FRIENDS OF GRAPPENHALL HEYS WALLED GARDEN
http://www.ghwalledgarden.org.uk
NEWSLETTER – SPRING 2011
Dear Friends
It is now ten months since I became the Friends’
Chairman and I have spent many Sundays helping
with events and in the cafe - where I get picked on
but it is all part of the enjoyment of being there.
During this time one of the many things that stands
out is how hard our volunteers work. It is also nice
to see new faces in the garden each weekend.
Well supported events such as Fun Day, Apple Day
and Christmas Fayre in 2010 have helped us to
reach £16,500 towards the Glasshouses
Regeneration Fund. With your continued support I
am sure we will achieve our target of £20,000 by the
beginning of August 2011.
Brian Johnson
Glasshouses Regeneration Project –
Consultation Process
Since the New Year we have launched four
separate consultation surveys targeted at different
potential user groups of the walled garden: general
community; schools; special needs and Friends and
volunteers of the walled garden. This is an on-going
process but already we have had an excellent
response from our Friends Group, with over 90
completed questionnaires – thank you to all who
have taken the time to give us your views.
Carolyn Hassall and Adrian Pearson, Architect,
looking at the proposed plans for the
glasshouses regeneration
We have learned that most of you are involved in
Grappenhall Heys Walled Garden because you
enjoy helping to conserve an important element of
our local history; helping a good cause and being
out in the fresh air. The majority of you regard the
heritage character of the garden as very important,
and also the potential for inclusion that the garden
has in appealing to a wide range of the community.
A resounding number of you are not in favour of
restoring the glasshouses in their original timber
form – very sensibly acknowledging that
maintenance will be a major concern for our twentyfirst century budget and workforce.
The majority of you would support either an all white
metal frame, or a timber/metal combination.
We have had some inspiring suggestions about the
opportunities posed by the glasshouse regeneration
project, and how to improve the visitor experience.
All responses will be fully considered and fed into
our design process.
The questionnaires are still available on-line.
If you know anyone who would like to contribute,
please encourage them to take part.
We had a very successful initial consultation event
at the Garden on Sunday 6th February, where we
invited comments on 3 different options for the
layout of the glasshouses. We will be having a
further event on Sunday 6th March 2011, between
1pm - 3.30 pm where we will be presenting the
favoured option for information and comments. We
look forward to seeing you there!
Carolyn Hassall, Outreach Development Officer
The Annual General Meeting of the Friends is on
Tuesday, 17th May at the Quays Community Centre,
Thelwall New Road, Grappenhall. You will receive
official notification in due course.
At this meeting we will be seeking a new secretary
as Eileen is stepping down. If you are interested, or
know anyone who would be interested, please
contact Brian Johnson on 01925-601298 for more
information.
In the garden - Hopefully, by the time you are
reading this, spring should be just around the
corner. The snowdrops are already out under the
Fern-leaf Beech and the daffodils are showing
themselves in the orchard.
As soon as the really cold spell left us we were busy
in the gardens catching up on pruning and tidying. A
Hornbeam hedge has been planted to screen off the
compost areas and a Sorbus Hupehensis was
planted at the northern end of Heron Pond to
replace the Davidia that was vandalised last year.
Hopefully we should have a new fruit cage in place
by late spring. Now we are waiting for the
ground to dry out enough to be able to plant onion
sets and the first early potatoes (some say these
should be planted on St Patrick’s Day, others on
Good Friday).
Two new benches, acquired with a Grassroots
grant, have also just been put in place. We hope
you enjoy using them!
Graham Richardson, Gardener Manager
Do you have any Saxifraga Umbrosa (London Pride)
plants that we could have for planting in the garden?
If so please leave them at the garden for Graham.
Gardening Volunteers - The garden volunteers
have recently replaced all the posts and wires for
the cane fruit. A new rhubarb bed has been made
and we are in the process of preparing the ground
for pumpkins. Any new volunteers warmly welcomed
– we meet regularly at the garden on Thursday
afternoons between 1pm - 3.30pm and on Saturday
mornings between 10am-12noon.
Bob Jennings, Volunteer Gardeners Warden
Events for 2011
Most events are held on a Sunday and run from
1pm-3.30pm but please check day and dates. A full
programme is available at the garden or can be
downloaded from the website.
13th March – Bird box making
20th March – Make bee hotels
27th March – Bike maintenance workshop
3rd April – Mothers Day cones with sweets
16th April – Seed propagation workshop
17th April – Mini scarecrows/plant dwarf peas
1st May – Model boats
15th May – Ladybird hunt
21st May – Afternoon cream tea
22nd May – Bird watching TBC
11th June – Cheese and Wine – Members only
26th June – Strawberry cream teas
3rd July – Fun Day
23rd July – Pond dipping
14th August – Potato people/vegetable animals
TBC – Bat walk
4th Sept – Friend or foe?
11th Sept - Butterfly feeders
25th Sept – Apple day
30th Sept – Quiz night with hotpot supper
2nd Oct – Make apple bird feeders and fat balls
29th Oct – Pumpkin carving
30th Oct – Autumn forage/tree identification
6th Nov – Boggart making
12th Nov – Pruning workshop TBC
13th Nov – Make decorative Xmas boxes
27th Nov – Christmas Fayre
4th Dec – Bird watching and make nightlight holders
For events information please contact Kath
Heywood on 01925-266945
kathheywood@hotmail.com
To help raise funds for the Glasshouses
Regeneration Fund the Friends are holding a
Jumble Sale on Saturday, April 2nd at Grappenhall
Community Centre, Bellhouse Lane from 10am –12
noon. Admission £1 which includes light
refreshments (accompanied children free).
If you would like to donate jumble, we are receiving
donations from Sunday 27th March to Friday 1st
April. This can be left at 12 Barrymore Court,
Grappenhall (tel 01925 266945) or at the walled
garden during opening hours but please note that
there is no vehicular access. No electrical or large
furniture items please. All proceeds will go to the
Glasshouses Regeneration Fund.
Arrangements are in hand for another Picnic in the
Park, which will be a ticketed event.
Coach Trip – The Friends are organising a coach
trip with Regency Coaches to visit the restored
garden at The Weir, Herefordshire, a former home
of the Parr family who owned Grappenhall Heys.
The garden is owned by the National Trust – the
property is not open to the public. It will be the first
week in May (date to be confirmed) and will cost
between £21-£27. This will include morning coffee,
afternoon tea and a glass wine on the way home.
Places are limited and will be on a first come first
served basis. For more information please contact
Linda Spiers on 01925-268671 or email
linda@spiers55.orangehome.co.uk.
Junior Photographer - We welcome 12 year old
Sophie Richards into this role. Sophie is a very
keen photographer and supporter of events held at
the garden. We are sure we will have excellent
photographs from her to display on the website and
the boards in the schoolroom.
Sophie’s photo of Snowdrops in the garden
Financial Report - Since the Friends was
inaugurated in 2007 the annual membership fee has
not increased. At the last Executive Committee
meeting it was agreed that the fee should be
increased to £7.50 per family/household with
immediate effect. To compensate, we will be giving
priority bookings for ticketed events at a reduced
cost to members.
We have received notification of a grant of £1,000
from Warrington Borough Council ‘Inclusion Matters’
towards the cost of raised beds and tools for use by
disabled persons.
Ian Fountain, Treasurer
The café is now open each Sunday from
1pm - 3.45pm until the end of November.
To continue providing this service we desperately
need more volunteers in the kitchen or we will have
to reassess when the café can be open. Could you
spare one Sunday a month or bake a cake? If you
can help please contact Mary at on 01925-659016
or mapdr02@yahoo.co.uk
To meet food hygiene regulations eleven regular
café volunteers are taking CIEH Level 1 Award in
Food Safety.
If you have any suggestions on what you would like
included in future Newsletters please let Elizabeth
know on 01925-604990 or email
ebfountain@tiscali.co.uk or
General enquiries can be made at the garden
daily between 1-4pm, or to the Parish Council
office 01925-264918 or email
friends@ghwalledgarden.org.uk
Events enquiries to Kath Heywood, 01925-266945
or kathheywood@hotmail.com