News!

Hello there, I have some positive news to report. I have been granted access to more gardens on Hazelwell Lane - to see whether any additional plants can be salvaged. So this weekend, I will be scrambling through brambles to see what can be found. Fingers crossed.

Also, I have been given permission by the property managing agent to take any plants of interest from the site that was previously (many blue moons ago) Kwiksave. There is a rather uplifting strawberry plant there living in the crack between the tarmac and a wall. So if you see any dodgy activity happening on this patch then please come along and help! I have permission! Well, I have permission to remove plants. I have not been granted permission to actually have the plant stall - the Stirchley Thought Exchange event itself - on this land. Not sure why. So I am still looking for venues....

...I am hoping this event, where the found plants are given back to residents, will take place on Saturday 5th June - or May bank holiday Monday - I have left a message with the Coop Superstore to see whether it might be something they would be happy to support on their land, perhaps at the front of the store. Not sure what anyone thinks about this.... hmmm.

Stirchley Neighbourhood Forum

On Monday just gone, I attended the Stirchley Neighbourhood Forum meeting, and listened to a presentation by West Midlands Police about Taser guns. Which was interesting. And included a demonstration. You are thinking: "how is this relevant to plants on derelict sites?" Well, I followed this presentation with a small announcement about this project, the Stirchley Thought Exchange. "Ah yes, I see" you say. The forum members seemed to be interested and supportive. In fact they had a couple of useful ideas of where the saved plants could go - there is a patch/ community garden by Bournville train station on Mary Vale Road - BT have taken it over I believe, however it is in need of attention generally, and a few extra plants wouldn't go amiss. Another suggestion was to plant them in Hazelwell or Cotteridge Park. Which is a great idea. Although I have a lot of mint. I'm not sure whether that is a park plant? I said I would send the link to this blog to Mick at the forum to include on the website too. Note to self....

Buddleia Seeds

I was very pleased on Monday as several packets of flower seeds that I had ordered from the internet (I did feel bad not using local businesses tut tut) had arrived. Including my buddleia butterfly mix - the picture above is of me looking (subtly) excited, just incase you were wondering. Its a pretty bad picture, I'm not entirely sure why I'm posting it, only it took me quite a long time to work out how to flip pictures taken by the webcam so I felt slightly compelled to use it! On the front of the packet is a photo of nice pink and white varieties; I am hoping they are less invasive than the common purple kind (sorry Buddy). Although I am excited by them, I am not exactly sure what to do with them. Any suggestions please comment! I was thinking of starting them off then having them as small gifts for people if there are not enough rescued plants. Hmm. Thought cap goes on.... I might do an unplanned consultation down at TASCOs club on Saturday night over a whiskey mac, see what the punters think. They might have some interesting contributions on how to take this forward considering they are in the middle of the derelict land. Maybe the cafe too.... saturday morning.... so many ideas!

Ok, I'm rambling a little now, so I'm going to head off!!