We’re really happy to have run this GetGrowing programme, our first since Covid days, and ‘The Barn’ was a fantastic venue, with our wraparound view of the magnificent mature woodland and Victorian walled garden of Belmont Demesne.
All our participants were enthusiastic beginners: some with small to large greenhouses, others with open cultivated garden plots, and also a few patio gardens. We had fun with hands-on practice, learning with Brigitta about seed sowing, germination, watering and potting. We looked at how to plan rotation according to plant families so as to get best results. We considered the uses and benefits of herb-growing and of natural insecticides. We looked at what natural-sourced plant food we can make using comfrey and nettle teas, composting and mulches, soils and natural weed control.
Geraldine joined us on Sunday afternoon for a very interesting session, sharing how she felt deeply connected to nature from childhood, leading her to become immersed in plant cultivation later on. She gave us some fascinating insights on flowers and shrubs that encourage pollination and support beneficial insect life, also sharing with participants the therapeutic and spiritual feelings generated by connection to nature. Then, to close our 2-day GetGrowing course, Ger gifted seedballs of pollinating flowers that she had made to each participant, which gave rise to a very special moment: we had all become so filled with the sense of natural connectedness, that the group spontaneously broke into song and dance, in gratitude to the beauty of Nature around and within us all.
Looking ahead, our GetGrowing manual will continue to provide an accessible, step-by-step source for participants to refer back to, refreshing and furthering the basic skills we covered this weekend.
For GetGrowing in 2024, we will be looking for a new venue around this area, as ‘The Barn’ is about to become a restaurant, so if any Dubliners know of a suitable place nearby, do please let us know: greenfriends@ammaireland.org
