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RHSI
Garden
NEWSLETTER 1 -
18 October 2011
PLAN OF ACTION
Dear Friends and Members,
This is our first Newsletter. It is a follow up to the letter
of 3rd October from the President, Robert Myerscough, announcing
the RHSI partnership with the Alfred Beit Foundation to take
over restoration of the Walled Garden.
We were delighted and heartened by the large turnout of around
100 people on last Saturday’s Open Day; RHSI members,
members of affiliated societies and other friends. A big THANK
YOU to all for coming! It was clear that there is much enthusiasm
for the project to restore this wonderful walled garden, together
with willingness to getting involved in some practical way
to support it. The garden is to be run by members for members
– it is your garden. Many written offers were made on
the day, and we have received many telephone calls since.
We were particularly encouraged by the large attendance from
local Garden Clubs in Blessington and Ballymore Eustace.
We, the RHSI Garden Committee, felt it was important to respond
quickly to you with a Plan of Action and get started. We will
start by having TWO WORKDAYS initially. One will be held on
a weekday and one on a Saturday, in order to try and suit
different people.
Wednesday 26th October starting at 10.30 am
Saturday 5th November starting at 10.30 am
We would like to encourage as many as can come, on either
or both days. Please bring with you your own garden tools
and lunchbox and drink.
This is an initial Work Schedule, for the first few weeks,
depending on the number of volunteers, and also the weather:
1. In order to accommodate the donation of herbaceous plants,
the frames will be cleaned out first and soil or compost added.
2. The borders along the main central path (north wall to
centre) cleaned of weeds leaving the few roses in place and
the Aster.
4. Gather all rubbish for disposal in a skip.
5. Clean the bed along the west wall (inside the gate to
the left) avoiding the apple and pear trees and prepare for
the sowing of grass seed until such time as it is required
for planting.
6. In the fruit section (north east section), remove as
many weeds as possible and mark out the bed for further cane
fruits and bush fruits.
7. Prepare the east wall border, where the strawberries
and rhubarb are planted.
Depending on how many come each day, we will divide into
one or more teams to work on one of these projects. If the
weather is wet then we should make a start on the potting
shed; clean and start the white washing of the walls. This
would help to brighten the shed and make it more inviting
to work in.
We plan also to have the Garden Plan on display in the
garden as soon as it has been finalised.
We look forward to working with you in this exciting project.
We have prepared a spreadsheet with all the names of people
who made offers on our Open Day or subsequently. We plan
to use this to co-ordinate communication and your involvement,
so are waiting to add your names and information as you
make contact with us. We will need to work together, harnessing
your ideas, skills and enthusiasm, so that everybody feels
it is their garden. So let’s build up a RHSI Garden
Russborough community together.
Feedback is important, so
do tell us what is working and what you think could be improved.
This is best done by contacting our Volunteer Co-ordinator
Mary Lee at 086 1255718 (Monday to Thursday between 11am
and 12:30pm) or rhsivolunteering@gmail.com.
We are starting
by trying out a Wednesday and a Saturday. Please let us
know what days you can and cannot do.
The work will be planned, led and monitored carefully by
the Garden Committee members. In the longer term, it is
proposed that responsibility for particular tasks or sections
of the garden should be delegated to ‘guardians’
who can lead and co-ordinate a group around them. But first,
we have to walk before we can run. So let’s get started!
See you at Russborough.
The Garden Committee - Robert Myerscough, Peter Harrison,
Anne James, Mary Lee, Philip Hollwey, John Quin, Janet Wynne,
Yvonne McCann, Violet O’Brien
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