On Sunday June 14th, we are going to open up again to the public between 11am and 4pm. This is a trial.  If all goes well, and nothing changes for the worse in the wider vicinity, we will open for public visiting on all weekends throughout the summer.  We will be operating a one way system for visitors. The children’s natural kitchen, our own kitchen and toilets and the greenhouses themselves will remain closed to visitors.   

Volunteering will continue on a booking in system. If you are already registered as a volunteer, and have already had your volunteer induction, and would like to book in to volunteer for a fixed 3 hour session either between 10 and 1 or 2 and 5 on Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun, please book in here.  Before coming, please read our code of conduct

If you have recently registered as a volunteer with BPCG, and have not yet had a volunteer induction, please book into a new volunteer induction session here. 

This week in the garden, the Florence fennel which we sowed indoors in modules a few months ago have now developed into nice little plants about 10cm tall and are ready to be planted out into the kitchen garden. 

In our brassicas bed we have Greyhound cabbages which are an early maturing, pointed spring greens variety with few loose outer leaves and great flavour. These should be ready to harvest in July so in preparation for the space that their harvesting will create in the brassica bed we will start off some quick growing Kohl Rabi ‘Azur Star’ in modules in the greenhouse. Azur Star, as its name suggests is a purple skinned, quick maturing, attractive Kohl rabbi  which is slow to become woody and can be sown successionally from March to July.

We will continue to feed, water and tie in our tomato cordons, removing the tomato side shoots to encourage strong upward growth. 

Other preparations we will be making for opening included finishing off the signs we are creating to direct garden visitors around the gardens through our one way system.

We will be finishing off wood chipping all our paths and erecting signs around the garden.

There are still a few hedges in the woodland area that need trimming to make them look tidy and to encourage a compact growth habit. 

Some fruit and veg are ready for harvesting such as the first of our loganberries, radishes, and lettuces.

At our online shop, we have a lovely stash of plants, including flowering tomatoes, dwarf beans, second year Cannas, Calla and Pineapple Lillies, red Amaranth, garden and apple mint as well as honey, marmalade, and elderflower cordial on sale. New this week, are our BPCG Herb Salts in 3 flavours – Oregano and Sorrel, Two Thyme, and Rosemary. Herb Salts preserve the flavour punch of the lovely herbs we have grown in the walled herb garden.  Use in recipes instead of conventional salt. Every BPCG Herb Salts jar comes with a fab little recipe book making it a lovely gift. Order plants and produce online and then pick up.  Visit the online shop here, place your order, and then book your collection time at BPCG on a Thurs/Fri/Sat. 

At BPCG’s Zoom Gardeners Question Time this Saturday 13th June at 2pm to 3pm, Joshua is joined by Nat Mady of Hackney Herbal – a social enterprise promoting health and wellbeing through herbs, who grow on a patchwork of sites across Hackney. Join here.  If you can’t make this Sat, have a look at all our episodes on Youtube here.  Any questions you’d like to put to the panel this Sat, reply to this email by Friday night, or put your question direct to the panel on the day.

Don’t miss Jelena’s June fermentation workshop on Saturday June 13th 11am to 1pm.  Learn to make delicious fermented hot sauce and zingy sauerkraut – just the thing for summer BBQs. For more information and to book go here

And to join Emma’s online singing group or take part in Sally’s online yoga classes, find out more details here

Finally to help us raise funds for the charity,  we would like to offer you the possibility of hiring our beautiful gardens for small private parties or functions.  If this is something that interests you please reply to this email and we can send you more information.