Revamp for Wardleworth community garden

A community garden in Wardleworth has had an overhaul and is now ready for the 2009 growing season.

Zetland Place Community garden has been improved over the last year by 67 British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV).

Funded by the BTCV My Space? Our Space! scheme, the project saw 30 metres of wooden bed edging and 126 metres of path replaced and persistent weeds removed. The demonstration area beds have been repaired and the gravel surfacing has been replaced.

Kate Sutton from BTCV said: “The appearance of the garden has been much improved as all the beds are now defined with neat edges and pathways. The garden looks so much better now and the local area is enhanced by it."

The Garden, off Gowers Street, was set up by a partnership of BTCV and Rochdale Council in 2000. The initial project to set up the garden lasted from 2000–2004 with BTCV helping local residents to set up their plots and providing activities at the garden. This was funded by the SRB5 Revitalising Inner Rochdale Programme.

From 2004-7 BTCV continued to maintain the garden and run some activities on minimal funding.

Many individuals and school and community groups have learned about growing vegetables and many people have gained qualifications at the garden. The local residents have benefited from a quiet place to grow their own food and relax.

The recent funding through the BTCV My Space? Our Space! Programme came via The Veolia Environmental Trust, The John Laing Charitable Trust and v.

The garden will now be managed by the Adult Care Learning Disabilities team from the Council who are based at Wardleworth Community Centre. Their service users will be coming to the garden regularly to maintain it and grow fruit and vegetables. The people who have existing plots may continue to use them and access the garden using their keys.

Carol from the Learning Disabilities Team said: “We hope to use the facilities of the garden for the benefit of our service users and also the local community, hopefully creating a beautiful garden for all to enjoy and to provide green space for nature. BTCV have done a fantastic job, making it easier for us to take on the garden.”