Herb-growing on Bowes Park station platform

Is anyone interested in communal herb-growing on the Bowes Park station platform?  Herbs would be grown in large pots, weeded and watered by commuters and harvested as needed by them on their weary way home..

This is being done successfully by the 'Incredible Edible Todmorden' project in Yorkshire - see photo at (http://www.incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk/projects/community-her...)

Capital First Connect who run the station are open to the idea in principle, and would like to see plans.  Sustainable Bowes Park has some money left over from the Enfield Residents Priority Fund to pay for pots and seeds; the most important factor is volunteer labour!

The containers would be large and heavy enough to be immovable by any mischief-makers, waist-high for easy access, and filled one-third hard core (at the bottom), one-third with polystyrene as a filler, and the top third with compost and water-retaining crystals.  Then planted with drought-tolerant Mediterranean types (rosemary, thyme etc). 

Water may need to be carried to the station, depending on whether tenants/staff can supply it.  Weeding would ideally be done by regular station users while they wait for their train in the mornings.

Please let me know if you can offer any watering/weeding help, or have any comments or suggestions. 

Thanks very much,

Mary Blake

for Sustainable Bowes Park

Views: 1550

Comment by EyeInTheSky on July 15, 2013 at 9:22

Also Haringey does grants for Parks and Open spaces. You can apply for amounts up to £200 without any formal accounting. Sarah Jones in the Parks and Open Spaces department looks after this scheme.

Comment by Mary Blake on July 16, 2013 at 19:50

Sounds good, once the current Sustainable Bowes Park pot is dried up.  (Oops, unfortunate turn of phrase!)  Esp since the station is actually on the Haringey side of the border..

Comment by Helen on July 21, 2013 at 21:41

What a brilliant idea!  i use the station most days and would be happy to spend a few minutes, watering or weeding and just saying good morning :)

Comment by Mary Blake on July 21, 2013 at 22:45

Thanks very much Helen - you also raise a good point that plants need to be talked to, as well as weeded and watered!

Comment by Lucia on July 21, 2013 at 23:29

Often thought the same re bounds green...had wondered about 'pocket park' funding...it really could do with being improved. Maybe some of the businesses would make a contribution?

Comment by Mary Blake on July 22, 2013 at 9:48

Sounds like a new project forming, all good stuff!  Lucia or Diana, maybe a new discussion thread about the Bounds Green underground area idea would bear fruit?

Meanwhile  I've broken my toe and ankle bone, so I'm afraid reci visits to either are out for the next 6 weeks or so!

Comment by Mary Blake on September 21, 2013 at 17:00

Good news!  First Capital Connect (the train operator) has installed the planters on Bowes Park station platform.  They were made by First Capital Connect's charity partner the Aldingbourne Trust, who train young adults with learning disabilities in horticultural skills.   I'll let you know the date for The Big Planting soon! 

Comment by Lucia on September 23, 2013 at 9:00

The planters look good...looking forward to getting going. 

Comment by Mary Blake on September 24, 2013 at 15:44

There's one extra bit of good news - a third planter is going in!  So we'll need as many hands on deck (platform?!) as possible.  If anyone else is interested in weeding/watering, please let me know, thanks very much. 

Comment by Phoebe Davidson on September 28, 2013 at 9:39
Hi do you what some varigsted sage. Tons in garden

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