz is on Friday, 1.45 – 3.15pm and all sessions are free. ‘Like’ them on Facebook here.
If you’re looking for a way to burn off some energy and get creative on a Saturday morning, NEA has everything you need . Along with our Create sessions, we also runart and danceworkshops for children aged 5-12 years. Between 10am – 12noon, the two age groups (5-8 and 9-12years) alternate between high energy dance sessions and colourful art and craft workshops. A healthy snack is provided half way through and it only costs 50p. Arrive in plenty of time as these popular drop in sessions are always busy!
Programme for Adults
The North Edinburgh Theatre Project is working on a very exciting project, 1d Tenement Opera project for production in January 2015 and you are very welcome to join.
Join in if you are interested in singing, dancing, making costumes, lighting & sound, making sets, drawing and designing, writing for the blog and doing stories, photography, social history, making sure the people of North Edinbrugh tell the stories… and spreading more whispers and rumours about the project.
If you are interested in some of the activities and you would like to find out more, please contact box office on 0131 315 2151.
United We Stand, 17th October, 7.30pm
Townsend Productions presents a powerful new play by Neil Gore based on the true story of one of the most turbulent industrial battles – the 1972 Builders’ Strike.
Tickets: £8, £5 concession, £3.00 good neighbours.
townsendproductions.org.uk
The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival
24th October, 7.00 – 8.00pm
The SMHAFF is one of Scotland’s most diverse cultural events. North Edinburgh Timebank Temptation singers showcase the transforming power of communal singing in their performance of various rock, folk, pop and world music titled ‘Lean on Me’.
Tickets are free. Booking is advised.
www.mhfestival.com
Lockerbie: Lost Voices, 31st October, 7.30pm
Lee Geshuny’s new play follows six passengers onto Pam Am Flight 103 destroyed over Lockerbie by a bomb in 1988. Tribute to those who tried to uncover the truth about the tragedy.
Tickets: £8, £5 concession, £3.50 good neighbours.
www.sacc.org.uk/articles/2013/lockerbie-lost-voices
Luminate Festival 1st – 31st october
If Luminate has one message, it’s that creativity has no age. Luminate includes new work, collaborations and international projects specially planned and programmed for the festival, as well as independently-run projects led by a wide range of cultural and community organisations.
www.luminatescotland.org
To book tickets for any of the above events, call box office on 0131 315 2151 or emailadmin@northedinburgharts.co.uk.
Pop-In Cafe
Our Pop-In Cafe is open Monday – Friday, 10am – 2pm and Saturday 10am – 12noon. We use ingredients grown in our very own garden and Michele cooks up delicious specials every day to make lunch time a real treat. We also serve delicous freshly ground coffee and home made cakes everyday. See full menu here.
NEA Garden
The NEA garden run Tuesday afternoon drop-in sessions, 1-5pm for families and 16+ years (children must be accompanied). Learn how to grow your own vegetables, herbs and other useful gardening skills in these free sessions run by Valla, outr community gardener. If you would like to be involved in the garden outside of these sessons, please contact Valla directly at northedinburghgrows@gmail.com. Keep up to date on their blog here.
