MAIDEN BRADLEY COMMUNITY GARDEN.
Welcome to this important part of Maiden Bradley Village.
Maiden Bradley Community Garden is to the north of All Saint’s Church in an old walled garden which was historically the kitchen garden for Bradley House; the home of the Duke & Duchess of Somerset.
In the latter part of the noughties the land had fallen out of use until village resident Franck Baudrain, whose house overlooked it, conceived the creation a garden for anyone in the community who wanted to get invoived. We are incredibly grateful that in 2010 permission was granted by the Duchy Estate to establish plots for growing of vegetables, flowers, soft fruit by local residents and their families. Maiden Bradley Community Garden Group was born.
Since then the group has grown to around 30 members. Some of the plots are occupied by individual allotment holders who are also part of the of the wider gardening group which is managed co-operatively.We grow crops ranging from strawberries, raspberries, potatoes, artichokes etc and between us, we try to harvest all the year around guided by an agreed rotational planting scheme. A poly-tunnel extends cropping time and is hugely helpful to us, as are the two greenhouses and shed. The significant expertise of many of the members is an invaluable learning resource for those of us with less knowledge.
We are in the process of establishing a bee colony thanks in part to generous donation of three horizontal hives and other vital beekeeping kit.
We are proud of the beautiful line of old pleached limes along the road. It is part of our obligation to the Duchy Estate that we carry out the annual pruning of them between November and March each year. It is a long and fiddly job but gives us a good reason to get out for an hour or two during the winter months. It is a favourite job of some of the members of the garden which well illustrates what a brilliant concept a community garden is. Each gardener contributes what they like doing rather than having to do equal shares of every job… We all benefit and it all comes out in the wash! Likewise we are weaving and trimming a willow cave that was planted not long ago and is now well established near the Church.
Carefully, we have been able to continue to work in the garden throughout the challenges of 2020 and have been lucky enough to be given grant by the Parish Council to help us restore our meadow and apple orchard at the Church end of the plot.
We cannot claim organic status but we are all agreed that we favour organic methods as far as possible. The quality of the produce is higher than mass produced shop bought vegetables.
Our motto is who ever shall be welcomed to join with what ever physical abilities and/or time available to offer.
If you would like to find out more we would love to hear from you. Please contact Kate on katemoore@silkmillstudios.co.uk or 844305.
